New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-08
Neral SunsiOn.'

There are several thousand persons in our
State now laboring under deep concern of
mind 10 behalf of the cause of Temperance,
which, they seem to fear, is to be wOefaily
injured by the passage of the Maine Law.
We do not happen to know one of these
who ever did anything, or seriously tried to
do anything, for the promotion of thorough
Temperance. DO you9
Five years ago, the act of 1916 was re-
pealed. That act authorized the several
towns and cities (this City alone excepted)
to vote directly and decisively on the ques-
ton" Shall Alcoholic Liquors be sold
within cur limits for beverages ?''-and as
each voted, so was Rumselling therein to be
lawful or unlawful. why did the Rum in
terest procure the exception of this City, if
It really believed our people to be nearly all
opposed to stopping the Liquor Traffic 81
Since that repeal, scarcely anything has
been done in this State for the legal repres-
sion of RumselliDg. How has the cause Of
Temperance fourished under this reign of
Moral Suasion?'
We say badly-very badly. GrogshOps
have multiplied. Tipplers have increa sed.
Temperance men have back slidden. The
moral tone of Society on this subject has
been lowered. In short, all over our State,
save in those few localities where persist
eht efforts have been made to use what lit
tie power is given by our present laws for
the repression of the Liquor Traffic, the
cause of Temperance has lOst ground.
During these five years, the friends of
Temperance have not been idle. They
have held some thousands of meetings.
They have delivered multitudinous add
dresses. They have circulated tens of
thousands of tracts. They have organized
many divisions of Sons and other disci-
plined minute men of the new revolution.
Many of them have labored faithfully yet
the Cause has lost ground. Why! Mainly,
because the unrehecting many cannot be
made to believe that anything they would
find temporary qualification in doing is wrong
when the Law pronounces it right The
State has been the most potent auxiliary of
the Rumseller.
Nearly all the journals of our City are
now engaged in resisting the passage ofthe
Maine Law. They profess great concern
lest the cause of Temperance Reform should
be injured by that measure. But when
before did they evince any corresponding
interest in that cause? How often during
these weary five years, have they expatiated
on the perils and evils Of the habit of drink
ing9 How often have they cautioned our
youth to shus the path to the grog-shop
and look not upon the wine when it is
redP How many columns have they all
together given, during these five years, to
the promotion Of the Temperance Cause!
What right have they established to advise
and direct the earnest friends ofthat Cause
Men who mean Temperance be not de-
ceived. We may be beaten in our strug-
gle for the Maine Law-but if we are, the
Cause will suffer disastrCusly. Tipping
viii increase. Total Abstinence will be
jeered at. The love of many will wax
cold. While, should the law be carried
and enforced, two thirds Of the now intem-
perate in our State viii be saved, with
nearly all those who are not so. Best of
all, our children will be safe. We NAV
close our eyes in death without an appre-
hension that they viii ever become the
Victims of the demon of Drunkenness.
Fathers and Mothers, is not this assurance
alone worth ten years resolute effort
Help us to carry the Maine Law