Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-01-05

"Or the History and Present Ahitude Of The Temperance
Cause
Discourse delivered in the frs, presby tcrian
Church, Troy, New York, Sabbath evening, July
26. By Nathan S. s. Bemnn.
DR.. Bemnn heads this able discourse by sever
al strong texts from the Bible, particularly Pro
verbs XIII, 1922.
Speaking of tho complaints agons, lie IL
cense law of the State, nc says:
"Wha, land Of liberty is this! A man can.
not DO permitted to dc as he p.oasce. fIo ma
not take his neighbours purse, nor oven kill him
by rum-though It may be a profitable business
nor send his family to. :hc poor house. after hav-
ing seized upon nli his goods, without being pun
ished for il! Surlv this is down right intolera-
BILE oppression. Who can endure it? WHY
hcro is second Stamp Act" and all good clti-
Zens should combine, and ''rutnally pledge 70
zach other" their "Iivcs," their "lortuncs,'' and
their SACRED honor to drive this oppression
from Republic. The American Revolution
is all in vain, and the experiment of lbcrtv, on
this soil, is failure, If these things are iolcra-
tod. Such oppressive acts of legislation should
not DO permitted 10 stai escu chcon, or bio,
the pages Of our statute book!
'sThs language may be little coIored-sIipht-
ly tinged-but II IS tho true spirit of tho whole
complaint. We may confidently anticipate, in
the arch of human Improvement soon 10 read.
the newspapers, OF the ''ffOuOrtblc Fraternity
of Rumsclcrs and Cutthroa,s: and they will
not "be uncqually yokcd together, for tho prin-
cpal difference IS. that latter class apply tho IN
Strument Of death externally, while the former
apply it internally, ard tho deed Of blood IS af
fectuay dono in both casos. Everybody knows
this, and get nobody wishes TO shy il. 4 I'D The
deed is done under tho influence Of tho sano mo-
tive. Tho love Of gain is tho stimulus. The
victim is despatch and the money IS pockcted;
but whore there is an enlightened conscience, il
may be doubted whether il IS ever cnioycd. Mur-
der will out! And the good people Of this State
by tremendous response from tho BaIo. Box,
have pronounced their verdict in tho case
On Liconso laws, inefficient for good--usocss
abs urd-hc holds this strong, nervous, truthful
language:
sit Is an attempt to regulate by law. a business
which, in It's nature and tendency, is cVil, and
..onlv OWL continually" 1t is lraught with mis-
chief in all its branches. Tho manufacture, sa To-
and use of alcoholic drink, nil tend to destroy
moral principlo-and honco it is, TINT law never
has controlled the business. In the day Of light,
it do,eriorates good men, and makes bad men
worse. Legal restraint, in this business, is 4 cob
web around the brawny limbs of giant. \
Levinthan is not thus tanned! The article begins
in torture and ends in death. The only euro is
ExrERMINATIoS. There never ought - DO any
other oct passed than such the people
hayo lately ratified at tho ballot bnx-an &C, 10
lcgslate ran.shops, both genteol and vulgar, out
of existence. They moral pest houses where
over they exist. Their guests may be sought for
among tho dead. 1t is in vain to attempt to make
such business pure in lis character, or harm
less 20 tho community, by legal supervision
When you do this, you may regulate piracy BY
law. You may have an honest gaming house
and holy Sodom. lou dsarm tho por-
cupino BY s,roking down his fro,tcd quills \ ou
cannot tamo the hycna by moral sCasion legal
discipline! 1t is al piece of solemn mockery.
II is an at,smpt-and of course vain onc--to
swce,cn the bowl of poisonous hcmlock IN order
TO render il innoxious. Death is IL it. spite of
your chemistry. |! is only putting golden slip
per on n clovcn foot-an angels drapcry q
fallen spirit! The license laws, ia the hes: form
in which you can present them burlesquo
upon legislation, libel on civilized life, and ought
to be the laughing stock of poor human nature
1t is believed, that ma lori,v even of drunkards
voted "no license,'' the recent presentation of
this subject to the people. These laws always
have proved, and always will prove failure
Crusade Against the Traffic.