The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-04-16

TO Rev. Mr. Higginson, in Newburyport,
Mass, giving an account Of the admirable
working Of the Maine Liquor Law. The
facts contained in it are astounding. The
change from the reign of intemperance to
The dominion Of this law is almost like the
change from hell 10 heaven. This legisla.
tion is demonstrated, in the experience of
oil the people, to be of so benevolent beati.
flying character, so profitable, so beneficial
to the whole community, that with united
voice they demand its continuance, and l6sH
have it carried into full effect. The hun.
dreds Of thousands Of dollars said to have
been raised by Boston capitalists for the
purpose OF bribing the people and legisla-
ture OF Maine into the repeal Of this benef-
cent law, are Of no avail. We do not be-
iieve that all the wealth Of Massachusetts,,
offered in one vast sum, could induce the
people to retrace their steps. The rum
merchants of Boston had better uncOil the
worm of the still, aud apply all their bribes
at home for they will be wanted there
With the example Of Maine continued, and
such demonstration of the vast and varied
beneficial results Of this law In the indus
try, prosperity, and happiness Of the peo
pie there, it will not be possible for the
city of Boston to keep these blessings out Of
Massachusetts,. II will not be possible for
the rum interests Of that city to keep the
people Of the Old Bay State so besotted and
blinded. The people of the city may be
kept in bondage for a season longer TO the
Rum demon and his pecuniary profits, but
the people of the country l0iH have the
Maine law.
Yet the supporters Of rum exhibit an in
defatigable energy, earnestness, persever-
ance and practical sagacity in support of
their cause. As often as Dagon falls, the
priests set him in his place again. And
their orators develop an astounding fertil-
ity of argument and eloquence. 1t is true
that the sermons of their preachers all turn
upon one text, Sirs, ys knOw that by this
craft zoe haze our lDeaLth; but that one they
handle with prOdigious power They show
its application, with heart affecting pathos
and earnestness, to various forms and in
terests of habit and Of life, not before seen
in such light, but manifestly now endan-
gered and endamaged by this philantropic
legislation. Not only the pecuniary inter
ests of distillers and wholesale dealers are
largely at stake, by putting this rum-craft
under the ban of law, as public enemy,
but the editors and proprietors of not a few
newspapers, sustained 50 largely by rum
advertisements, are in imminent hazard of
suffering. Sirs, ye know that by this craft
we have our wealth.
The text is very affecting one to all
those classes. 1t carries its own application.
They do not wish it to be made too broadly.
They can take a hint as we'll as any man.
They see which way the wind blows. And
all the considerations of patriotism, disin-
terested public policy, and the good of the
country at large, call upon them to protect
such vast moneyd interests as are at stake
in rum. capital, and in their own advertise
ments. Sirs, ye know that by this craft we
have our wealth. What are few thousand
families, beggared, desOlatAl, destroyed
every year, by the driving of this craft
what are few thousand young men, drawn
into habits of intemperance-what are a
few thousand laborers trodden down in
drunkenness and starvatiOn-what are the
niseries of few thousand mothers and
children--what the perdition, eternally, oI
thousands Of immortal beings-what, in.
deed, are all the evils and curses of intem
perance, in comparison with the precious
ness of this craft to those who by it have
their wealth. They call for Legislation tC
protect wealth. not morals to protect the
wealth. kObleu Dy llt uGotFHGbtuH VI UluldlS
They demand legislation in behalf of the
dstiller, and the wealthy wholesale dealer
and the retail seller, all fattening on the
miseries of their fellow beings; but they
profess most pious horror of the law, when
It comes in the shape of protection for the
poor and miserable they execrate the law,
when it turns against the murderous traffic
that fills the Golfers of the rum merchant
Il. i ,s.fl -,
bors. The moment law interleres with this
craft, then they are seized with holy fear
of tyranny; they are afraid cf despotic pre-
cedents, they are very anxious for mems
liberties; they are nightly afraid of too
much law, when, few months ago, they
thought this nation could never get enough
of it.
The whole difficulty is just here, with
distillers, wholesale dealers, retailers and
advertising newspapers, all alike; Sirs, ye
know that by this craft we have our wealth.
It has been well asked and pertinently,
Why do not the newspapers of New York,
the Commercial Advertiser, the Journal Of
Commerce, and others, the professed conser-
vators, par eminence, of the public veal, the
safety of the Union, and the morals of the
State, spread before their readers such doc
uments as the letters from Portland, the
evidence from Neal Dow, and other stats.
tics and facts, demonstrating the benefcent
operation of the Maine law? All, gentle
men, do ye not know that by this craft we
have our wealth Yea, and we know some
other things, as for example, the woe to him
that coyeteth an evil cOyetousness to his
house, building town with blood, and
establishing city by iniquity ; and the
woe unto him that giveth his neighbor
drink, and puttest thy bottle to him, and
makest him drunken also. Now on the
principles Of eommOnest law, as well as
sense, to this villainy every commercial
house that sustains it, and every form Of
business that derives profit from it, and for
that cause supports it, and every public
journal that gains money by its advertising
patronage and therefore will not oppose it,
but sanctions it, is directly accessory, and
will be held directly responsible to the great
God that weighs and gauges the evil, and
distributes the just retribution
And whereas the defenders of the rum
traffic allege against the Maine Liquor Law
the vast amount of capital invested in dis.
tilleries and wholesals drammeries, 1--WE may
be permitted on such subject to coin new
word) 1t is Just as If band of conspirators
to burn and murder, should, on being
caught and brought TO justice, allege the
great cost Of all their instruments for break.
ing into houses, and all their arrangements
for success and safety, as a good and suffi.
cient reason why no attempt should be
made to put them down. II Is Just as if a
gang Of conterfeiters should introduce as a
Tebatter Of Judgment and estoppsr on the
whole suit against them, the fact thar they
had capital Of millions invested and en-
gagged ID their operations, and that said
car,itaI unuct oil he eacrihnad &c kI,sso. .~.,s.