The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-03-03
Address to the People of Minnesota

Unanimously adgted at the recent COn~ntio" IN 81.
Paul.
Six hundred of your fellow citizens Of all paries,
assembled from different places, in Convention at -
Paul, unite in presenting to you the following Ad-
dress:
matter which We deem of the highest importance To
our Territory We are met friends OF the "MIi-
ncsota Liquor Law" and we feel prompted by a
sense of duty respectfully cali general attention 70
the claims WHICH that Law has upon the people Of
Minnesota at the preseut time.
We ask candid consideration Of the following
principles and facts.
The li1uor-raihc exists among us as an immense
evil. We will not abuse your intelligence by any
effort to prove what is evident and generally
admitted, That great evil demands powerful rem
edy. M)ral suason has been tried. Tn, License
system in various forms has beca tried. Moral Sua-
sion aud the License System have proved INSULT
cent. Both, agtng together, have failed even to
hold the traffic in check. The time has cone when
we must lay upon the tratfi, stronger hand We
believe that such is now the deliberate and Just con-
vIcton of large minority Of the people OF this
Territory. Hence our youi5 Commonwealth, As we'll
older portions Of the country, has been asitated
Tor more than year the subject OF prohibtogy
law. SIch law WAS partially and Goinna'ly in
force during several months ot last year, and under
a combination of the unavorable circumstances,
it inflicted during those few months powerful blow
Off ,ialy proclaimed a Law By the Governor,
not single grog-shop or bar was opened -
though many woul have been opened during last
son, had not been for the restraining Influences Of
that statute. But i; accomplished more than simply
the prevention OF an increase Of grog-shops. With
than hal-a dozen prosecutions, one. half Of
our former dealers retired from the Business The
number of persons engaged in it decreased from
hundred to nifty. But NJ sooner was the legal re-
straint removed by judicial decision, than lquor
sellers immediately began to multiply 50 that al
ready, in Ramsey AMI Washington counties alone,
between 6heen and twenty places have been
opened for this species OF traffic. and this too, while
navigation is closed. These facts respea fuy
commended to such Of fellow citizens as regard
tn. law Of last year failure There can be
doubt, however, that in som, thinly settled parts of
the Territory, more liquor sold than b2,ure, as
several dealers in the large made hast to send
their stock of liquors there, in order to dispose of
them and retire from the business without loss.
Ii view OF the salutary work. ys OF the law while
in force, and in view Of the alarming increase
Of liquor sellers and of drunkenness since 1t
aside, Its friends have been impelled to seek from
the prcsen, Legislature its re-enactmcnt; and (tor
the reason, perhaps) its opposers have renon.
strated. Thus far the only effect has been to make
pal pablo the comparative strength of both par
tics. The names OF petitioners thus far sent in
amount to seventeen hundred, and the rcmonstrants
to three hundred and eisty-eght Thus has :, been
in favor Of surh Law; first by direct vote, and
now again through petitions. Nearly one thousand
Of the petitioners legal voters, 4 bill for the
Law in an amended and improved form, is upon
the Council liable, and ii is hoped will receive the
Legltvee SANCTION And vet there is so.ious reason
to fear that political tricks and crafty mancuvei ing
will defeat the great object which many hearts
set either by killing the Bill, passing in
such mang led form To render ii of little use.
Aside from the one hundred men who and have
been engaged in the traffic tn opposition a pro-
h'bory law would be very trihing. And it is easy
to why thy oppose. Their craft is in danger
They clamor about dn assault upon their ''sacred
rights But human rights never interfere II, rs
believe, society has right to protect itself from
j great and evident injury, then no individual rights
can coahct herewith. Says the noble Judge Bar
culo Of Eastern New York, s'No has a right to
live at the expense of the health peace and happi-
ness of his fe'Iow-b :ings. Every cile, should be
ashamed to ask the privilege of supporting himself
out of the ruin ol his friends and ncehbors'' Even
in respcpect the naonty argument, who has reason
for ianlt-lnding, the liquor seller and the grave
digger!
Adopt prohibitory law, and who is wrongsd,-
Surely not tho victim of depraved appetite, saved
from temptation and restored asaiu to manhood: not
the family Of the nebrIatc raised from poverty, sor-
row and shame, TO comfort, Joy and respec,abiiitv
not the community, projected from violence and vice
and from the burdens OF pauper and criminal taxa-
ton. Nor has it been shown that the r,nseller
is wronged BY a law which forhid> him to engage in
traffic already forbidden by religion, morality and
the public good. Ii it drives him from his business
it nevertheless leaves open ali honest and proper
Payments.
But we desire to present in this Address. several
weighty reasons why Minnesota should adopt and
carry ont the principles of this celebrated Law
We cntreat our fellow citizens to weigh well the
fearful evils, which will be almost certain to come
upon us, If the grog shop system continues.
The liquor traffic corrup!s the balio, bor and every
intelligent citizen, who loves popular government
must acknowledge with pain that whatever corrupts
the ballot box and posons our politics, mnsr sap the
strength Of government and DESTROY It's purity, We
have reason To hope for strong and benioent Do
itcal system, so long as the elections can be con-
,roed by designing men, through the influence of
drinking houses and tipping shops. We must rule
the traffic, or I've ruled by 1t.
Not less serious and sad will be the effect upon our
public morals. IL We desire the risior generation.
and the large class Of foreigners who are finding their
homes liz our midst TO be impudent and INDECENT.
vicious I'd d's'pated system OF grog-sl.ops will
make them II we desire to poison the public
heart, blunt the public conscience and lower the tone
OF morals--if We desire to open the flood gates OF
vice, and deuge society in full tide Of pollution
and shame, so that our infant Minnesota NAV become
a hiss and by-word. system Of grog- shops will do
IT. Our ony hope Of having it otherwise rests u,on
their suppression Our only hope Of their suppression
is in prohibtory law.
Another and scrions danger may he suddenly
sprung upon us by the continuance Of the liquor traf-
nc in the shape of border warfare with the indians
who will continue to be supplied and infaned with
ardent spirits, so long Us we have no more enicien,
means for breaking up the traffic than our old laws
afford.
And does it need to be rehearsed that without the
law there will be domestic Indebtedness sucb ,s
sends the wife and mother down pathway Of scr.
low, broken-hearted, to the grave such as be-
luea,hs to society thousands posr orphan children,
neducated nloved, and unlovey that there will be
heit, and gambling, rowdyism and riot, dehauchery,
nd suicide, adultery, and murder just as there has