The Columbian fountain., 1846-04-29

L
withhold it when necessary, and would not
suffer fellow man to ruin himself through
their instrumentality. These were the cir
cumstances in which the system of licenses
arose, and there was some apology for it.
Ignorance of what would be the conse-
quences might at least be pleaded.
But now we have seen the consequences
! and felt them through every nerve and vein
of the body polite. And We have seen
these consequences to be moral and physi-
cal debasement, disease, ruin, and death.
We have seen what was intended to be
restraint on drinking, the very means ofin-
creasing it to thousand fold. We have
seen it become the great temptation to
drink-the very means of alluring to their
ruin those who would otherwise be sober.
We have seen the man who deals it out to
others, instead of being the sober and dis
Greet man whom the law originally intend
ed, sometimes drinking himself and caring
very little how much others drank, if only
they pay for it. We have seen it become,
not as was intended, the restraining infu-
ence and regulating power over the public
morals, but the very food-gate of iniquity,
always open, and pouring out the stream Of
desolation, carrying poverty, vice, crime,
and ruin in their train. We have seen the
system of licenses become, not as was in
tended, the conservator of public morals,
but great scheme for private gains. 1t has
set selfshness to work in one of its most
exceptionable and loathsome forms. It sets
one man to fatten on the leanness, decay,
and ruin of others. 1t has become mo-
ney- making. business. The seller and the
owner of the house make money by it. And
this, when their consciences are sheltered
under the law, makes them quiet; though
they make their money at the expense OF
public morals; at the expense of the tears
and poverty of wives and children, and at
the expense of the temporal and eternal
misery of their victims. And we have
seen, too, as the consequence of the system
of licenses, multiplication of the number
who take out licenses, because they can
make it profitable in pecuniary way
We see more public houses than the public
needs; because if they cannot be sustained
and made profitable by accommodating ira
vellers, they can be by selling rum to their
neighbors,
These are some ofthe ten thousand evils
which have grown, in considerable degree
at least, out of the license system. Ifthers
were no licenses, and the public mind were
not debauched, you might have remedy
at common law against the man who should
tempt your son into his house, and gethim
drunk. And jury that was not saturated
with rum, or had not been brought up un
der the inheence of the license system,
would have no hesitation in pronouncing q
man guilty, who should offer to treat your
son with intoxicating drink, and laugh at
him if he had scruples because he belong
ed to the cold water army. This would
be proof enough of the temptation, and Of
the guilt OF him who did it. And yet this
is done continually, either by those who
sell rum, or by the company whom they
collect about them, to aid in their business
of niquity. .M
The whole system Of licenses to sell in
toxicating liquors as beverage, is wrong.
1t is giving public sanction to wrong doing
It is throwing the protection OF law over
the work of iniquity. And every man who
lends his aid and influence to give such Ii
censes is chargeable with the guilt Of t'put-
ting stumbling-block or occasion to fall
in his brothers. way"
know it is said that, in the present stats
Of things, the Withholding of licenses will
not stop the sale. II is said that many will
drink, and some will sell, whether Licenses
are granted or not. This doubtless is true.
But this is no reason for granting license.
IL lot them dp NJ