The only real difference between then and now is in that time, the nation had character strong enough to let them admit when they made a horrible mistake and fix it. In the decades that followed doubling down on stupid policies became the norm. Americans back then also seemed more willing to mind their own business. Today americans are mostly a bunch of cowardly busybodies who want to live in NerfWorld, where all of the sharp edges have been rounded off and padded. When confronted with any level of freedom they become hostile to whoever talks of taking away their chains. Tiberius summed up 21st century americans well when he spoke of his own senate as being men fit to be slaves.
You saved this speech to defend adding intoxicants to the culture?
THAT is the primary liberty you chose for this application?
More people sitting around in a stupor isn’t going to add to the numbers ready to defend the more serious attacks on our Constitution.