Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-09-15
From The Albany (N,,Y. } Courier and Journal
PR0H1BTT0RY rgWs,

PhOHBITOHf LAWS 60
Mr.. EDrToR : As by request YOU published
the bane yesterday; will you be so kind as ais,
to administer, also by request, an inrallible an
tidote. In denunciatory epithets and coward,
and silly insinuations the advocates of pur,
temperance cannot participate. They must lely,
to the Hannibal anti liquor prohibitory city or.
dlnanoe party, all such weapons, as in exact har.
mony with the cause Of drunkenness and de.
hatchery, which they SO jealousy advocate.
VINDEX.
Please publish this note and the accompanying ex
tracts, They are
Just as much liquor sold as before prohibition, q
is still the cry. and we have no doubt is honest.
y believed by some, but as the sale and use oil
strong drinks produce drunkenness, and drum
kenness produces crime, and crime furnshe,
tenants for our jails, we have honestly supposed
that the number of such tenants was pretty
good criterion by which to Judge of the effects OF
prohibition. IN this WE were the more fully
confirmed by The fact that in our examination OF
10 or Is Of our jaIs in Western New York, we
IuunI, rs we Lave often stated, that the law OF
Io40 reduced the commitments in all of them
considerably, in others one-half, and in a num-
Der OF cases entirely emptied them, leaving them
without tenant for months. Jails too, that had
never before exhibited such a spectacle And
when we see the same thing said Of the iail, iu
Vermont, we suppose that The same cause Is
producing the same effect, and that where crime
and intemperance are actually diminishing, there
cannot be an increase in the use of strong drink
Some time since it was announced that the
Jail at Burlington was empty, and now the same
is said OF that at Chelsea, and we confidently
anticipate that others, in the course of the year,
will be added to the list.
And here we will make the remark in our pa
per, which we have often made TO individuals,
that if we had the pecuniary means, we would,
as the best possible thing to promote the passage
OF a Maine Law in this and in all other States
where they are agtating it, take the most thor
ough measures TO get the exact guage of poverty
and crime, as exhibited by the statistics Of the
Jais and Poor Houses of the States where that
law is now in operation. We can hardly find
language to express our regret that it should not
be done. 1t might be done in two months.
We see at this moment a letter in the Wes-
tern Christian Advocate, dated at Portland, which
af,er speaking Of the amendment to their law,
rendering it easier Of execution, says:
There has never been period Of the sanis
length, when there has been SO little disturbance
and crime, as for the last two months. wish
every man who doubts the good effect of this
law could come and see for himself"
PORTLAND, Me August Is, 1853.
BRo. HAzEN:-Or State Election is ap-
preaching and the friends of Temperance and of
the Maine Law are on the alert. The "Liber
ais" (rummies) succeeded by dint of packing
caucuses and other political intrigues in getting
the majority in the Democratic State Convention,
and secured their man as nominee for Governor.
But this has only awakened the friends of Tenn
perance, and they are resolved 10 show the world
that they will adhere TO the Maine Law rather
than be bound in party trammels. The Maine
Law Democrats have had another Convention
and nominated good and popular man, Hon. A..
2. Morrill,. We have now four candidates for
Governor: three of whom are outspoken in IA
vor Of the law. Mr.. Pilsbury will command
the votes of the Liberals" and of the party
Democrats; but am much mistaken il he comes
near TO an election. think the election will
show the Anti-Law faction worse beaten than
ever. Beaten this time, and the Maine Law is
a fixed fact; strong opposition can never be
raised again.
The law makes lis own friends and only needs
to be tried by faithful execution TO show that
it is the power which is needed, with the bless
irg Of God and the aid of resolute citizens, to
shut up the hauats Of dissipation and stop the
dca'a-iiood gG lntemporance.
Yours truly,