Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-07-16
For the Herald ofthc Times.
Temperance.

| Some Of the friends of temperance, appear
to be asloniShed, at what they are pleased to
term, the ultra riers of the great majority of
temperance men, m, and out of Rhode Island,
in relation to the License system. They lre-
1uently enquire, why do you oppose Licenses {?
and then will our opponents say if you refuse
| To license sui,abte men, not only will you drive
them out of the business, but the unpIncipled
and the worthless will take their places, and
then, not only will the consumption of intoxica-
ting drinks he increased, but there will be much
more iniIuty practiScd than ever before. 1t
would be well for these individuals more fire.
quenlly to attend our meetings where they will
hear more, 10 cOnpinco them u rhat is yigM, than
can be printed in The space which we feel free
To use, IN public journal, without compenSa-
tion To the propriecr.-But, say some of these
friends, we don't choose to go very often, where
our friends, "doing hctt business" are so
constantly, & so Shamciuly abused and hattoo
by men no better than themselves: A nd besides
lhiS there is another objection I'VE don't choose
to waste our time, listening to such "ignoramu-
ses' as generally sreak-Ihcy arc not capable
of instrucing US, and we should return ignu.
rant. for all their teaching. This, Mr.. Editor,
may be in part correct Those who usually at.
tend our temperance meetings, AMI speak On
the subject, are not very learned, men. and who
ever goes, with the expectation OF hearing some
thing very learned. will, as general thing be
disappointed. We hold out no such induce.
mems but we do profess To be actuated by pure
motives, and have Il right to say, that, whoever
"~io-~.-.,ia II common share Of English, will
! learn quite too much, in a very short time ever
TO defend the principle, Of selling The rigLt 10 do
rrong But il they will not 90 10 hear, we hone
they will not refuse to read some Of the arru.
meats, which these temperance men, endeavor
to impress upon the consideration of their hear
crS and which all enlightened friends of the
G,nI a.
land whoever else will favor us with their at
tention, that nothing unknd much less abusive,
shall he permitted To soil our paper. Our oh.
! Jcct j. To do good. We have no more interest
in this matter, than our opponents. All we de-
sire, is to save the drunkard from his degrada-
ton, his family from their misery and the rising
generation, from those evils, and misfortuneS
which The use Of intoxicating LIQUOR will most
Iccrtainly entail upon them. We wish to show
(and we are sanguiue that we can show) by
fair argument not only that the trade of selling
intoxicating liquors, is "cvl only evil, and thai
continually but. that the License system, is
very wicked and ought TO be abolished That
II Is right and proper to legiSlalc upon this evil; :;
and, that the law innIcling fines and renaltieS
upon those who sell contrary to It's provisions
cannot shield themselves, aS is often asserted by
our opponents behind The constitution Of the
United States. How far we may succeed in
This matter, il left to the candOr of those who
choose To hear u>.
The history of Rhode Island informs us, that,
rs early rs The year iGi7, (Which year, was
about the first of It's political eSi>tcnce,) among
Other laws, enacted by the General Assembly,
ono S found in relation Ia selling intoxicating
liquors which for that early period which we
are accustomed 10 think Of, ~ ono of obScuriiv,
n not of darkness, il entitled io The consideration
of every intelligent and rejecting mind. u,
en,c,cd, not only iha, Liccn,e, should be Oh.