Litchfield enquirer., 1847-05-27

can be successfully enforced m every town in the State. And l understand tha, i. has been tried in some towns, ana Ihe results are very satisfactory. Letlhe friends of temperance every where put these provisions of the law in force dur> ;ng inc next twelve months, and l am neTsuaded. that it will do vastly mere good than can be done by the enactment oc Il much better law, if such law should be as little executed as previous laws have been-and that this would be the case we have good reason to expect.
 In the present state ot the cause ot teHl> perance and of public sentiment, there is probably enongh of law to work Profita> bly, with, for year to come at least.
 1. There is enough ofthe law to ena- ble us 10 make successful onsets upon the destructive business of the rumsellet as any one can see who examines the provisions of the law attentively. There has been quite a prevalent misunderstan> ding of the character of the law. It has been supposed to be utterly incfficient.- But this is not so. The provisions to which we have alluded are so framed, that the proof required is easily obtained, and inc penalties are fixed and cannot be lessened.
 9. There is enough of the law to permit te mperanse men to exercise them selves in enforcing law, and thus prepare themselves by this necessary training, to execute successfully better and more consistent law, whenever it shall be lhot best on the whole to enact such an one. And if we take the law as it now is, and enforce i, in its good points, we shall by so doing be able to see what we need on these points which the presen: Jaw does | not reach.
 3. There is enough of law 10 cnabie US to display to the community frcquent> ly aad in the most palpabIe manner. the gross injustice, cruelty, wickcdness of the traffic in intoxicating drinks, and it's des> ert of punishment at the hand of the law And :his moral effect produced upon pub lie sentiment, by thus holding up to mer- ited disgrace and appreciation this inhu> man trafie is, as regard it, the chief ben eft to be derived from the enforcement of law. Vastly more important is it than the direct effect of the penalties of the law on the suppression of this trafic. Now in order to secure this moral influence of of law, it is not necessary that the law should be so framed that wamay be able to reach every case with t. For this object simply, it needs no, 10 be perfect in all it's provisions. If some of its pros visions be such that we can every now and then strike home upon this traffic heavy and manifestly just blow, it will answer our purpose in this respect.
 But while there is not needed perfect law 10 enable us to nuke this moral i'm prcssion upon the community, it is nec> essary that the law should be a fair er> ponent Of public sentiment. lf 1t be not so if it be in advance of public sentiment, it will fail 10 produce the moral iEflsence so mnch desired {; aud after few short lived lriumphs it will become a dead let- ter, and then be plotted from the page of the statute book.
 The plain duty then of the friends of temperance is 10 enforce vigorously and perseveringly, the imperfect laws that are given to us by our legislators. By this and other means we can arrive at such state of things, that we shall be as ble to obtain perfect law, and have il we'll executed. A perfect law, not props erly supported by public opinion. would be worse than useless. That such law may accomplish it's high purposes, it is necessary that it should commend itself to the sober judgement of ihe great mass of the people, and beesta olished in their confidence and affections ; so that none of the tumultuous surges of pubic opin' ion, moving to and fro from year to year come they ever so suddenly, shall be able 10 overthrow it. Such glorious con- is not 10 be reached by leap. No bursts of enthusiastic philanthrophy. urging to forced legislation, can at.nin to it. l; must be conc by s,eadfaSt, cheer full, persevereing. ploding exer:ion.- Much wisdom and care arc needed to sustain and guard what is already gained and no needless advances should be made, lest the enemy take ns by surprise, and turn victory. on which we heartily rejoice, into . sad and ruinous defeat.
 For the rec sons which l have given. it is my settled conviction, that t is best that the present law should stand fer this year as it is-at least in i,s essential tea' lures. If any alteration be made in it. it should be in relation to taverners. so that some restraint may be put upon tho rum selling and rum drinking of the bar room which is only genteei stepping stone to the dram selling and dram drink ing of the vulgar and filthy tippling shop.
 The friends of the cause oftemperance in our legislature, amid all the conirari> ety of views expressed by their cons,itu> en.s, may bs puzzled 10 know what is their duty. Let them give the subject n full examination {; then net. not from re- gard to party uor to personal popularity, but conscien'iously and independently. And whatever be tho course adopted by them, let every temperance man make the best of what is done, and not spend time in complaining because things were not shaped just acc ording to his mind Let all be united in enforcing, promptly and perseveringly. such laws us eur leg islators are pleased to give us. and then I have no doubt, THE PRESENT YEAR WILL BE YEAR OF STEADY PROGRESS AND TRIUMPH IN THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.
 LEX.
 SIXTY PERSONS POISONED AT A WE'D. pINu.-A letter in the New Orleans Delta. received by MT. Stille, Clerk of the House of Representatives of Louisiana, from his brother, in the parish of Sabine, Texas,