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

possible, in reply to our temperance friend X.YZ.
In the first place we hope we are, what our
friend declares himself to be, seeker after truth
We also hope that we are equally willing and de-
srous, as our friend, to abandon error and en-
brace truth, whenever and wherever they may be
found.
We did not intend to make critical review of
our friends communication, as Is evident from our
leaving his "one argument nnnoticed I; no. do we
intend to attempt it now-we assure him, however,
that it was not passed over because we considered
il so sound and conclusive as to be narswerable,
at least if undertaken by one, his equal in talents
and literary atainments that Of his very long
and critical review Of our few humble remarks,-
for we consider that good can result to the tenn
perance cause from controversy among its friends,
particularly of a sarcastic and sparring character,
and especially in our situation, with nothing but
little observation and common sense, to contend
with one possessing finished education and tai
ents of most brilliant cast, who may too easily
make the worse appear the better cause. ir the
eyes Of many who are naturally inclined to fellow
custom, however wrong, absurd or wicked il may
be; but Notwithstanding this disparity between
ourself and friend, and the mprobability there is
that any thing we can advance will operate to
change his opinion, or do away the sbominable
License Law Of which we complain, and iE its
place substitute law against the sale of ardent
spirits, without which we are confident it will ne
ver cease, our friends opinion to the contrary not
withstandng, yet, as weak and insufficient as we
know ourself to be, we cannot refrain from quo
ting one or two paragraphs or passages from his
remarks and making few of our own upon them.
/ Our friend says "lt is but recently, that any sys-
tematic efforts have been made in Warren, for the
propagation of temperance principles. The license
law has continued IN force. What has been the
effect Why at least eight grocers who formerly
retaed ardent spirits, have become convinced of
the wickedness Of the traffic, and have abandoned
it {; and believe there are but eight stores where
il can be purchased. How my friend recon-
cie this faci with his argument? Now are we to
come to the conclusion, that the eight remaining
rum dealers are bad, nvulnerable, so aban-
doned and lost TO all sense of right and wrong, as
be utterly ont Of the reach Of all that moral
huence and moral reasoning, which has proved so
eiiectua and salutary in the of their brethren
whu have give up the trade And that therefore
we must bind them, by the strong chains of the law
to prevent their trade in this article Such
clusion would be libel upon their moral charac-
ters''
We must first remark, that this paragraph seems
to be formed more in direct answer to a paragraph
in our communication which was suppressed by
you, MIR. Editor, than from any thing that ,oas
published. We are, however, pleased with the
quotation for in it friend speaks of the traffic
of ardent spirits as ,Dickedness. Now if this traf-
fc is wicked, what name shall we give TO the law
that authorses it? Shall we call it holy! 1t must
be either good or bad. If the law is good, what
it auIhorses ought to be good also but our friend
declares it to be wickedness. But perhaps he
would say in answer to this-suppose there six
teen rum sellers, or that number engaged in any
injurious and sinful traffic or practices, would IL
law reducing the number to eight be bad one ];
We answer, seeming y not, particularly as regards
gambling and brothel establishments, and slavery
but the law that part Of it, which sanctions the
remaining eight, we unhesitatingy say would be
bad, yea, wicked. We suppose our friend goes
upon the principle "of two evils choose the least
l-Dut tHc Wolu VI oOu uocs nOt uutHOilsc uS W
sanction evil that good may come. Moses seems
to have gone upon the same principle when he
sanctioned polygamy and permitted the Jews to
put away their wives for trivial cause.-the never
made a sale Of these ndulgences however-but
Christ emphatcally denounced them. We said
seemingly not,- for at first thought negative pre-
sented itself; but on a little reflection we conf
IDENTIFY answer in the affirmative, in regard TO the
rumseIler, even were they reduced as low again.
And for our reason. Of the eight Ium dea-
lers now in this place. suppose the licenses of four
of them should be taken away,-proft to the re-
naming four would be doubled. We ask the rea-
der, we ask our friend, would public opinion,
would moral effort be as likely to operate upon
these four it would when their profits were only
half much! And could not rumdrinkers
get their liquor from the four well as from the
eight' Here is point at which public opinion,
temperance principles and moral efforts have near
iy lost their inhuence-have almost ceased to op-
crate upon dealears though efforts are doubled,
like the waves in tempest which lash the shores
Of an iron bound coast, they are spent unheeded.
Yes, this is point at which the license system
checks the great and mighty temperance reform,
and f il is not broken down a tide of reaction
brings back the wave of ruin and desolation. In
one Of the neghborng towns in our adjoining state,
half or more Of the rumdcalers relinquished the
traffic. just as they have this place. but the 9TH
continued their licenses and traffic, Boosting that
they were great gamers by the temperance reform
that their sales had very much increased. Ar-
ter while. those who had given up the traffic,
and many Of them with the expectation that ],
wbuld soon be disallowed, seeing tha, il was not