Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-11-28
Communications.

MT. Ediior:
A champion of rl,e Gin Shop. under the
imposing name Of Cato" has underta-
ken. in The Charleston Courier. to enligh'-
ell ,he good people of South Carolina,
upon their constitutional rights aud privi-
legcs. He has very learnrdIy demonsIra-
:crl, in his own opinion. that the existence
Of the "dram shop is inseperabic from
civil liberty. lie spouts in Kings CAM
byses' vein about crippled constitutions"
and polluted hcarth's,'' and with the like
aniIe drivel, concludes by delivering a
mos, dolorous Jeremiad. upon the pros
pecr Of having the 'poor people yokedby
their necks." After involving himself and
the question in visible darkness, he deals
about him. with most reckless huud, all
the cant slang, about the rights Of tho
people, which is every day re,ailed in tho
bar room, along with the liquor. Whe,h-
er this writer is, himself. able to compre-
bend the question. and like some designing
tlcmagosne, is panderins IN the base pas
siuns Of Il hesoued mob, or whether his ie-
norance is Observation-Disclosures it is his
fault or his mi>fnriue, is moi for me 10 de-
tcrminc. have only 10 do with his arcu-
mcnts--to expose them in their naked
imhcciIily aud ,leformiy, and to show
tai Cato" himself is grossly ignorant
of the subject, upon whirh he rery modest
iy undertakes 10 lecture the Legislature Of
S. Carolina.
"Calo" enters into very elaborate ar
gnmrnt to prove, what any school by
could have told him. namely. that Ito
States has granted TO Congress The right 10
regulate commerce. And he very tri-
umphantly demonstrates. that the 9th Sec
lion of the first article of The Constitution,
whrh grants The power 10 Congress, is
actually contained in the Constitution -
Now il is somewhat unfortunate for .Ca'o'
and the dram shops, that Ibis most excel
len, argument has nothing a, all To do
with the question before the people
Ills attempt 10 prove, that this State cam
moi suppress dram shops, because CONGRESS
has The right 10 regulate c'nn cree, is
like The argument which prnvcd.-.lhat
Marin Luther was NOT ihr great Reform
or of The 10Th century, hv demonstrating
that pease- -porridse was nrI made ofr elsh
rabbit. Whenever the quest OIL is made as
! To lhe power Of The State to prol ibit Il o
importation of liquor, and thus int'rfr
with the regulations Of commerce. W
he time enough 10 consider CaIo'>"arsu-
menrs. At present 7 shall consider The
power Of the Legislature 10 regulate the
ale Of ardent spirits-lhe question upon
which twill be called ar,.
Cato" allirms. 'rhat there is M consti-
tulinnal right TO prohibit the sale and con
sumption Of any article Of commerce in
which there is capital and labor, in ihia
State; and if there he no right 10 prohibit.
il is haeranr usurpalion Of our privileges
to get rid Of constitutional impsdiments,
by the er0sion of a iar." Here then, wo
have The constitutional argument ns pur
forth by the dram shops. "Ca:o" with
more zeal than understanding, b, Idly as
ser,s, that The State hos not the right to tar,
to prohibition the trade in ardent spirits.
Lei US canditlly xaniine this arenn:' Mt.
and sec how il wi hear the les, If scr' IL
ny. The first step in b, course Of ipqni-
ry is, has the State any right 10 INK Tho
trade at oN? This question has long since
been determined by our Courts. Every
man who now trades in liqnor.in This State,
paws taxi the Government. The ques-
ton then being settled, rhs' tf.. Stale hns
the righ, to impose tax. J desire to
know ,uhot article in the Constitution fires
a Iimi, to that ,or? 1t is constitutional for
The Lesi.iaiur y impose lax of tify
dollars. this is .}.cided; when would the ,dx
become unconstitutional! II does eeem
,ba, il wouljrequire very small c'apri,v
of braip 10 e.ah.,o any man 10 ,.aterstanf
,ho, Is the legislature has nc right 10
;mnose ;nu,, Il tax upon This ,.rde. there can
y" "pw'' No 'tstitut'Onai disability 10 impose
". W. any amount mhatTer.
she power Of decidag upcu the amo,,.
Is the TAX proper tr be imposed is yes,e,s