Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-03
For the Daily Evening Star.l

rected to an article in your Thursdays
paper, signed "Jackson and Liberty"
which desire to notice briefly. The ar
ticle itself possesses no merit, unless reck-
less assertion and manifestation of ignor-
ance can be termed such. 1t is one fthe
curiosities of the times. AS much as some
men love the use of intoxicating drinks,
was not prepared to believe that there was
one, in this enlightened day, who would
publicly advocate the licensing the retail
of intoxicating drinks upon the ground
that to deny it would be tyranical, des-
potic, and an infringement on the rights
of the community at large" What is
can infringement of the rights ofthe COM
munity at large!' If a majority should
pronounce at the polls that they will pro-
tect themselves from the devastating eff
fects of the traffic, whose rights do they
infringe? Have they not the right to de-
clare what is nuisance, and that it must
be removed. I thought that majority
ruled here. We have laws to prohibit
gaming and gaming houses, to suppress
the sale of obscene books are these g in
| Engagements of the rights of the commu-
nifty g What does the sage and sapient
reasoner mean? Does he intend to con-
vey the idea that all prohibitory laws re-
straining men from the commission of
improper deedsare an infringement ofthe
rights of the community at large?" In
charity we would hope not. But will not
his argument tend to that conclusion
Laws are necessary to restrain men from
pursuing such business as will prove
disastrous to the morals and happiness
of the community, and to protect us in our
life and property. Upon what other
grounds can the enactment of laws against
any crime be sustained? And who are
t etter able to decide when such laws are
necessary than those interested and suffer-
ing? No, Mr.. "Jackson and LIBERTY"
" the community at large" feel the evil of
intemperance, and are about to say that
business which makes drunkards, and fills
the land with woe, pauperism, destroys
their happiness and that of their children,
is an infringement of their rights, and
must cease to be legalized.
He very gravely asks why shall free
people adopt the bylaws of secret So
ciety?" Ofwhat society? Is heamem
Der of any such society? If he is, then
he is unworthy of being one for thus pub
fishing their secrets. If he is not, then
he stands convicted of charging upon them
what he does not know to be true. |
may safely challenge him to name any
secret temperance society, that have any
bylaws, regulation, or permits any thing
to enter into their consideration that tends
in the remotest degree to injure the good
order or we'll being Of society, Or q in
fringes the rights of the community"
He can't do it.
He talks pompously about Rome, and
and how that mighty republic fell. And
what in the name of common sense has
this question to do with the fall of Rome 2?
Why this muss and bombast? Twill tell
you, the City Council have left it to the
people to exercise the right to say wheth-
er they want longer to retail liquor traffic
legalized, and he is afraid to trust them.
There lies the rub.
For the comfort of jackson and Lib
erty'' he is informed that it is not intend
ed to deprive him of the enjoyment of his
tom-and jerry at home. We only desire
not to legalize the helps he now has to
have it mixed to hand to suit his taste,
and to tempt our youth. Again, he says,
Il am no enemy, but friend to the
temperance cause" God grant that such
friends may be few and far between. "a
friend to the temperance cause!" and in
the same breath calling it's friends ''hy-
pocrites - Yes, just such friend as the
wolf is to the lamb. He waits only the
opportunity to crush it, and build up the
curse of intemperance upon its ruins
throughout the land.
For the first time in my life have seen
it denied that intemperance was fruitful
source of crime. 1t is reserved for this
sapient reasoner to make the important
discovery. On the contrary, ''the annals
of crime'' will prove beyond all doubt
that at least three-fifths of the pauperism
and crime Of the country, Of whatsoever
grade, is attributable to intemperance,
and another fifth to it more remotely.
Indeed, Mr.. Editor, the article contains
more misrepresentation and perversion of
facts than is common to be found in so
small compass; and | would also say,
Friends and fellow-citizens of Washing
ton," you have an important duty to
yourselves and children to perform on
Monday next. Will you shrink from it ?
will Won ,,orr,it Scrihhlers in tho r,,,, IN