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

maker. The Uniied Sintes Government does
not allow liquor TO be sold to Indians, because
| it produces mischief !, our State laws do not
allow liquor 10 be sold to negroes for their own
use. Here are two cases Of mischief arising
from the liquor traffic, where the law steps in
and prohibits the liquor dealer from exercising
his calling. II this is not an INVASION OF bis
rights, why may not the law go further, and
prohibit him from working mischief among
white people? Is the welfare of white people
in this country worth less than that Of negroes
and savages?
Our citizens are not allowed to use disturb
ing language in the streets, or 10 gallop horse
through the principal streets and many other
ordinances are passed, restraining individual
freedom for the public good, in fufllment of
the city's duty, as far as her power extends, 10
guard the interests and happiness of her PEG.
pie yet greater evil than all is sustained by
numbers, strong moneyed interests and personal
friendships, and not by any natural right or in
trinsic merit of its own.
A pretended objection is raised, that the sup
plNsoiOh Vi illuOl AialllC - an NNNtHipS 10
regulate mems diet by law. This bacon and
cabbage view Of the question we do not think
is worth serious answer; for the very per-
sons who make this objection are perfectly well
aware that the opponents of the liquor traffic
are uctuated by consideration of its social
evils
II is said that while engaged in reformation
the work will be incomplete unless you can sic +,
men from chewing tobacco and smoking cigars
This is as if a man with the cholera had corr
on his toe, and you were TO refuse TO give him
medicine for the cholera till you had cured hi.
corn! " Do one thing at Time" is the COLDER
rule for business. The man who attempts toC
many things at once usually succeeds in accom-
plshing nothing. Tobacco don't kill people, OIL
bring ruin and distress upon families and i
our lawmakers will redress glazing, prominent
destructive evils, we can afford TO excuse then
from mcddling with some others that are of in
fnitely less importance. The lovers Of tobacco
need hardly take alarm at the demonstration
against the liquor traffic
! People often tell us that they confess freely
that intcmperance is a great evil but thai it cal
never be Oanished, and broadly assert, but with
out giving any reliable authority, which they
cannot do that all attempts to suppress TN
liquor traffic by law have entirely failed; tina
there is more drinking in Maine and othe
States which have adopted proEibitory laws thai
there was before their adoptionj that drinking
is done in a secret, underhand manner, and tina
men "drinlI for spite!" If it is driven int
secret places, it will soon become disgracelu
in a greater or less degree in the estimation o
/, public opinion; and when that is the case re
spectacle men will not be in danger Of becom
ing drunkards, and the sooner those who "drinI
J, for spite" Kill themselves, the better it viii b
for the community in which they i've. So tina
if the evil is driven out of sight, where it c.n
t not tempt the unstable and unwary, it is grea
; good accomplished. We have seen the mos
favorable accounts from Vermont, of the oper
alton of the Maine Liquor Law in that State
= The Mayor of Portland, Me, in answer TO
n letter of inquiry from gentleman of Cincinnati
4 (who is in favor of prohibitory law in Ohio
S as to the operation of the Maine liquor Law
: writes as follows:
Y CRY OF PORTLAND. }
G Mayors OFFICE, Aug. y, 1858.
4 Dear Sir: The liquor law has been and is sli
y enforced in thsc ity. We have no public drinl
c ing houses or shops where liquor is pubIicl
t sold, and our city is very quiet. But few case
/ of intemperance are seen, and eases Of crime b.
q fore our last court were much less than for SON
= years previous. Liquor can be purchase ed free
ly in our neigkboring State, New Hampshir
= and in the city of Boston. Any Of our either
can purchase there and take it TO their house
for Use, but not for sale. have no doubt thel
>, is much drinking in private, which the law car