The

Magistrate, T. W. W. BROWNE, Esq. "I have been a county magistrate for the last 30 years. Do you say that drunkenness has increased since 1830 ? It has increased fearfully."* Report itself contains a summary of facts, which we will cite in part. "There are no doubt many publicans and beershop keepers who exercise the utmost vigilance to prevent drunkenness on their premises, but the temptation is strong to encourage intemperance, and a vast number of the houses for the sale of intoxicating drinks live upon drunkards and the sure progress of multitudes to drunkenness, whilst numbers of them are the habitual haunts of the idle and abandoned, of thieves, prostitutes, and the adepts and learners of crime...A witness states that 'he lately visited, in the evening, the whole of the public-houses in the New Cut, numbering about 16. They were all full of people drinking: in one house he counted 50. At another the police were obliged to stand with their staves to prevent the people from pushing the doors in, as the Publican inside and his servants drove them out to prevent them getting more drink, and to enable the house to be closed at the time prescribed.' Another witness states that 'in a single street in Manchester (Deansgate), there are, besides beershops and public-houses, 28 spirit vaults; and that every Saturday there are to be found, at any hour throughout the day, an average of 550 persons drinking in those houses at the same time. One house alone averages 1,500 visitors in the day.' Another witness gives, as the result of an enquiry extending over 1,456 spirit vaults, beerhouses, and public-houses in the same city, 'that they had on a single Sunday, 212,243 visits; and that 22,232 of the calls were by children, some of whom went to drink on their own account, some to fetch drink, and some were bad characters.""-Canon STOWELL, of Salford, says :"I had an examination made in my own parish; and, so far as I can ascertain, you could not find two cottages out of three, taking the average of them all, without a member of the family addicted to drunkenness. And you never find a family where there is a drunkard-whether it be the mother, worse than all! or the father, or a son, or a daughter-but that family is blasted." Mr PETER FAIRBAIRN, the Leeds Machinist, says of his own workmen, on pay-day, Out of 100 men, all of whom will probably have taken their quart of Porter or Ale, above a third will go home in a state of drunkenness-drunkenness to the extent of imbecility." When political writers lament the want of sympathy between the higher and poorer classes of this country, they should recollect that sympathy between comparative refinement and sottishness is as impossible as between a rich drinking class and a lower. The bond of sympathy between the various classes can only be re-knit by the destruction of that which hinders, by the artizan classes becoming more self-respecting

66

* Ibid, p. 84.

and this is only possible through the prohibition of the temptations before which they fall into poverty and degradation.

In other works already before the public, there is abundant proof, which we will not here reproduce, illustrative of the magnitude and enormity of the Traffic as a source of Intemperance: we have preferred to rely chiefly upon the latest, and least accessible evidence. In our judgment, the course pursued by a portion of the conductors of the public press is most wicked in attempting to gloss over the true character and extent of the Social Cancer which is eating away the strength and vitality of the nation.

97. Mark, next, the POVERTY (individual and national) which follows drunkenness with clear and necessary sequence. In our historical sections we have already furnished ample proof that it moves pari passu with the Traffic; enlarging or lessening with the encouragement or discouragement we mete out to that. On so plain a question, it is not necessary that we should very closely distinguish between the Poverty of the Individual and that of the Nation, since the former is simply a deduction from the wealth of the latter: the main point is, the proportion of the evil flowing from Drunkenness and the Traffic. We say

and' emphatically, because every penny spent at the publichouse for drink is a national as well as domestic loss-an expenditure in a selfish, momentary gratification, that in no way contributes to reproduce wealth or to spread happiness, but the reverse; and because the Traffic is the actual feeder of drunkenness, and the great temptation to drinking. Moreover, as regards the monetary tax, it matters little whether the burden of the poor, of the drunkard in his worn out state, of his family, or of his orphans and widow,-is cast upon us in the shape of Charity' or of 'Pauperism.' Under this head, also, may be introduced illustrations of the loss produced by Accidents from drinking-not simply the loss of wealth or commodities burnt, or submerged, or spoilt, but the permanent loss sustained by the support of the children and wives of the drunkards, and of the sufferers, being transferred to the community.

§ 98. First, we will select an illustration from IRELAND, which has been a Poor Nation from want of capital, and has wanted capital chiefly because the people have preferred swalTowing it to saving it being tempted thereto by our own government, which has always manifested a far greater interest to finger their money' than to foster their morals.' The Tippler was perfectly correct who exclaimed, ere emptying his second

The preposterous theory of some politicians, that Poverty is the great cause of Crime, is sufficiently refuted by historical and statistical facts adduced in other parts of this essay: it is, in truth, the Tenterden Steeple and G dwin Sandslogic, which confounds coincid nce with causation. "No doubt Crime and Poverty do often go together, but the reason is that drinking is the cause of both.

glass, "Here goes a peck of meal and a stone of the murphies!" ADAM SMITH might talk more learnedly, but, after all, that is the secret of Ireland's miseries, and of our own. The poor swallow their Independence in swallowing their capital, and along with that, they swallow those moral attributes and social influences whereby alone they can ever rise to Political Power, and so cease to be the lower classes.' Liquor is the great leveller! Revert, for instance, to that grand fact already given—(§ 71)— which, on a comparison of ordinary years with those when distillation was only partially stopt, shows an increase of one-third in the Imports in favor of Famine and Prohibition over Plenty and Licence! Or these other singular facts, yet exactly what we should expect a priori.

In 1757-8, 1760-1, the average annual Balance of Loss between the Corn Imported and Exported was £78,282. But in the year 1759, a year when the Distilleries were stilled, there was a Balance of Profit of £4,584.* All that, we take it, meant so much comfort for the poor, as well as prosperity for trade. † "The salutary effects of which," says a contemporary observer, referring to the arrest of distillation, "were the restoring new vigor to our languishing manufactures, and a visible reformation in the morals of the people."

The next illustration has reference to the state of the country in 1808-9, 1812-13, when, for parts of those years, distillation was again prohibited of oats, the grain mainly used by the distillers, the total quantity exported in 1808-11-12-15 is given from the averages of the Customs returns, and the quantity of corn spirits paying duty is added :—

Thus, even in years of dearth, the prohibition of distilling in Ireland increased the oats exported to the value of nearly two millions of pounds; so that, making allowance for the parts of years during which the distilleries were in operation, the CAPITAL of the country was increased by half a million annually, with a positive gain in all social and moral aspects besides.

* Tour in Ireland: by ARTHUR YOUNG, ii. p 122. The Imports that year were £27,058, the Exports, £31 48.-It should be stated, in reference to the next Table, that there was no increased Export of wheat or meal; showing that the corn exported, was cora saved from the Stilleries.

+ Earnest Addresses to the People against drinking Spirituous Liquors: by W. HENRY, D.D., F.R.S. Dublin, 1761.

+ Vide Parliamentary Papers, vii. 1823'

In like manner, the great, however temporary revolution created in Ireland by the good Father MATHEW, supplies us with an illustration which answers a double purpose, showing what Drinkers lose by what Abstainers gain. "A great improvement," says the Weekly Herald, reporting a meeting of the Dublin Board of Trade, "has taken place in different branches of business. There has been a great revival in the Irish Cloth Trade, and the demand for it, and other Irish manufactures, is so great, that it is proposed to hold a weekly wholesale market for the convenience of dealers in these goods. Very large Hat manufactories are all brisk. As an instance of the good that Teetotalism has done to Shopkeepers, it was stated by the Chairman that a draper in Francis Street had increased his sales sixteen times. Mr SHERIDAN, the builder, had received orders to erect a large Paper Mill; and had got many orders to build flour and oatmeal mills." § 99. SCOTLAND is the most educated, and religiously instructed portion of the Empire, and her people are, naturally, the thriftiest. What is the state of things there? What the operation of the Traffic on this prepared and prudent soil? Mr JAMES GRAY, Chairman of the Edinburgh Parochial Board, says:

"As a manager of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse previous to the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act, I have had ample opportunity of knowing the extent, as well as the prevailing cause, of the pauperism The expenditure of the City Parochial Board for 1849, was £27,040 The number of enrolled paupers, 2,70); but, in addition, there are about 750 who receive occasional relief. Of these, at least two-thirds are brought to poverty by their own intemperance. It is more difficult to ascertain who are reduced to that condition by the drunkenness of relatives; but I know that upwards of 100 orphans are now provided for by the parish, whose parents brought themselves to a premature grave by dissipation; and a still greater number of children have been removed froin the custody and poisonous influence of their parents to the country, where they are provided for, and educated, by the Board. There are numerous instances of parents in the decline of life, reduced to poverty through the profligacy of drunken children. I have no doubt, that a poor-rate of 44. instead of 12 d. would be amply sufficient for the relief of the sober and industrious poor."+

The same gentleman said, at a meeting of the Town Council, October 23, 1849 :-" There are thirty-four parishes in Scotland, "without a public-house, and the effect upon the Parishioners is, "that they have not a penny of poor's rates in one of them. "Before I came to Edinburgh, I lived eight years in a parish "where there was no public-house, and during all that period "I never saw a person the worse for drink. There were no poor's "rates in the parish then; but now, there are five public-houses, "and a poor's rate of 1s. 8d. in the pound." At a meeting of

* Report on Drunkenness. 1831.

+ Vide Dr GUTHRIE's Report on Drunkenness, p. 29.

NORTHWICK, in his History of London, published nearly a century back, in calling attention to the evils of Taverns, rema ks:-There are villages in remote country places, which can date the commencement of their poor-rate from the intro

the Edinburgh Parochial Board, Nov. 2, 1849, Mr BLACKADDER (late Lord Provost) said :-"As to the causes of the Pauperism,

first among the grizzly throng, I would place drunkenness. Í “ verily believe that, out of 2,700 paupers, 2,000 were made so "by drink: so that we are, in fact, not so much supporting the 66 poor, as we are supporting the public-houses.'

Mr JOHN GRAHAM, the Governor of the House of Refuge, says:

"There are three classes of inmates in the institution. The first, parish paupers, may amount to 19), one-third of whom are children under fourteen years, and are either orphans or deserted by their parents; the other two thirds are aged and infirm persons. I have no doubt many of these were addicted to drinking habits. The second class are persous admitted on their own application. At the present time their number does not exceed 110. Forty of these nave been brought to their present position by indulgence and intemperate habits. Of the other portion, I would say, that neglected youth, delicate health, indolence, and a slight shade of mental imbecility, are the real causes which have brought them here.* The third class consists of persons boarded by their friends, with a view to moral restraint. The number is between 90 and 100; and of these 70 or 75 are for inveterate drunkenness. Drunkenness is a sad, melancholy disease, and difficult of cure."

The INSPECTOR of St Cuthbert's Parish, Edinburgh, says :"Out of the £21,000 expended in this parish on the relief of the poor, in 1849, fully £12,000 of that sum could be traced to intemperance.' The INSPECTOR of the city parish says of the 2,901 on the Poor's roll, “2,321, or 80 per cent, are understood to be so from habits of intemperance in themselves or relatives.

duction of a public house; the rulers of the land complain of the licentiousness of the populace to little purpose, while other views cause them to tempt the people from sobriety."

JONAS HANWAY, in his work entitled The Defects of Police the Cause of Immorality, publish din 1775, mentions "A certain parish in the north of England, where no public-house was license, and where there was no poor's rates nor occasion for any such relief. At length, three licences were g anted, and what was the consequence? Within thirty months the poor's rate amounted to eighteen pence in the pound. Upon this the justices withdrew the licences, and the economy of the people reverted to its former chaunel, as no rate was necessary." Mr T. C. DODD, the artist, of Tunbridge Wells, says :-"The snug parish of Crowhurst, close to the South Eastern Railway, with a pop lation of 400, has neither innkeeper nor beerseiler within its limits. Being at the house of one of the inhabitants-a landowner, and a guardian of the poor-I asked, 'How many paupers have you upon an average wholly chargeable to the rates?' The reply was. About one, but frequently none at all; at the present time we have two-one of them aged and afflicted.' How long would such a state of things continue to exist, if the parish were adorned with the village inn, or its precursor-a beershop?"

"It may not be out of place to state here, for the edification of our ratepayers, that in the two neighboring parishes-viz. Me toun on the one hand, and Legerwood on the other, not a penny of poor-rates is required; and why? The reason is quite obvious-not a whisky shop is in either pai h; whilst arlston, with eight such houses, has in round numbers £450 to pay annually in supporting a class, three-fourths of whom have directly or indirectly been pauperized through the liquor traffic "-Border Advertiser, July, 1856.

* But what was the real cause that brought on 'neglected youth, delicate health, and imbecility'? We are still within the charmed circle of this accursed Comus.