New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-15
Liquor and Inv.

Liquor and Inv.
The facts that Father MATHEW, the most emi.
nspt living Apostle Of Temperance is to visit oar
Country the coming season, and that ne viii nato-
rally appeal with great force and favor 70 portion
Of our people who have hitherto with striking ex-
osptions in certain localites stood more generally
sloof from the Temperance Reform than almost any
other, while he will inevitably be listened to and
loved BY ALL Justify ssngone hopes that 10 spite
Of the adverse Influences Of Presidential contest
ths war ls4s il destined 10 be memorable IN the
hs,orv Of the enlightenment Of mankind with re
rsrd 70 the nature and effects Of intoxicating Ii.
ouors Should no powerful counteraction be en-
oountersd, we trus. the number pledged TO TEN
psrnce ia the Union will be onefour.h greater on
Tho next than it was On the last New Years Day.
Bat TO effect this, wisdom as well ss energy, pro-
dence ~ well ~ zeal, are demanded Of the lead
srs Of the Temperance movement. We must be
careful not TO tear down with one hand as fast as
We build up with the other. Our measures should
be soch a. 10 secure the hearty cooperation OF all
Who are friendly to the cause without exciting any
needless hostility on the part Of the uniformed
and indifferent. We must not even afford those
who secretly hate our cause plausible pretext tor
opposing 1t on any ground apart from |" intrinsic
character and merits.
Yet. ON the other hand, we cannot compromise
COR principles prevaricate with regard to them
We cannot scquiesce, even tacitly, In the sssufnp
ton that Alcoholic beverages, however moderately
used, are innocent. morally or physically, nor that
the business Of vending them is one which may be
followed without wrong and public injury. We
must not blink the truth, even though seeming
advantage to the Cause would result from so doing
II seems to US, on a review Of the whole field,
that the ground ultimately taken, though not clear
" defined, at the last Temperance State Conven-
ton, Is the best that be occupied. The princI-
ole there affirmed, that each seller Of Intoxicating
Beverages should be held responsible for the con
sequences of his voluntary acts. is one on which
We can all unite But the question Immediately
presents itself-How are we to determine the
measure Of individual responsibility in each case
The extent OF the evil being known, how shall we
spporsion the guilt and the responsibility among
the several culprits1 For example, man leaves
his family In the morning perfectly sober in quest
of employment or on some other laudable errand.
Soon he encounters an acquaintance, who lures him
into convenient GROCERY, tgenteel or vulgar 1t
matters not and plies him with first glass Nov
his blood IL inlamed his brain crazed, his vulture
appetite awakened, and his business forgotten at
the next corner he meets another acquaintance
whom he urges to drink with him, or he resorts to
the dram shop without even that wretched excuse. /
Thus he goes on through the day, treating and be /
ing treated, drinking and getting drunk, anti night
nnds him phrenzisd, ferocious beast who falls to
lighting and IL carried to the watch house. or who
Koss homo to abuse and torment his terror stricken
sniIy. Which 10 the culpsble grog seller In this
,ass-hs who supplied the first glass or the fifth
" the 6fteenth7 II there be any difference in
heir criminality, We should say he who sold the !
ast IL the greatest offender but how does he know
I Is the frat How can any discrimination be !
made among them 1t is very clear that the bu-
uiness generally is bad one and its results most /
deporabls bat IL 10 not often easy to say who sold
the one particular glass which transformed toe I
good husband and father Into a brute and demon
perhaps peace breaker and Q murderer
Since, therefore, It seems impracticabe, until /
public opinion shall have been more thoroughly en-
lightsnsd, to suppress entirely the sale Of Intoxi
eating Drinks, we see DO better mode Of procedure
than the following.
!. Abolish all Licenses and Licensing whatever
Of The Ram traffic
Q. Require every one who makes or sells Insoxl-
eating Beverages In any quantity to give bords
With ample security that he viii pay bis full
equal share Of the expense entailed on the com.
nunity by the Liquor business
3. Punish stsrnly all who sell without giving
such security
4. Let the Board Of Supervisors Of each County
on or about the LIST Of January. make careful inqu
~ and determine what portion of the County Eek
penditures-for the detection, conviction and pun
ishment Of Criminals, the support Of Paupers sc
Ac.--have bsen rendered necessary by the use OF
Intoxicating Liquors and let thls be assessed
equally upon all those who within the last yeas
have been engaged in the Liquor Traffic within
the County aud vigorously collected OF them or
their bondsmen.
I'VE believe this course, faithfully pursued.
would sooner repel from the traffic any good men
who may still be pursuing il than any other which
has yet been suggested while it would tend more
than any other to place the pecuniary public bur
then thence accruins on the shoulders woich ought
to bear it. Will the friends of Temperance aud Of
Jastice In our Legislature consider it