The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-09-14
vOIC OF FIR Z D Q M.


it Immediately became party question.
The party that was then in the minority,
came out in opposition, and thus the two
parties were divided. Any rational and
unbiased man will see at once that moth
ing but polite: could ever have made
that division. lflFere had been no party
interest there, there probabl Y would not
have been much opposition to The law,
and if there had been opposition, there
would not have been such division as
there was. II is not possible in that case,
that all Of one party, when acting purely
from their own Judgment, should have
been in favor of that law; and all of The
other party opposed to it. But perhaps
this may be considered DEPRESSION. 1t
shows, however, that men have not al
ways acted in relation to the temperance
cause, from right motives, but acted for
the benefit of party, and through selfish
motives.
But to the question: is it right to IL
cense men to sell ardent spirits? My
opinion is, and always has been, that it is
wrong. Not only do think it morally
wrong, but that it is in curious 10 the pub
lie, and injurious TO the temperance cause.
| 60 for entire prohibition OF manufactur.
ing or selling the article. But let US
examine the license question. In the first
place, let US inquire as 10 the ground on
which the Legislature put the license law
They of course have some reason, or
they would not make such law They
tell US it is 10 prevent intemperance. They
say they put such restrictions upon their
law, that no man can obtain license but
him who will keep an orderly tavern, !
have no doubt but in some cases where
towns have had the moral courage to take
the mater into their own hands, and pu!-
sue the intention, or the spirit of the law
strictly, that lntempe:once may have been
in some small degree suppressed. But
those cases are rare, and in most places
the monster iEtempeIance, has been no
more inpeded in his progress than he
would have been had there been no H.
cense law, and every Que at liberty 10 sell
all the poison that he chooses 10. 81 that
The license law has been comparatively
OF no Importance in this point; and taken
as whole it has been damage 10 the
temperance cause. But to settle this ques,
ton. | think we need 60 no further than
10 inquire whether the license law is
| founded on right Has the Legislature a
moral right to enact such law? main
tain the ground that they have no right
10 give man liberty to sell ardent spirits
They have no right 10 say TO him he
may Sci! rum, and they will protect him
if he will pay them a small sum. Sell
ing ardent spirits is as much an evil, in
itself, as theft, robbery, counterteitog,
slavery, or any moral evil of that class.
The Legislature has no right 10 say a
man may commit theft, and go unpun.
ished The Legislature has no right to
license horse racing, gambling, or any
evils which are in themselves wrong
But all will admit this point, have no
doubt; but some would tell me that sell.
ing ardent spirits should not De elias sed
with horse.racing, gambling. Sealing, &c
The last mentioned are public wrongs,
and is not the selling Of ardect spirits 2
Is there a greater or more deadly one TO
the po5lic2 Can any one thing be men
toned which has been greater curse to
the world ? or more destructive 10 society?
We all know that if ardent spirits are
sold, men will ruin themselves and de-
stroy the peace and comfort of their fam.
lilies. Bu', says one, the wrong consists
in the doing, not in the seIItng--.he cell.
er is not TO blame, if he who buys his
liquor makes bad use oft Let me ask
the individual who makes this reply, why
the Legislature has fixed penalty upon
the gambler, or the thief? Why do they
say man shall be punished for Iasc;v-
lous Conduct, or breach Of the peace
Why not with The same proprety say
that, if man will gamble and lose his
money, it is his own fault! or that the
thief shall go unpunished2 The point
Is very clear 10 my mind and in all the
arguments which have seen IN favor of
The license law, have never seen any
thug satisfactory to me. am in favor
of prohibiting the vending Of ardent spir-
its, except for medicinal or mechanical
purposes. But shall postpone what |
have 10 say upon that point until write
again. B.
For the Voice Of Freedom.