Page 9

82

succeed in acquiring even the rudiments of
an ordinary education though sent to school
and even to colleges from the time boys
usually commence going to school til he was
nearly or quite grown, He was excessively and
habitually intemperate during the life time
of his brother Middleton G, who vainly strove
to restrain him, but on the death of Middleton
G, all restraint was removed; he then gave the
fullest scope to his unfortunate habits and
propensities, He was at the death of
Middleton about 24 years old, after the death of
Middleton he continued to reside in the Town
of Selma, almost alone, having a house
of his own, He kept spirits at his house
and drank there almost continually and
not only so but daily resorted to houses in
the town where spirits were retailed and
drank large quantities of spirits there
running up large accounts These habits of
intemperance were at their utmost hight
during the summer of 1840 during which
time he was drunk for months together with
scarcely the intermission of a day, He had
repeated fits of delirum tremens, These
excessive and long continued habits of
intemperance were sufficient to have destroyed in a
great degree even a very strong intellect;
but acting on a person of naturally weak
and dull intellect almost entirely destroyed
what intellect he possessed. He became
bloated and weak and Tremulous, when
not under the immediate effects of spirits;
and even in his soberest moments was as
your orators believe utterly incapable to
transact any business requiring reflection or
exercise of the most ordinary intelligence
He was as your orators believe at all times
during the year 1840, and previously
utterly incapable of making settlements
requiring even very slight investigation,
even during his soberest moments and
as your orators believe could have been
at all times easily and grossly imposed
upon by any one possessing ordinary
intelligence with whom he might undertake
to transact business, This unfitness for