The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-03-04
.Ty,s RuMsELLERs, APPEAL"

Ut these resolutions, tn0se wuo Iedu w
Banner newspaper Of this place may judge
by perusing tho proceedings Of meeting
against the Maine Temperance Law helt
here on the 18th inst. where they appeal
embodied, word for word, in the repor. Of
Committee appointed for that purpose
However, presuming j. will highly interest
and amuse our readers we will publish
those resolutions, and as we promised solnt
comments will give them in the language
Of Horace Greeley, merely rcmarking, that
all such efforts at opposition only servo te
"sco,ch the snake" That its contortions
may be the more apparent we place each
resolution and comments in juxta position:
Re,olred, That we believe il to be our natn.
raj right 10 use the fruits of the earth, whether
naturally produced or artificially prepared, both
for meat or drink, at our personal discretion and
responsibility.
Alcohol is not one OF "the fruits Of the EARTH
but a product Of the torture, dissolution and de-
cay of certain of those fruits-the' saccharine
principle of grains and fruits in a particular
stage of decomposition, as carbon 10 Of anima
matter in like stage. Alcohol is a poison, nc
matter in what form or in what quantity, iffoist'
ed into the human stomach and allowed to acl
on the organs of digestion and vitality. Like
other poisons, little Of il will do less harm than
more: but it is harmful not because it 10 taken
in excess, but because il is essentially poisonous
aud destructive TO life. Now these gentlemen
ough, to know that our laws do moi allow per-
sons to use poisons Gas TO their own personal
discretion and responsibility" If they don't
know the fact, any druggis. can assure them Of
il.
Resolred, The we believe that the accustomed
beverages of civilized men, in,erdicied and rem
dered unobtainabie by this threatened law, are
essential to the health and comfort, the social
enjoyment and the beneficial intercourse Of a
arge number OF persons in every community,
and who now use them unoblectionaby and
worthily for these desirable purposes.
Those who have tried drinking ..the accus-
omed beverages" for years and then given them
Up entirely, uniformly testify that their health is
'et.er and their comior, increased by the change
They are many thousands in number, and nine.
y-nine hundredths Of them testify as here sta
ed. Having experience both Of drinking and
bstinence, their testimony properly out-weghs
hal OF those who have only tried one side.
Resoirea, That we believe that but compare
veiy few persons in any community immoder-
iely and immorally abuse these beverages, ont
fthe vast majority who moderately and benefi-
tally use them, and tina, their abuse by the few is
70 Just reasonsfor their being interdicied to the
many.
Candid inquiry at our Police and other Courts
sill show that nine tenths Of all the crimes and
esser offences against public law and private
ight committed in our City or State are and
ave been committed by persons under the nAu-
nee Of Alcoholic Liquors. The tens of thou
ands Of destitute children in our City are in
tood par, the victims Of parental drunk snness.
And, SO far is il from being the fac, that sscom-
'arative!y few persons abuse' Alcoholic drinks,
While "ihe vast majority moderately and bene-
icially use them,' we asser. that ma jority Of
hose who have formed the habit Of using those
BEVERAGES are palpsble sufferers by them in
mind, body and estate, and that their deaths are
fastened by this noxious and perious habit.
Resolred, That we believe that even the abuse
# them, however and sincerely deeply 10 be de-
'lored, 10 grossly and ridiculously, though sys-
exaggerated as q source Of pauper-
SIN and crime, nearly all the evils Of society be-
NC ianaiically ascribed to this cause, to the ex-
.luson Of all other causes inherent in human
laturo and its imperiect social condition.
As to the evil results of Rum Drinking being
Systematically exaggsrated,,' these gentlemen
know better. Our arguments are based on STA
iistics, which theirs utterly lack. We have
made careful inquiries through all the State and
County Prisons Of our State, as we'll as its Aim.
Houses, and have ascer,ained precisely how large
a share Of the Criminals and Paupers in each
were made SO by strong drink. Mr.. Edmonds
Keeper Of our City Prison. has the docume nts .,
hand, ready to show what share Rum has in FL
ling the spacious and populous establishment,
over which lie presides. Neal Dow can certify
what effect the stoppage Of public permitted
Rnmselling in Portland has had on the Crime
Vagrancy and Pauperism Of that city. NE des
in figures Of arithmetic our adversaries in fipure
of prophecy and other loose jointsd rhetoric
Why don't they attempt to meet our facts b,
facts!
Resolred, That we believe the Temperate,
Societies, however useful and CONNIE nda bI,
heretofore within their appropriate and prac,ica
Ole sphere, as moral agencies for discussion
from az odious and destructive though not prev
alent vice, already punishable by law, have lust
iy incurred the political resistance OF Urea
many enlightened freemen, who are If opinio,
that man, as superior social and moral being
exercising rational intelligence and choice a
to what is most beneficial and agreeable to him
sell, ought not TO be more confined BY res,rctiy
Legislation to the drink of the inferior animal
than 10 their food or clothing, anu that man r.
CURES no legislative prescriptions for the ordi
nary preservation Of his health or recupe cratic,
Of HE strength.
The gentlemen Of the toddy-stick seem to u
rather more rhetorical than argumentatye unde
this head. All that we have to say in reply i.
that, if they really teliepe what they here asser
ihey'cannot refuse to join with us in asking tina
the Maine Law shall be enacted and (by sur
plementory ac') submitted to the direct iudp
men. Of the People Tor approval or rejection. Q
course if "eyery enlightened freeman of III
land" holds with then. and against the Temper
ance. Societies, the Law will be voted down b
an overwhelming majority, since Rum is cer,ai
OF the support Of three-fourths Of the beniphted
degraded and brutalized.
| Resotred, That we believe that the Maine la
has the same tyrannical character az the sun
presslon OF the freedom ofthe press, interdicte