The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-05-23


beyond doubt, continue to do so, they concluded
| their disconnuance was Of no use-they might as
well have their share: so they purchased back
their licenses, and, in little time, greater
number was granted than had ever been before
and the cry, with knowing wink and a sarcastic
smile, is,--look at your temperance reform Now
we pray that such may never be the case in this
place but we hope we shall be pardoned for the
supposition and even the serious fear, that it will
be soon, considering the fact that the rumdrinkers,
from many of the neighborng towns which have
discontinued licenses and prohibited the sale of
rum, &c, are flocking to this place, and often
renlagl;, we he'll our folks if they wont let us
have n, we anow where we can get tive can
go to Warren''-so that quite brisk rum trade is
carried on here Now is it unreasonable to SUD-
pose that when ii is that these few dealers are
doing great business, that some of those who have
left ii off, finding that their doing so has not lessen
ed the traffic here, nor is likely to put stop to it,
may be induced to resume it again and that even
others who have not heretofore participated may
also engage in it, We are very crediJIy informed
that one of The eight has expressed strong de-
sire that licenses for selling ardent spirits should be
dlsallowed remarkng that he should be glad to be
compelled to give up the traffic, but does not feel
it his duty TO give it up while others are permitted
to continue it, and wW do so: Now we believe
perance friend, all the persons in this place who
deal in ardent spirits and we hope we shall not be
regarded as destitute Of charity because we have
not his full and perfect faith to believe that all or
even majority of these persons will ever be in
duced by moral persuasions TO abandon their iraf-
fc, so long as the license law continues nor that
such conclusion is libel upon their moral char
acters, particularly, when believe that if it was
prohibited by law they would soon all be reconcl-
led TO the prohibition, and that the most of them,
not all. would rejoice that they were thus SET free.
One argument our friend makes use OF in de-
fence and justification Of the license law, that ii
serves to make =" rum dedrer, and thereby, in a
manner. putting it out Of the reach Of those who
love it' seems TO us TO have but little weight
for the probability is, take this place for example,
that the whole amount paid for licenses does not
raise the price of the article one sixteenth part OF
far,hing on gallon but the system does have a
most powerful effect to make the traffic reputable
and thereby operate as clog to retard the tenn
perance reform.
We are pleased &c be ss' right when wrong, anc
we acknowledge "that the prohibition of the sale
Of rda pirits is Of IA
cess Of the temperance reform and not cause OF
it," We never thought otherwise. And we
subscribe most heartily to the beautiful eogium
paid, by our friend TO ''moral engines in the
have Inexperienced our meaning in our remark,
"that all the moral engines which the friends of
temperance can bring 10 bear, will never prevail,
so long as the sale Of ardent spirits is authorised
by law"-We meant they would never entirely
prevail.
We never for moment entertained the idea or
expected 10 be SO understood, that those wonder
full, great and glorious results, so happily enumera-
ted by him. have not been accomplished by moral
efforts, even in spite Of the hnderance of the wick
eQ ana aDOUinaDe LICENSE IdW-anu NOn IOTD.u
that we should thiuk lightly Of them or think that
all has been accomplished ihat can be or that
it is useless for the friends Of temperance to exert
themselves during the existence Of this law. No,
we would have them all their best energies and
exertions "whether men will hear or forbear" -
But Notwithstanding, we do most earnestly contend
for the truth aud business Of our remark as now
corrected and explaned,-for we confidently be-
lieve, that so long the sale Of ardent spirits is
authorised by law or not prohibited, the moral
efforts of the friends Of temperance will
never entirely prevail in any place having a
population as large as that of Warren and this we
believe may be satisfactorily proved, to any candid
mind, from analogy drawn from facts and circunl-
stances in relation to gambling and brothel esta-
blishments, and to the slave trade, all which have
been and are now, in some countries and places,
as strange as it may seem, licensed by law. But
as we have spun out our remarks to so great
length, we must refrain from offering this evi-
dence for the present A. Is. c.