CHAPTER X.

King Alcohol's Portrait delineated from Head to Foot, Length, Breadth, Weight, and Height; comprising the History of his Parentage, Birth, Life, Exploits, most wonderful Deeds, and the Prospects of his declining Years. ADDRESS, delivered before the Malta Town Temperance Society, Jan. 1, 1841.

MR. PRESIDENT-LADIES And GentlemeN :

Alluding to Satan, an apostle declared to the Corinthian Church, "We are not ignorant of his devices."-2 Cor. ii. 11.

We propose to apply this apostolic declaration to the present enlightened state of community, in relation to the devices of the same adversary for the promotion of intemperance, which holds a rank in the first class, as a strata gem for the destruction of mankind.

The whole systematic artifice of intemperance (so far as intoxicating liquors are concerned) comprises but three points, viz., The manufacture, sale, and consumption of strong drinks. These will be considered in order.

The manufacture of strong drink combines the arts of fermentation and distillation together. The first process is to ferment liquid substances, derived from the fruits of the earth, by which process. alcohol is formed, which alone contains the intoxicating principle. Alcohol consists of a compound of deadly poisonous gases, which can be produced in no other way than by the chemical process of fermentation. The intoxicating principle exists as really in the juice of apples, after fermentation, as it does in rum,

brandy, or gin. The alcohol is as perfect in the one as in the others, and the difference between them is only this, that pure brandy is alcohol separated from all extraneous substances to weaken it, while alcohol in cider is mixed with such a quantity of other fluids as to render it less noxious, unless a sufficient quantity of the mixture is taken to produce intoxication. When this is done, the effect of the alcohol is as virulent from cider as it is when the same quantity is taken from brandy or any other ardent spirits. The same facts exist in relation to beer, ale, and all kinds of fermented wines.

Distillation is the art of separating the pure alcohol from its weakening appendages, with which it is always connected after a state of fermentation. The art of distill. ing spirits, we are told, was discovered several hundred years ago, by a company of Arabian apothecaries and chemists. Distilled spirits were first used as medicine, and sold by weight, eight drachms to an ounce, and hence the origin of the term dram. Soon, however, distilled spirits passed from the medicinal use to the purposes of sensuality as a common beverage, and the art of distilling ardent spirits has become almost universally prevalent.

Such are the arts employed in the manufacture of alcohol, and all the intoxicating liquors that have ever existed have been thus manufactured. By this combination of arts, intoxicating liquors of various flavors, various prices, and various powers to intoxicate, are accommodated to all the different appetites and circumstances of mankind. Young beginners are favored with weak, pleasant, fermented liquors, such as cider, beer, and wine; and when

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an appetite is formed for more powerful stimulants, alcohol, divested of its weakening appendages by the distillery, fosters the insatiable appetite to intoxication.

A vast amount of manual labor and a great number of workmen are required to carry into effect the manufacture of alcohol. If the various processes necessary to make fifty barrels of cider would require the labor of a number of men and beasts during several days (as the fact would be), what an almost innumerable host of laborers must be required to manufacture all the various kinds of intoxicating liquors with which this world has been and is constantly flooded! Thousands and tens of thousands, yea, millions, are engaged in this work. Some are employed in building cider-mills, breweries, and distilleries, with their appurtenances. Others, in tilling the land, sowing, planting, harvesting, thrashing, and transporting the fruits of the earth to breweries and distilleries, to be manufactured into alcohol. Others are engaged in making vessels of various descriptions to hold the precious beverage when manufactured. Others are employed in chopping wood, making fires, drawing water, filling vats, and other manual exercises in the various processes of the work, too numerous to mention.

All these different classes of laborers are engaged in a business which tends to promote the kingdom of Satan; in conformity with his device, under his infernal superintendence, and "each one looking for his gain from his quarter." Hence, the love of money (which is the root of all evil) is evidently the alluring incitement, the enchanting wile, and the predominant motive which influ

ences manufacturers of alcohol to drive forward their trade, preparatory to destruction, under the banner and in conformity with the device of Satan, the fell destroyer. Such is the nature of the business of the manufacturers of intoxicating liquors.

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We shall next consider the business of vending the arti cle of alcohol, when manufactured. Alcohol is manufac tured first for sale. The traffic of intoxicating liquors is carried on both wholesale and retail. The first sale which is made of the article is by the principal manufacturers to wholesale merchants. ⠀

It is common for articles of commerce to be recom mended to purchasers, that they may know the nature, quality, and design of the article offered for sale. One circumstance, however, in the recommendation of alcohol; deserves special notice. The quality of the article is not branded on the outside of the cask or vessel containing the liquor, as is the case with barrels of flour and many other articles of commerce. But the signature, which is designed to describe its quality and use, is stamped on the inside of the cask with a liquid-branding instrument, heated with alcoholic fire, and inserted in fiery capitals. As it is diffi cult to turn the inside of casks outward to exhibit the recommendations, the method adopted to test the quality is by injecting a small vessel called proof-glass into the bung of the cask, and the recommendatory parts of the contents within are thus drawn out; so that the stamp, with the whole signature of recommendation, branded and warranted by the manufacturer, agent for King Alcohol's master, may appear conspicuous, and be understood with

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out mistake. Thus, every barrel of cider, cask of wine, beer, or distilled spirits, put up for use and offered for sale, has the signature of the manufacturer of the article affixed to it on the inside, as above described, in letters of alcoholic fire. On the application of the proof-glass, the following recommendations will be made to appear conspicuous:

Good, sweet, fermented cider, to learn little boys and girls the art of drinking weak, pleasant alcohol, instead of cold water, when they are dry, and also to create a thirst for drinking very often. Recommended by him who loves to see little boys and girls drink cider, that they may learn to be drunkards.

Good hard cider, which will give any person such an appetite, that the more he drinks, the more he will want to drink.

Also, good wine, compounded of various alcoholic sediments, drugs, and other ingredients, to give it high color and flavor; and is elegant for ladies and gentlemen at the dinner-table, to toast away a pleasurable hour in hilarity; good to produce excitement at a wedding party; good to prepare both body and mind for attendance at the theater and house of sensuality; and a most excellent article for the communion-table, for all members of temperance societies who love "mixed wine," in preference to the unfermented "fruit of the vine." Warranted, signed, and sealed, by A. B., his satanic majesty's agent and manufacturer, at his wine factory and store, where is kept constantly on hand a warranted supply, for all the purposes above-mentioned.