New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-25
MAINE LAW IN NETWORK.

Especial Dispatch to tho N. Y. TIibans.I
Report Of the AssembIy's Special Committee.
ALBANY, Tuesday, Feb. "a, 1859.
Mr.. f. L. Snow, of this City, submitted
the following Report, accompanied py Dill
enacting substantially the MAINE Law;
Your Committee, to whom was referred nu-
merous petitions for notifications or repeal Of
the present Excise Laws and for adopting strin-
gent measures for the suppression of lntempe-
rance, would respectfully
REPORT:
That change in the present Excise Laws Is not
only demanded by a large number Of the citizens OF
this State but that such change, in the opinion OF
your Committee, would be highly adv antsgeous TO
the morals Of the community, and add much to its
wealth and prosperity IL must be promised that the
present Excise Laws were adopted 1t a time when
public opinion entirely different from what It
now Is, and when the use OF intoxicating Drinks
was held If not beneficial at least not detrimental,
nor were they intended to SUPPRESS but merefyto
regulate the traffic in them. The light which mas
been thrown on this su Ject within few years mas
not only proved the falacy Of this opinion but has
produced an entire new one In the public MIND
Few now believe that the use OF intoxicating
Liquors as beverage Is beneficial 70 men IN hea1ns
while their fundamentally for every bad purpose
and their agency in producing Crime and Psuper-
ism, with their Incleents Suffering and Taxation,
are demOnstrable. Scarcely an instance OF violent
nraction of the law or OF the peace OF society from
the commOnsst assault to the most horrld murder,
but what is raceable to the influence OF inioxic1nS
Drinks To the same caoseis attributable four hnns
of the Pauperisn which burdens society The sta
tstics presented In Report TO The Legslature OF
this State In 1919 are abundant 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 1t appears that there nave
been $50 $40 persons arrested in period oil two ana
a half years OF whom IL 993 were for Assault aDd
Battery, 25,l64 for Disorderly Conducs, 2ole Iof
Fighting ia the Streets, A 1913 for Intexics&0t,
3504s for In.oxicaton and Disorderly Concuct, ana
AsO0 for Vsgrancy, making lao 1888 for ohenses re-
sultIng almost entirely from the free use OF insox
eating Drinks. -,
There were Is45s arrests made during the SUI
months ending with December 81, 1851, BENZ IN IN
crease over the previous six months OF oyo. con'
slstipg mostly Of persons arrested for Intoxlcslon,
or offtn resulting therefiom. There were sieen
persons arrested for Murder, making 80 arrested sf
that ofense during the year ls3l .,,.n
The total number Of licensed ana unncensoo
drinking houses in that city stated at ana yes
hitherto the Legislature, which has ever eslsateo
Oh kindred subjects, has not nterefed 70 cofecs o.
remedy the evil OF the nigh! OF each state or com
muDify TO protect itself from such state OF thinss
there can be no doubt. No chartered privileges OF
constitutional PROVISIONS can, from the very hs'aio
of the case override such right.
Your Committee Of the opinion that IL II iA
better and wiser to prevent the evil Ia question: ana
to remove its cause than 10 apply femeoies 'nas
reach Iot its source and Impose no check Gp,n
They also believe that nothing but stringent iAs
can accomplish the object desired and they can sse
DO reason Why traffic which 10 productive o. VA
mixed evil SHOULD De tnbibcu W
or should not be dealt with according 10 us ues.
To the passage OF such law there can DC no 49,
founded objection from any quarter, ana 10 oyyts
ton except from class interest or IRON sp,..rcS
neither of which, il is presumed, should nav ShoIs
weight in matter OF legislation afecun. 80. ,,s mo-
State not only in respect 20 It's M 'rals oas .;c.tnr
ductiye wealth The consumption OF in~n.nsrity
Drinks cor tributes nothIDgto the gensfa, 49,
Tha, Tor which the consumer expenos u" ~ na,2hs,
70 manner benefits him or ms Ismny h,i,y sva,.h.
800 o., thes nor shelters NM ana - "nDry wos
80 Eyery prIncrple. ten, OF Poutcal h.sa,u
iefe. a. eyery moral consideration, Is a,fayeo
.,rs, the sale Of Intoxicating Liquors as oe'ef-
age. It., a,r Tho, rsforma,oyy iegisIation
shluId be opposed IN large cities There Is ever a
number no live on Vice. When iawa were os.na
nas,eo for the suppression OF Lottery. ssnos md
rambling they were resisted BY .s, ~. on
the habits OF those personally intesss IS should 10
Dositon is The veD reason why sucn s,,ost,on IL
nas1eo FOR frequently the amount OF ~ - med,ed
IN ,,sron al the x,ent Of the esia ~ :, sc,mert
and .ho the necessity for the propose
of the law ,.,s. believe that entire
49, ar n xcise would De cene Aese ~ sne
olns's the, DO not believe tnN " VIII sosnss
Nbo,e e,j hs clss, interests srra,ec against suen
y snes' II 70, me LEGISLATURE enact ~hst iasumy
~ ssrd 70 the traffic IN ip'oxica'ns o"nA'' '"'