Then, my lords, will the enemies of the government imagine that they
have a new opportunity of gratifying their malignity, by censuring us
as wholly negligent of the publick happiness, and charge us with
looking without concern upon the debauchery, the diseases, and the
poverty of the people, without any compassion of their wants, or care
of their reformation.
That to continue the present law any longer, will be only to amuse
ourselves with ineffectual provisions, is universally allowed; nor is
there any difference of opinion with regard to the present state of
the vice which we are now endeavouring to hinder. The last law was
well intended, but was dictated by anger, and ratified by zeal; and
therefore was too violent to be executed, and, instead of reforming,
exasperated the nation.
No sooner, therefore, did the magistrates discover the inflexible
resolution of the people, their furious persecution of informers, and
their declared hatred of all those who concurred in depriving them of
this dangerous pleasure, than they were induced, by regard to their
own safety, to relax that severity which was enjoined, and were
contented to purchase safety by gratifying, or, at least, by not
opposing those passions of the multitude, which they could not hope to
control; the practice of drinking spirits continued, and the
consumption was every year greater than the former.
Pages:
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742