The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-26

MAINE LAW m NEW YORK.
aerort OF the Special Committee OF the
Assembly.
ALBANY, February n, lS5:

petious for notifications or repeal Of the present
excise lsws, and for adopting stringent measures
for the suppression Of intemperance, would respect
fully REpeRT
That change in the present excise laws is not
only do manded py large number Of the citizens
Of this State, but that such charge, in the opinion
of your committee, would be highly advantageous
80 the morals OF tho community, and add much to
its wealth and prosperity. II must be promised
that the present excise laws were adopted at time
when public opinion was entirely different from
what il no " is, and when the use of into xcating
drinks was held ii no. beneficial, at least not det
mental, nor were they intended to suppress, but
merely to regulate, the traffic in them. The light
which has been thrown on this subject, within
opinion, but has produced an entire new one
in the public mind. Few nov believe that the use
Of int xicang liquors IS beverage is beneficial to
il health, while their nstrumentality for every
bad purpose and their agency in producing crime
and pauperism, with their incidents, suffering and
taxation, are deponstrable. Scarcely an instance
Of violent infracticn of the law, or Of the peace Of
society, from the commonest assault to the most
ho1id murder, but what is traceaol to the inAu-
ence OF intoxicating drinks To the same cause is
attributable four tiths OF the paupersm which bur-
dens society The statistics, present I'd in report
to the Legislature of this State 10 lSi9 are abun
dant to show the truth of this opinion. To this.
however we would add the late report of the Chief
of Police of the city Of New York From this it
appear, that there have been $50 GAO persons ar-
rested in period Of two ard half years, of whom
1913 were for assault and battery, p l6i for dis
orderly condu,t, 645 for fighting in the streets,
a, 1888 for intoxcation 350iS for intoxicaton and
disordery conduct. and l., $50 for vagrancy, N TX
ing l407 s3 for offences resulting almost entirely
from the free use Of intoxicating drinks
There were Is, ass arrests made during the six
months ending with December 81, 1851 being en-
increase the previous six months OF sos, con-
sistins mostly Of persons arrested for intoxcation
or Offences resulting therefrom. There were six
teen persons arrested for murder, making thirty
six arrested for that offence during the year 1851
drinking houses in tina. city is stated at 9l0 eni
yet hitherto, the legislature which has ever lsgis-
lated on kindred subjects, has not interfered to
correct or remedy the evil. OF the right OF each
State or community to protect itself from suca q
state Of things, there can be no doubt. No char
tered privileges or constitutional provisions oan,
from the very nature Of the case, override such q
right
Your committee are Of the opinion that it is
far better and wiser to prevent the evil in ques-
tlon, and to remove its cause, than to apply re-
NEEDLES that reach not its source, and impose no
check upon the vast and increasing tide Of pauper
ism and crime.
They also believe that nothing but stringent
law can accomplish the object desired, and they
OF unmixed evil should be entitled to much forbear
ance, or should not be dealt with according to its
deserts. To the passage of such q law there can
be no we'll founded objection from any quarter, and
no opposition except from Glass interest from ap
petite neither of which, it is presumed should have
much weight In matter of legislation affecting the
whole State not only in respect to its morals but to
its productive wealth. The consumption Of intoxi-
eating drinks contributes nothing to the general
prosperity. Thst for which the consumer expends
bis money in no manner benefits him or his family.
wholly worthless Every principle, then, of poll
tical economy, as well every moral consideration,
is arrayed against the sale Of Intoxicating liquors
as beverage.
1t is nothing new that rcformatory legislation
should be opposed in large cities. There is ever
quite number who live on vice. When laws
were being passed for the suppression of lottery
vending and gambling, they were resisted BY class
interest, ana the habits Of those personally inte
rested but this opposition is the very reason why
such laws should be passed for, frequently, the
amount Of opposition is a true criterion of the
tent Of the evil to be renedied. and shows the ne
cessty for the proposed enactment Of the law.
While your committee believe that an entire
change Of the excise law would be beneficial to the
whole State they do not believe that will serious
ly affect the class interests arrayed against such
change. Let the Legislature enact what law 1t
may In regard to the trait in intoxicating drinks
the capital invested in that traffic is not destroyed
1t remains to be diverted into other and more
healthy and productive channels, whereby the
whole community is benefited, and none are in
jured. Even the petty dealer in Intoxicating
drink, now o nuisance.whose den no Sabbath
closes, and whose capital is not much larger than
his beggared customers-as well as the wretched
inebriate himself will be converted into useful citi
zens, and instead Of unproductive consumers, be-
como producers, adding alike to their own happi-
ness and the wealth of the State. Every member
of the community, then, is benefited by the sup
preston OF this dem oralizipg traffic.
The age in whi,h we live is one OF progress
prcgress in the arts, the sciences, in agriculture,
IN education. Surely it should be in legislation
also. One country learns from another, and one
State from another, what best promotes the ends
OF civil government, and wisely adopts every mani.
fest improvement One Of the great States Of this
ration has ceased from all attem pts to regulate the
traffic in intoxicating drinks, and has adopted the
system of suppression, for which majority Of your
petitioners ask this body. The experiment ofa law
IN that State (the State Of Maine) entirely sup
pressing the sale for other than medical and artistic
purposes, has been tried for eight months, and the
results, thus far are Of the most interesting and
?, 1851. In his report to the Board of Aldermen
and Common Council Of the city of Portland,
January 10, 1852, bis Honor the Mayor says
OF Intoxicating liquors now sold in this city except by
the city sgent IL not fifteenth part 90 great t
ago and s eso0 81 M
Of the city. The amount OF liquors consumed In the
State think is not one quarter so great as it seven
months ago, and 1t will become lie. very rapidly the
people in the country towns are enforcing the law
eJtepevely and Vigorously every day From many towns
master Of the Aims House has submitted the follow
ing returns which show the effect Of the law upon that
Northumberland into the Aims House fIom jan
usry to December 81 1850, $50 Admitted to the house
from January to December 80 1851 2s2 Average
Der through the year was 100 Numbers OF families as,
sisted out the house. from June 10 December 81 1850
co Average number through the year 1851 war 93
Number Of families assisted out OF the house from June
to December 90 1851, 40 members; In ths house
Dec 1850 l07 MEMBER In the house Dee 1851 So
be Committed the House Of Correction for drunk.
spnese from Jan 10 May 81. 1850, (six months) 4o
committed from Jan to May 81 1851, (fve moDths) a.
from June he law was approved June y TO October l6
was eight from October 10 TO December 81 none; from
June TO December 81 (ssven months)S The House Of
Correction lie now empty The number Of commitment
to the jail Of this county for drunkenness assault and
larceny from June to December 81 1866 1872 For
the months for 1851 the number 49, and for
months Of 1851 there were bs liquor sellers Imprisoned
while in 1850 there The law in general
operation here by the Let Of August 1851 and that
time TO December 81 there commitments for lar
ceny while for the corresponding months Of 1850 there
1o commitments for that offence There com.
nited to the watch bouse from June to December 81
1850 1872 persona IN the corresponding months 1851
1862 PERSONS In October November and December 1850
respectively 43 ~, sSin all l3o; the months Of
1851, q % and ll-mskpg S. Our streets are now 20
much more quiet particularly at night than they
the last year, or before that the difference
be understood clearly BY those connected