The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-13
MAINE LIQUOR Law.

the Name Liquor Law, which has reused
swarm of communications on the subject As
we cannot surrender our paper at this time
to the published discussions Of the subject, we
shall select for publication one from the pen of
DIR. Snodgrass of Baltimore, long known as
resolute advocate of Temperance.
NATIONAL LEGISLATION, AS RELATING TO
THE TEMPERANCE REFORM
To The Editor of the National Era:
write in the confident expectation that the
importance of the end and aim of this COM
munication will furnish sufficient apology for
troubling you with it,
The movement in behalf of legislation for the
suppression of the traffic in intoxicating bever-
ages now on foot in several of the States Of
our Coniederacy, after the glorious example Of
Name, Is revealing most important contra
dictlon, IT not direct conflict, between that
more thorough Legislative control so desirable
IN these States and the existing policy of the
General Government touching the same inter-
est Thus, Maine has been compelled to make
an exception in favor of the "Original pack
ages" of poisonous liquids az they come from
the custom houses and while she has placed
upon her statute book law which, though
thus circumscribed, has conferred immortal
honor upon her sons the more yirtuous and
orderly OF whom are now sustaining it, the ma
ton retains upon its statute book law which
sanctions the importation of these same poison
Gus liquids into her borders. for use as beyer-
ages, contrary to the manifest wishes of the
great majority of her citizens!
Should the Maine Law lie enacted in this
State, or others in which it is now being moot
ed, the same contradiction and conflict will be
encountered; and thus the National Govern
ment, which ought in all cases, to stand forth
as KIND parent protecting and fostering the
highest interests of the various members of the
family, will be found placing barriers in the
new paths wherein they may seek to walk in
search of the prosperity of themselves as indi-
vidual States
According to my information, this exception
rs required by the United States Constitution
has opened the door of evasion and subterfuge
to some extent, even in Portland. If so in that
city, what increased difficulties may we not
anticipate in such emporiums of direct foreign
trade as New York Mark we'll what write.
| speak not of these difficulties as insurmounta-
BILE. That is the enemy's cry-not ours
Now, apart from the foregoing considera-
tons there is another which should not be pass
ed over lightly. allude to the effect of legal
sanctions upon the public sense of right and
wrong-the 'pubc conscience of those con-
cerned in transactions under them. Let us
look at this point for moment: There can be
no doubt that the License System as it pre-
walls IN this and other States. prompts to wrong
doing, while it shields it. Mankind have been
taught to contemplate law" with species of
reverence, and Just laws are worthy of being so
contemplated. But, unfortunately, this rever-
ence is too conveniently transferred to unjust
laws. Thus false measure of conscience is
proffered and willingly accepted The offender
against the social good, who has found it so
convenient to measure his employment by it,
may be referred to the Interchangeable princi-
pies of truth and may be pointed to the gar-
ing results of his career. but in vain. He will
refer you, in turn, to the STATE, and that the
oretical embodiment of the highest idea of JUS
tice, the STATUTE Book, and coolly tell you
that he scouts your "higher law"-that this is
high enough law for him
If this be true of State laws, how much more
strikingly so of National laws There is not a
man in this nation but has been taught to re-
gard the authority, moral as well as physical,
OF the nation, as more commanding than that
of his State and the effect of that teaching will
cling to hum, in more or less strength of adhe-
sion, in spite OF the unrighteousnes of the ma
tons enactments or endorsements. 1t is very
clear to my mind then that, as "a cropning
sanction, the friends of Temperance cannot az
ford to forego the assistance of National law in
the present struggle, The frowning battle
ments OF National c0unteractiOn would cast
shadows of gloom over the new entertainments
of State law, if suffered to exist longer and
they would dishearten the noble soldiery of Re-
form.
What is the conclusion to which this hurri-
ed glance at things rs they are points us!
Why, clearly this: The absolute necessifu of
bringing the National Government TO our aid
have been surprised to find no movement by
petitions to Congress on this subject. Can it
be questioned that that body has, under the
Constitution, power to grant the strong arm
of the law! 2" lthas full power over foreign COM
merce and the very same class of motives which
prohibited the foreign slave trade should pro-
hibit the foreign liquor trade also That was,
moreover, totally abolished, while we need only
ask the prohibition of the importation of liquors
for other than mechanical and medicinal pur-
poses
We are not left without pyecedeats of legis-
laton to justify our demands upon the Nation
al Authority for aid in this direction NAV
safely refer to the Embargo Act in force du-
ring the Administrations of jefferson and Madi
son, and which received the appreciation of
those great statesmen. 1t was a prohibitorv
measure of the most sweeping character; and
yet the British Governments whose commerce
was most affected by it, not only did not COM
plain OF 1t, but admitted its strict accordance
| with the laws OF nations, was shown by MIR
Canning's letter to Mr.. Pnkney in 1903. So
of the non-importation and non-intercourse acts
OF the same governmental era. To which sbould
be added, as directly applicable to the present
question, that the rule of reciprocal intercourse
between nations is based upon the understand
ing that the prosperity and happiness of the for
eign country nth which intercourse is sought
shall euer be regarded This view will be found
running through all the discussions of the sub.
ject in the writings of Vattel and the elder
authorities generally, and also through all the
later discussions.
may be told that the aforesaid acts were
justified by the necessities of the casen Grant
it, and then allow the friends of Temperance
the same plea in view of the woeful influences
Of the foreign liquor trade, as Justly you must,
But, fortunately for our position, we do not
need to go back so far. We may successfully
point to revenue laws now on the statute book,
and in constant force. Among these may be
cited the law against the importation Of OBJ
scene books and pictures. But few weeks
ago an enforcement thereof was made in this
city, whereby large invoice of pictorial Ger
man pipes was declared contraband by the
United States judicial authority, and destroy
ed, while lot Of otherwise lawful goods, found
with them, in the Original packages" were
forfeited to the Government. | might go on,
and point also to the prohibition of the import
alton of foreign paupers, as it prevails in sew
eral OF the States, without its CONSTITUTIONAL
ty . being questioned for a moment; and with
!. that phase of the question alone have to do
at present Now surely, if it be constitutional
TO prohibit the infringing of paupers az such