American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-21
A Personal Card tn relation to the
Liquor BflI-NO. 3.

! To Tie Editors Of the 4merican telegram.
GENTLEMEN: 1t is objected to the bill, in the
first place, that the laws already passed on the
subject cannot be enforced, are for the most
part dead-letters and therefore, why manu-
facture more, when they too must follow suit,
and share the same fate?
Now, either this objection is good or bad.
If good, then it is the imperative duty of some
one of the majority of one, Immediately to in
troduce bill that shall make the officers do
their duty under the old law, and carry suf-
ficient appeal to, and influence with, the people,
to convert them into aiders and supporters
of the laws official agents. If bad, then aban-
don your untenable ground, frankly and man
fully. Confess that you were wrong in giving
the merits of the bill the go-by, and, arguing
back from effect to cause, making the neglect
of your own agents an excuse and apology fol
4 your own omission and mistake.
Let this kind of reasoning prevail, and, my
word for it, no community can count upon secu
rity in life, limb, or property. Refuse to make
better laws because the old ones cannot be exc
cuted, and you at once insult the moral sense
of the citizens, and make an Acknowledgements
most humiliating and degrading. Meet every
movement meant to reform and improve by the
threadbare argument Of anti-reformers, that
we had better submit to present evil than run
the risk Of aggrayating the disease by attempts
at cure, and you introduce q system alike para
lying and destructive impotent for good, active
and potent for mischief and ruin.
| No, my fellow-citizens! shame on us if We
fold our arms, and falter in the crusade of right
against wrong, virtue against vice, because VIC
find unfaithful agents, and conniving citizens,
to encourage them in their neglect of duty
u IN IA al; bara ~
the heart of the Republic, and in this nine
teenth century, so much lauded for its enlight-
eminent and yearling after progress, we have
! to confess, with bushes on our checks and de-
spalr IN our bosoms that the abuse Of the
''fre-water," . the love of strong drink, cannot
be regulatefl, modified, and controlled, for thC
want OF competent and honest officers to carry
out the law, a sufficient moral sense to sustain
then, and will and independence enough on
the part Of corporate legislators to punish the
guilty, and appoint others in their places, who,
/, with proper inducements, and restraints, and
penalties, may be made to do their duty with
out fear favor.
1t is your right, interest, aud duty, fellow
citizens, to see that the officers Of the law are
| honest, capable, and trustyYc 1t is the duty of
Y the appointing power TO see also more directly,
that the laws arc faithfully executed. II is the
duty of your Aldermen and Common Council-
men, to sec that the appointing power, and his
| agents, comply with their obliEe ions, as far
as the law has invested them with such super
intending and regulating au hority. Vain, then,
let us trust, is the poor apology given for per-
petuaGon Of abuse, the degrading and humil
iating acknowledgment that the laws Of the city
of Washington cannot be executed, because its
agents prove unfaithfu, and public opinion
does not sustain them. Vain the objection
urged against my bill, because ways and means
can and will be invented and applied to any
just, fair, and sufficient act, in relation to this
subject, 80 that officers aud people shall all be
compelled to do their duty, and the supremacy
of law and order be supported and secured,
pledge myself now, as | have done in de-
bate, to join with any one, heart and baud, in