Lincoln telegraph., 1840-04-02

bout their premises from selling to any
person addicted TO the intemperate use of
strong liquors, and it IS made the duty of
the select men to furnish each licensed
person, the name Of every person, known
by them to be SO addicted. 1t is also made
the duty ofthe town officers to prosecute
the bond of every licensed person, who
shall be found to have{been guilty of any
violation of the law or Of their regulations.
1t is also made their duty to prosecute
every person, who, without, license, shall
presume to be retailer of strong liquors.
1t therefore appears TO your Committee,
that the present license law, so far from
encouraging the traffic, restrains it;-that
SO far as its operation is general. it is pro-
hlbitory, and that SO far as it affects those
individuals, who obtain license, it is re-
strlctive, as every violation of the law by
them is forfeiture of their bond.
The reasons of these restraints upon the
traffic are precisely the same, which the
petitioners would urge in favor OF law
entirely prohibitory in its nature, to wit,
that the use of spurious liquors, and of
course the traffic in them, is injurious 10
the community. BY placing these restric-
tlons upon the trade, the Legislature ex-
press the same kind, if not the same de.
gree of hostility to the traffic, which they
would by a law merely prohibitory.
From the best information in possession
OF your committee, we are of opinion that
less than one half of the towns in the State
grant licenses, and large proportion of
the retailers prefer to sell without license,
and in violation of the law, rather than
place themselves under the restrictions and
expose themselves to the heavy forfeiture,
which the present law imposes upon those,
who sell under license. And if town
officers now shrink from the performance
OF the duty, which the present law imposes.
to prosecute for violations which come to
their knowledge, it may we'll be inquired,
where is the hope that more rigid law
should be enforcedl The recent example
of sister state supposed to be in advance
of us in the Temperance reform,-where
numerous warm hearts, and strong minds
are enlisted, and array of talent seldom
equalled, sustained by the power of wealth,
and moral and political influence, and yet
defeated, may well lead US to pause and
consider lest we by legisating too far in
advance fpublic sentiment produce re-
action, are compelled to retreat from our
position, and thus give triumph to the ell
emies Of reform.
Your committee are of opinion tina, the
friends of Temperance must rely for the
success of their cause, almost entirely up
on popular opinion; and that this will be
directed not by Legislation, but by example,
persuasion, reasoning, and the diffusion Of
information on the subject. Legislation
will follow, and may come in aid Of popu-
lar opinion, but cannot to advantage, great
ly precede it. The temperance reform was
commenced, and made great advances,
through the simple agencyiof persuasion
individuals associated together under pledge
to abstain, and induced others to join them
and by example, by public addresses and
private conversation, directed the public
attention to the evils of intemperance.-l
Their numbers and their strength greatly
increased, till large portion Of the more
conslderate part Of community, espoused
the cause, and became temperance men,
But there are those, engaged in the traffic
who continued TO sell-and there are those,
addicted to the use, who continued to
drink. Before them, the evils resulting
from the traffic, and the use have been por-
trayed in vain. The love of gain and their
love strong drink have closed their hearts
and benumbed their sensibities to the de-
struction and misery which they occasion;
and it is upon such. that some Of the
friends of temperance, are desirous to OPP
crate by rigorous enactments. But in the
opinion of your committee, the principal
reliance is to be placed upon persuasion
and the force of example. The present
law is not unpopular--and it is eflicacious
to prevent the traffic wherever public opin-
ion is sufficiently strong 10 enforce any
prohibtory law. An attempt to amend
may turn the scale against it. And it is
not'impossible that among the friends of
temperance, who have labored long and
arduously, there may exist an unconscious
desire to be delivered fromthe burthen and
responsibility of laborng and carrying for
ward the work Of reform. If those philan-
thropists can be satisfied that the good work
can be better promoted by individual effort
without further prohibitory law, we believe
that they will not be weary in well doing.
And whilst your committee are of opinion
that the legislature cannot arrest the evils
by enacting laws, we believe the members
can do much in another mode. We es-
TEEN il an honor, that our fellow citizens
should select US to fill the responsible and
delicate situation, which We here 0c-