The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-02 00:00:00

THE MAINE LAW.

Last evening a lecture was delivered in St.
Martin's Sall, Long-acre, by Mr. Marriott. on "The mon,
ineonsistenciee, and un-Christian traits of teetotalism, and
the country-impoverishing, intolerably arrogant, and no-
English feature of the Maine Law." The lecturer, after
some introdserry remarks, proceeded to consider whence
the drialnag habits of the people were derived. He Wu-
UMW tthaa ihs desire for strong drink was the most coa-
ster sod entisames of all human appetites. If iteessity
for drink were not sutiversally eaperisnoed, there would be
se seed of a Maine Law to suppress it. The conclusion to
be drain from the habits of all mankind was that drink
ass the insert if ell hem= necessities. The attempt to
rates tie Maine Law would rear an agitation that
wield ozonise a most destructive indsenca on society.
The Int step in nfonoing the habits of the people
shosid be to inning their drinks. • great step towards
samirratioa of oar nodal customs would be made as soon r
a nor man could get • glass of good ale, or of good wine,
for a pray. The publicans ought also to sell smaller quan-
tities ; the large quantity which a man was obliged to pur-
chase et a time was one great cause of social evil. The
advocates of teetotaling contended that the use of ardent
spirit was a cause of poverty ; it was true that seventy-eight
unlike' were assaally spout in intoxcating drinks, but
that stoney was divided amongst an immense number ot
persona, sod circulated through the whole country. It was
net drink that filled the workhouses, for out of 800,000
rapers only $ll wen retuned as vagrants. If the Maine
Law were peasd no less than 1,600.000 persons would
be deprived of the means of rapport, including
breams, publican, beer-sellers, coopers, bottle makers,
and their wire and families. One-third of the
Minn of the United Hinging was derived
has the Brent, sal that mould not now be spared. He
Ibis doer at endurable length on the subject of British
=ismi the necessity of improving their masalarare.
butte were equal if sot superior to foreign fruits,
sal there was no name why, by the aid of sciers, they
daluld tot make as good wine. Drink was one of the
=et Wan resesitias, sad a man wanted a driak ••
IS MI6 MI OM any other day. It was an arrogant
lidesdrobse with human liberty to tall man Ise ehealtnet
be thirsty es use day out of the sena. The oldest of aill
law rakes aught to be to endeavour to direct awl oentstil
the impulem ~1 they fated islet's' is MI/AMA end sett
le *War sal sprees them.' The lecturer eimalreal
mina* a hope that he would era be able SO pet
sten gsltlbst views on the subject.

CONSUMPTION 07 BUT= AND COLONIAL SPIRITS.
Yosto_tfloi • Mara to the Homo of Commons obtained by
Kr. Raids woe priated, rawest's, British and Colonial
.pities for the last four pears. Is 1864 the quantity ea
latish deity was pid for bone easautaties was 24110,178
0. la 1661 tits geaatity wee 98,867,021; is 1862,
7,44,; sails UM, 28,261,774 pillow. Last year the
day par silly is optrlto it •Reglied wee 7s. 101., azil es
omit wee 2i, WNW ts. 10d. es British spirits. la Bcei.
lad Re dasy wili es. Mi. AM

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