The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-08
THE DAILY DISPATCH
Richmond. August 8. 1883.
From our Special Reporter.
STATE TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.
(coNTNUEDl


STATE TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.
[coNTIEuEDl
CHARLOTTESVILLE, August 4, 1853.
The proceedings of the evening session of the
Convention consisted entirely of speeches upon
the resolutions offered by the COMMITTEES, and
the substitute proposed by Maj. Preston, of the
Military Institute, Lexington.
MIR Lucian Minor of Louisa, stated that the
10 boring oar was with the proposer of the sub.
sttute; whereupon Major Preston read his pro.
posed resolutions at length, and proceeded to
discuss their merits, in substance, as follows:
Mr.. Chairman-I can make but few gene
raj remarks, as we are, by rule of the ConVen-
tion, confined to twenty minutes. Ii strikes me,
at the outset, that we are all agreed upon GER
tain points. We all agree as to the extent and
magnitude of the evils of in,emperance. We
are all agreed as TO the necessity of laboripg
TO bring about a beneficial change in public
| sentiment. We are all agreed that public OPT
mon Is far ahead of the present code, and that
new and widely different legislation upon this
SUBJECT is imperiously demanded, and absouts
~ necessary 10 the public welfare. Thus far,
all are agreed, and were it not so, there would
mol De, at this time, such prominence given
10 the subject of prohibitory law. But what
can we do now? This is the great question.
1t seems to me that all our efforts should aim
S~'S3 WI tiC piCnCuts ul iCoSt. EHSt,
we ought TO try to embody the public sent,-
inent oil VIrginia, so far as may, in the form
Oh law, upon the subject of the liquor traffic;
sho' secondly, to use our endeavois to carry
ior"ard the public opinion TO higher and high.
er grounds, as rapidly as we may. We should
seek morning which we we'll know to be i'm.
practicaoie' We are not here assembled to
consult as 10 our own individual views or
wishes. we seek for legislative inteIf renee cf
some kind, and when we come to the lepiaIa-
ture' we OF course are bound to seek only what
is pracucabie. Now, the resolutions proposed
py tue committee, contemplate law-prohi.
| Dlory OF the tratfc in intoxicating drinks
| throughout Virginia. The substitute which |
have proposed leaves the question of prohibi-
tion 10 De settled by each county for itself az
the voters may favor or oppose tho sale of intuxi.
| catIng urinks. Now are both these schemes
practicable? If not, which isl If there s anv
gentleman present more hopeful and sanguina
than am, should be glad to hear from him
| on the SUBJECT. go as TAR as any man within
the limits OF what | consider practicable. bu,
must candidly state that 1 have not the ,ho.
dow OF doubt, from all the indications now
perceivable, that we cannot now procure The
adoption Of any thing like prohibitory law
| That end cannot now be attained. Do you
think that the maj ority of the people are now
| ready for such measures? Far from il,
doubt not, indie ID, have no hesitation in saw
ing, that if the question were put to vote to
morrow, il could not be carried in Virginia, II
would be found difficult to carry prohibi,ory
| measures, even ii the vote were to be taken by
counties. | defy gentlemen, in the existing
stale of public opinion, to procure the adoption
of prohbtory measures. | 60 as far as any
| man. but doubt whether the end can be now
attained. Do you think that the majority of
the people are ready for prohibtory measures?
/ han hnas
that such hope is an utter fallacy, and lis
| tulhlment as distant and as hopeless as any
| thing which we can we'll conceive of.
No county will unanimously adopt prohib;-
| tory measures nor. will any county establish
| them by an overwhelming majority, or with.
| out fierce struggle. Mr.. Moderator, il does
| seem TO me that many rof US are aiming at alb.
soiute impracticabiliies, and that in our zeal
and ardent hopefulness, we are tempted to
overlook the obstacles and the fierce opposit on
| yet to be met and conquered. 1t is tendency
| perhaps honorable to our sincerity, but at the
same time not so honorable to eur iudpmept.
why, sr, even in these counties where most
| labor has been expended, and where public
sentiment is said to bs ready-if ready anv
| where-for prohibitory law, there ia any thing
| but unanimity. Itis of no use to disg uise the
true state of things. Even in Pocahontas
| cOunty-nanJel from the beautiful and DARN,
by the way, has never been treated as he oue hi
as the founder ot Virginia, but who, il is TO be
| hoped, will one day receive his merted hon
ors. Even in Pocahontas, l say, that the on
position to Maine law, or any thing like a
Maine law, is such, that it could not be car.
ried except at the point of the bayonet.
| do wish and ferventy hope that the friends
| OF temperance would pause and consider as
we'll what they can as what they gould ac-
complish. 1t may be true, that IN particular
| counties. or tiers OF counties msjorities migh
| be obtained for prohib:ory measures, and this.
| too, would be perfectly correct, as they, of
| course, have the rig ght to manage their own af
fairs in their own way. But TO expect, in the
present state of public opinion, the adoption
| of any thing like Maine law, is, in my view,
| chimerical and absurd. | ask, Sir, if it is not
| possible, even in good cause, to proceed too
| fast and too far | do not consider it dange-
rous untrue to say 80 We may 60 too fast
even in moral reforms. Experience has proved
| this, not only in the temperance cause, but
many others. Ii we once outsiep public
opinion, in our zeal TO carry measures which
we may honestly consider of the highest i'm
portance, we step from our only stable foun
datons, and have no longer any standing
place. For what, after all, is the foundation on
which the moral or political refoTmer can
place himself, and what are, under our govern.
plishmsnt of his ends 7
Ever if the proposed prohibitory law shou Id
be passed, even il by great exerton we should
be able to secure for il majority in the Old
Dominion, would il be stable? II there was
a majority it would be majority OF one sec.
ton over another section. 1t would be the
west against the east. Ii tbs western coun-
iies-eay those west of the Blue Ridge
were to pour in vast majority in favor of
such measures, and Eastern Virginia, contain
ing the cities OF Richmond, Norfolk, and Pc
tersburg, were TO take a different view Of the
subject, what would be the effect? Could you
execute such lawl Ii would be impossible
and, sir, | would rather have no law, than ae
ieebiy and partially executed. Every law that
exists upon the pages ofour statute books, un
executed tends 10 break down the sentiment of
LOYALTY TO lam-so strong 10 Virginia, and which
from the found alton ol the government, has
characterized her people. ThemoraI effect OF
puch laws is absolutely perncIous-tDey aps
peal to no sos.aining sentiment among the reo-
pie, and except for evil, are absolutely power
less.
sir, my orly hope Cor any successful or usefal
Legislation upon nis .es.s In the possibility
tnaI at distant dsr, q soand, BONA h3e msJon.y
may desire and demand prohnisesy law such
majority would see such law executed, but with.
out such majority, the law would De m ,re dead
lefsnr