Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-09-08

Published by request.1
ADDRESS
Before the Hannibal City Liquor Law Reform kssouis-


What brings together tonight this assembly ?
or whom is this meeting composod9 plaintiffs
= in cause brought before The Supreme Court Of
= the Sovereign People; and witnesses Of the evil
against which complaint is made---the evidence
positive. These meetings are of solemn i'm
portancc, and should be viewed and treated as
such.
We are accused of assOulting The rights and
liberties of others. Our accusation against our
opponents is, that without propriety or sufficient
reason, they support and sustain a great public
evil. These two parties, | am entirely willing
TO believe, are honest in the maintenance of
their several positions. l question no mans
motives in this matter. My neighbOr's heart is
a sealed book which cannot read.
never had time 10 read law, but once some
four or five ears ago, when happened to have
nothing else to do, glanced over an old copy OF
Blackstone's Commentaries, that was lying about
the house, and think have correct recollec-
ton of some Of the universally admitted prln-
ciples laid down in that book.
The article in the Courier" Of last week,
headed The Force Law" | am convinced
that no lawyer wrote. A lawyer would have
known that there is no such thing as tdw WITH
OUT force. Law is that rule Of action dictated
by some superior, and which the inferior is
BOUND to obey Anything falling short of this
definition is not law. Further, among the
eternal, mmutable laws of good and evil, 10
which the Creator himself, in all his dispense
tions, conforms, and which he has enabled hu-
man reason TO discover, so far as they are ne
cessary for the conduct of human actions, are
these principles: that we should live honestly
should hurt nobody, and should render TO every
one his due; TO which three general pre-
cepts," says Blackstone, "Justinian has re-
duced the whole doctrine Of law" You see
then, that you shall " hurt nobody" is one Of
"the eternal, immutable laws of good and evil,
which form the foundation Of all laws and that
all laws are {" force laws"
Does the liquor traffic hurt anybody? Liquor
exctes the passions, and overthrows reason. L
is the cause of most of the quarrels between
men; it hardens the heart, deadens the con
SCIENCE alenates parent and child, divorces
husband and wife, produces riot, disorder anc
or covetous murderer, II injuriously affects the
prosperity of whole communities, thus making
the innocent suffer Ior the guilty. When MAJ
commits murder lie is removed forever from
society, to prevent the recurrence of a simila>
act by himself, and as a warning TO others. /
is thus the law rios communities of spirit
3 clothed in human bodies but more destructive
spirits in jugs and bottles and glasses are per
mited with IMMUNITY TO create public inconve
nence, public mischief and private injuryj t
PROSTATE health, destroy life, waste property
blast character, and blight reputation. Ruth
less and nhuman, this law-sustained tyran
draws his recruits from every family circle
sacrifices the noblest from every Preside; an
fills every graveyard with his slain. He enter
happy families, where abide plenty and con
tentment and turns the place into hell. o
hilltop and in the valley; on mountain an
plain, the foot of the destroyer has marked hi
path, like Sues " Wandering Jew with cho
era and tempest in his path But in this cit
the bloody traffic is passing to its end. Her
we boldly assert that government has rlgi
TO interfere with any mans business, who's
business interferes with the public good" A
the November election it will be proved the
the people of this city maintain the doctr:n
that the individual man must not get rich at III
expense Of the property and lives of the con
munity.
Blackstone tells us that {" all property is d'
rived from society, being one of those civ
rights which are conferred upon individuals,
exchange for that degree of natural freedo
which every man must sacrifice when he enter
into social communities !" and that this is II
true reason and substantial ground of forfeiture
for offences against law. Every man in societ
is considered to have entered into a contract
association by which he gives up certain matt
raj rights and liberties in exchange for tho
benefits and privileges which society confer
There is scarcely calling in society which
not under the supervision of law, and llmit'
and restrained by it. There is a limit even
the boosted freedom of the press. Lascivio
publications or prints in newspapers or book
or Ebels, usually draw the punishment OF Ia
on the head Of the offender. The editor Of Il
Police Gazette" had to fly the State OF Ne
York to avoid Imprisonment on account OF J.
publications Cooper gained verdict eve
trial from Webb, of the A" InquiSer," for lib
Gus editorials published in relation to his move
The same DrinciDle rms tbrouph all law, ever