drift of some of your admonitions, a stranger would
think me but little, if any, better than a murderer. And all because
some vagabond or other may possibly happen to shorten his days by
drinking a little of the identical spirit which passes through my hands.

CONSCIENCE. You do me bare justice when you say that I have often
reproved you, and more earnestly of late than I formerly did. But my
remonstrances have always been between you and me alone. If I have
charged you with the guilt of hurrying men to the grave and to hell, by
this vile traffic, it has not been upon the house-top. I cannot, it is
true, help knowing how it grieves your brethren, gratifies the enemies
of religion, and excites the scorn of drunkards themselves, to see your
wharf covered with the fiery element; but I speak only in your own ear.
To yourself I have wished to prove a faithful monitor, though I have sad
misgivings, at times, even with regard to that. You will bear me
witness, however, that I have sometimes trembled exceedingly, for fear
that I should be compelled, at last, to carry the matter up by
indictment to the tribunal of Eternal Justice.

To avoid this dreadful necessity, let me once more reason the case with
you in few words. You know perfectly well, that ardent spirit kills its
tens of thousands in the United States every year; and there is no more
room to doubt that many of these lives are destroyed by the very liquor
which you sell, than if you saw them staggering under it into the
drunkard's grave. How then can you possibly throw off bloodguiltiness,
with the light which you now enjoy? In faithfulness to your soul, and to
Him whose vicegerent I am, I cannot say less than this, especially if
you persist any longer in the horrible traffic?

DEALER. Pardon me, my dear Conscience, if, under the excitement of the
moment, I complained of your honest and continued importunity. Be
assured, there is no friend in the world, with whom I am so desirous of
maintaining a good understanding as with yourself. And for your relief
and satisfaction, I now give you my solemn pledge, that I will close up
this branch of my business as soon as possible. Indeed, I have commenced
the process already. My last consignments are less, by more than one
half, than were those of the preceding year; and I intend that, when
another year comes about, my books shall speak still more decidedly in
my favor.

CONSCIENCE. These resolutions would be perfectly satisfac