The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-08-12
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For the Chronicle.


wood township, and also speech delivered
by the orator of the occasion, Mr.. HaDey.
1t would seem, from the reported proceed |
ings, that the participants in that meeting |
have severed all political connection with |
whatever party or parties, to which they have |
heretofore adhered, unless such party or par
ties, will, hereafter, without reserve, act in
concert with them in their declared hostility |
to Temperance Legislation-that they even
contemplate rebellion against the government,
If need be, to prevent such legislation-tbat
they have banded themselves together for the
purpose Of protecting the liquor traffic.
traffic which they in their Bill of Rights ac-
knowledge, and which their orator upon the
stand acknowledged, to be fraught with much
evil to the human family.
do not intend lengthy or systematic re-
view of the declaration of principles set forth
upon that occasion, nor of the speech Of their
orator. do not, like Mr. Haney, claim to be
ga thinker" but could wish, for his own sake,
that his character as such, may be as highly
appreciated by his auditory and readers, as by
himself, judging from the boldness and little
show of modesty with which he claims it, in
to Mr.. Haney, he will excuse me for passing
by the low scurrillity in which his speech
abounds, and of which he must on reflection
be heartily ashamed, and noticing one or two
points only, which seem worthy Of attention;
and these only, because they are the argu-
ments generally made use OF by the opponents
of prohibtory liquor Legislation.
First; as to the encroachment of such
legislation upon the "vested rights" of the
people. 1t is claimed that the enactment, OF
laws prohibiting the manufacture g. sale as a
beverage, of alcoholic liquors, is an unwarrant-
able interference with the liberty of the
subject. Let us here enquire, what is the
object of civil government! Manifestly to
protect the governed-to protect the indi-
vidual citizen, in the exercise OF those rights,
not incompatible with the interests & welfare
of his fellow. citize ns--to act as a counter
pose for the we ak against the strong, for the
virtuous and orderly against the vicious and
disorderly. According to that great text
book of the law, Blackstone's Commentaries,
"That government alone secures civil liberty,
in which the people are required to surrender
its rights, but such only as are necessary to
the public good" The only question foT in
qury here, is, does the public good require
the enactment of stringent prohibitory liquor
laws. The answer of every one who has
given this subject a candid investigation
must be, that the true interests of the public
do require such enactments. Even our Kirk
wood friends acknowledge that its "indiscrim-
mate sale" is productive of evils" And be-
~ hol tb far
regulating the traffic; because they see those
evils, they resolve to vote for none but tenn
perate men.
Knowing then and acknowledging the evils
of intemperence as they do, why do they re-
| fuse to aid in preventing them! Why grant
all facilitie, to the growth of intemperance!
Why say, virtually, to your children, your
friends, and your neighbors, go on--contract
incorporate habits-form for yourselves ap-
pettes Unsuitable, enslaving, of which it is
impossible to rid yourselves-dissipate your
property & your fortunes destroy your man.
hood, your intellects--under its blghting
influence perpetrate offences and crimes
against your government-blacken the annals
of your State with your shame and your in
fanny, impose upon your fellow citizens as a
consequence burdensome taxes, and crowd
our poor houses, our jails and our penitentiary
bring disgrace and confusion upon your
relatives and your friends-poverty and want
to your hearth stones, and there, where is
wont to be domestic peace and love and hap
piness, brutally treat your wives and your
children-alienate if possible their love and
their ailection--break the hearts of those
fond companions who now lean upon you in
trusting confidence and affection for support
Danish, yes, Danish forever from your fresides,
all those domestic endearments, without
which, all the well springs OF life are but
poisoned fountains-go down to the grave at
last, it'll minds tortured by all the horrors
of that dreadful disease, mania potu, leav-
ing worse than widowed wives, and more
than orphan children; and lastly, but far more
terrible than all, appear before the Eternal
throne of Justice, drunkards, loathesome self
condemned drunkards. And after you have
placed the temptation before them in all its
fascinatons-aiter the viper has fastened its
fangs in their flesh, and infused its venom
into their very souls-seduced and decoyed its
victims from the paths of virtue--alter you
have thrown over all this the sanction of law,
you discard the victims, spit upon them,
scorn and despise them for the disgrace and
the infamy thus brought upon them. And is
there no shame, no remorse, for all this
We repeat it, can any one in his sober
senses, say that the public good does not re-
qure the enactment of the Maine Law, or
its equivalent! We think not. But it is said
such law would be an infringement upon our
natural rights. Howl BY suppressing the
manufacture and traffic, it is claimed, in
alcoholic liquors as a beverage, and thereby
rendering its common use as such, almost ou,
Of the question. In this view almost all
legislation is in violation of the same rights
1t is in violation Of the strict laws of nature,
to impose any restraints whatever upon human
actions. But it is necessary for the safety g.
protection Of all, that such restraints should