The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-25 00:00:00

Lawson's scheme for promotieg the temperance
movement by an Act of the Legislature that ono
hardly knows how to state them within any rea-
sonable compass. The very grounds on which the
bill proposes to conciliate opposition are so utterly
untenable in point of principle, and run so tho-
roughly contrary to all the teachings of experience,
that it is exceedingly difficult to understand how
they have been seriously made the foundation of
such a measure. Mr. Lawson would empower a
majority of two-thirds of the ratepayers of a parish
to prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors within
the limits of their jurisdiction ; and here, at the
first glance, it will be perceived that, if the bill
could be carried out anywhere, it would be in those
districts where it was least of all required. In
large towns, and in cities which are divided into
several parishes, unless all agreed, the operation of
the prohibition in one parish would be to the advan-
tage of the drink-sellers in the adjoining parishes;
in considerable towns of one parish everybody who
knows the power and extent of the brewers' and
publicans' interest and influence must be quite
satisfied that the required majority of ratepayers
could not be obtained ; and, as regards the few
rural parishes in which it might be forced upon a
poor and dependent population, its action would be
simply cruel and oppressive, In fact, by making
the bill local and permissive, its author has aban-
doned the only stand-point he could logically rely
on. If what he proposes be good for a paribb, it
would clearly be good for the whole country ; and,
if sound in its principle, it ought not to be sent
begging, as it were, to vestries and ratepayers.
Mr. Lawson's faith in the wisdom and discretion of
parochial government is almost as refreshing, but
we are afraid not quite so wholesome, as a draught
of bitter beer. The truth is that the principle of
the bill will not bear close inspection. No doubt the
intention is excellent, orthodox, and unexception-
able. Drunkenness is beyond all question a most per-
nicious and deadly vice. It degrades, and impove-
rishes, and demoralises. It destroys health, dissi-
pates wealth, prevents economy, and paralyses the
mental faculties. All its belongings, all that it
is and all that it leads to, are bad and debasing.
But, right as it is to exhort men to be temperate,
not only in what they drink but also in what they
eat, think, say, and do, it is quite another thing to
propose to prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors
by an Act of Parliament or by the vote of a body of
ratepayers. Many people will, we appreherd, be
inclined to think that is not a very temperate pro-
position. In the first place, it comprehends an in-
terference with the liberty of the subject and the
freedom of trade which is entirely new to this coun-
try, and which has not, we believe, succeeded in
Scotland, and has signally failed in America. It
would establish a principle which, carried out, es it
must be, would radically change the character of
our government. It would open up a system of
universal State supervision and sumptuary legisla-
tion. There are other vices besides drunkenness,
and it would be easy enough to show that they are,
many of them, no less hurtful and dangerous. Not
to mention one which will occur to everybody who
reflects for a moment on the subject, there is extra-
vagance in dress; and, without enumerating the
lives that have been sacrificed to fashion within the
last twelve months, it cannot be denied that the
shopwindows of drapers and jewellers present temp-
tations which are fatally attractive.. Not a few
of those who most frequent the public-houses and
gin• shops have slipped out of the path of virtue
in running after fine dresses and pretty trinkets.
There is betting, too, which has become a fearfully
destructive vice and the fertile source of crime ; and
betting stands in precisely the same relation to horse.
i
racing as drunkenness does to the sale of ntoxicatin
liquors. In short, there is scarcely anything one
can think of that is not, as this bill would have it,
a temptation. Houses and lands, beauty and rank,
honour and power, horses and carriages, may all
excite envy; and an envious man, if he indulges his
envious feelings as a drunkard indulges his pro-
pensity for drink, is as likely to be led into crime
under the influence of passion as another man is
under the influence of beer. But, unless we could
rebuild society and m
ake y everyhada
do what every-
body ought
. to do, it is idle to suggest expedients
roefdyco fmor complaint must
ils lasti-
nand experiments which, however well meant,
can-
notbel
ibues
telnt emr taadi
en etdh.e
subject The em
areo y
searched for under the surface of the se impracticable
and illusive theories.

The Spanish journals announce that the Gerona,
an iron-clad frigate, has just been successfully launched at
Carthagena, in the prcsene3 of an immense concourse of
spectators.

Persons in debt may obtain instant protection against
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