The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-04-17
PRO AND CON.

following. embodying the usual objections
to the ''Liquor Law" copied from pa
per published in State where the ques-
ton is now undergoing discussion, and the
answers of the Maine editor thereto.
EDS. MINNEsor1As.] ...
The following article is from the Bridge
port Conn., Farmer, and as our paper
circulates somewhat in that State, and es-
pecially as our State is interested i'll the
controversy, we have concluded to give it
an insertion, and append few comments:
''The Voice Of a True Democrat.
Ex-Governor Steele Of New Hamp-
shire has published long letter on the
subject of the Maine liquor law. He
takes decided stand against any such en-
actment in New Hampshire. Among
other things he says, the Maine law will
not only work an injury to the temper
ance cause, but create particularly in the
towns nearly politically divided, bitter
ness of feeling which will be seriously
felt for years.
Gov. Steele is right on this subject.
The law is despotic, arbitrary, illiberal,
unequal, oppressive and unjust. (l.) 1t
is IA hundred times worse than Hale's law
O.! last year, and were it not for the rep
reservations of its success in Maine, which
are fictitious, in part, beyond doubt, (2)
it would have hardly dozen earnest adj
vocates in this State.
"We hear it is claimed by some that
the law is democratic. If it is so, we
confess we cannot see wherein. Alter
someweat careful examination, we have
been unable to find scarcely liberal fea-
ture in it. (3.) On the contrary, it is des-
potism 'doub!e-disti.led,' and had we not
reason to think the contrary, we should
believe it was concocted and framed by
some of the most inveterate enemy of the
temperance cause.
ave advise all democrats, and espe-
cially all temperance democrats, to stern
~ and uncompromisingly resist the law.
If the democratic party in this State can
not succeed except on condition Of giving
support to "a law possessing such illiberal
and obnoxious features as this, then let il
go down; and what is more, let it stay
down. a.
"How any judicious and sagacious OPP
ponent of the use of intoxicating drinks,
could bring himself confidently 10 believe
that the temperance cause would BE- per-
manently benefited or established, in this
State, by "A law so Liberal. tyrannical, and
repulsive as this, is something we cannot
easily understand. n law more directly
IN certain'y calculated to ultimately de-
feat its own proFessed end has seldom or
never been devised by the wit of man.
We know Of nothing TO match it, in blind
ness and inlatuation. unless it be the
measures of the aboi'ionists for the pro-
Ies>ed object of ameliorating the condition
of the slaves. co.
I'VE can readily anticipate the answer
of sumo TO these remarks oh, you are
an advocate of the rummies.' Precisely
like this is the answer Of the abolilionsrs
to all who disapprove Of their violent and
lnjudicious course:-'Oh, You are dough-
iace-nn advocate Of selling men for
slaves
s. But responses such as these have lii
tie effect on us. We have lived in this
city twenty years, and though we have
never set ourself up as pattern of vir,
tue, we will not shrink from compare
son of notes, in the matter of pract cal
temperance, during that time, with any
man of our age.
1--WE stand now on the ground where
all rational and sincere temperance men
stood when the present temperance or
CARNATIONS commenced in this State. We
stand on the ground of long experience /;
and say now as we almost unanimously
said then: I'VE have no faith in legal SUI
sion; it does more hurt TO the cause than
good No man was ever made chris
tian by law; and we have yet to learn that
solitary individual has ever been made
by that means convert to the temperance
CAUSE.
at will be said, probably, that the law
has been eminently successful and done
great wonders in Maine. 1t is sufficient,
for the present, 10 reply that the expert
ment in that State has not yet been half
tried. The law has been in force there
only few months, and no expression of
the sentiments Of the people, since its pas
sage. has been had at the ballot boxes.
O) After such an expression has been
given, it will be time 10 appeal to the ex-
ample of Maine. From present indica-
tions, we see no reason TO believe that the
temperance Cause has gained any perma-
ment advantage in that State"
l. Our friend of the Farmer abounds
in adiectiues. and we should like % see
him justify their application to our Tenn
perance law. If il is "despotic" to pre-
vent the f,w from expressing and destroy
ing the many, if it is arbitrary, illiberal.
unequal, oppressive and unjust" to sup
press an unmitigated evil, and to protec'
society from the principal cause OF pail
peri>n, misery and crime, then Jefftrson's
definition Of ''lrue democracy" is obsolete,
and the declaration Of independence needs
to lie revised.