Transactions of the Albany Institute Volume 12 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1893 Excerpt: ... THE LIQUOR QUESTION. By Eugene Bdrlinuame. Bead before the Albany Institute, November 19,1889. In casting about for a topic, the discussion of which might not be unprofitable at this time, I decided to invite your attention to some observations upon the liquor question, considered from a legal and political standpoint. In approaching to a near view of this question we are brought to a realizing sense that the present agitation presents very little that is new, either as to the evils resulting from an immoderate use of intoxicants or as to the remedies aimed to correct its abuses. Authentic history scarcely goes back to a time when intoxication, resulting from the immoderate use of spirituous liquors, was not a recognized vice, which demanded and received the attention of those in authority to limit or prevent the consequences resulting therefrom. The statement in Genesis, "And Noah began to be an husbandman, and planted a vineyard, and drank of the wine and was drunken," etc., is regarded by eminent critics as referring to the revival of general husbandry, and not to some new thing in the way of the culture of the vine, so that it seems reasonable to suppose that the vine was cultivated before the flood, and that the experience recorded of Noah does not take us back to its origin. The great Chinese philosopher, Confucius, and his eminent disciple Mencius, were not only eminent as teachers of their nation, for which they are greatly reverenced, but also rendered signal service by editing and perfecting two great works of historic value: "The Shoo-King, or History," and "The She-King, or Book of Ancient Poetry/' a series of writings handed down through many generations, together with the commentaries written thereon by the ancient wise men. From these books w...