New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-06
ras Run,rllers, Appeal.

Our Clty, VINO, not sa@isHou "i'n w 0ph""o
force in the body of the Legislature, keep
themselves powerfully represented In the
lobby. and who mean to defeat the Maine
Law in this State if money, threats and tao
tics can do it, have embodied their case ia
Memorial. which is now being circulated
for SIGNATURES, and which We fad printed at
length in the appropriate journals. We
should doubtless have had an equal chance
with the rest hao our taste and convictions
conceded with these gentlemen's presumed
interests but no matter-we like Free
Discussion. and SO transfer the Remon-
STRANGE unasked to our columns to-day.
And now we ask the attention of all parties
to our reply, point by point
/. Alcohol is not ore of the fruits Of
the earth" but product of the torture,
dissolution and decay of certain of those
fruits-the sacchaIine principle Of grains
and fruits in particular stage of decOmp1-
sition, as carriOn is of animal matter in
like stage Alcohol is a poison, no mltter
in what form or in what quantity, if fOisted
into the human stomach and allowed to act
on the organs of digestion and vitality.
Like other poisons, little of it will do less
harm than more but it is harmful not be-
cause it is taken in excess, but because It Is
essentially poisonous and destructive t.
life. Now these gentlemen oughtto know
that our laws do not allow persons to use
poisons at their own personal discretion
and responsibility. If they don't know
the fact, any druggist can assure them of 1t.
,. Chief Justice fancy of the U. S. Su-
preme Court has decided (the Court con-
curing in the opinion) that the State Gov
ernments hare constitutional power to pro-
hibit the traffic in Intoxicating Liquors
This judgment is directly at war with that
of our Rumsellers or this point. In such a
conflict of authorities, we prefer to hold
with the Chief Justice, since the ultimate
Jurisdiction in the case rests with the Bench
and not with the Bar.
3. The gentlemen Of the toddy-stick seem
to us rather more rhetorical than argument
tative under this head. Ali that we have
to say in reply is, that, if they really beiiere
what they here assert, they cannot refuse to
join with US in asking that the Maine Law
shall be enacted and 10y a supplementary
act) submitted to the direct judgment of the
People for approval or rejection. Ofcourse
if every enlightened freeman of the land"
holds with them and against the Temper
ance Societies, the Law will be voted down
by an overwhelming majority, since Rum is
certainof the support of three-fourths of the
benighted, degraded and brutAized.
A, Those who have tried drinking "the
accustomed beverages for years, and then
given them up entirely, uniformly testify
that their health is better and their comfort
increased by the change. They arc many
in number, and ninety-nine hum
dreths of them testify as here stated
Having experience both of drinking and of
abstinence, their testimony properly out
weighs that of those who have only tried
one side.
5. Whether tobacco-chewing, rum
drinking Man is "a superior social and moral
being" to water-drinlIing lephant or
horse, is point to be established, aud not
so coolly assumed. Most certainly, we be-
lieve, and stand ready to prove, that the
elephant is, SO far as drink is concerned,
very far above the tippler as social and
moral being. We are glad TO hear, how
ever, that rational Man "needs no medical
for his health's sake: for We
feared that the passage of the Maine Law
would enormously increase the sick list Of
The druggists.
6. These gentlemen are easily con-
vinced" of whatever tends to fill their
pockets; but we challenge them to take
any Ward OF Township and compare the
la'es of mortality respectively of its Rum
Drinking and Totally Abstaining inhabitants
of full age for any number of years back
II we do not show hundred lives shortened
by Alcoholic Drinking where one has been
cut short (humbug } by abstaining, we
will give up the case. But we demand
facts, and will not be put down by asser-
tons.
7. Candid inquiry at our Police and other
Courts will show that nrne tenths of all the
crimes and lesser oiienses against public
law and private right committed in our City
or State are ard have been committed by