Eastern times., 1853-09-29
The .'Maine Law" I"


Rooms, where young men can learn to oct
drunk behind drawn curtains, when thew wonld
not breast public sentiment by drinking at an
open bar. 1t has induced thousands Of fami-
lies to buy kegs of liquor, and to use it around
their own ire-sides, in the presence of their
children, thus tending back to the old times
when II was the practice of every family to
Keep well-hlled decanters, and to treat their
friends and nelghbors when they called in of
an evening.
The law has also an immoral tendency. 1t
leads to false swearing, and to violations of
good talth on the part of town agents. 1t
makes more drunkards than it treforms. Men,
and especially treemen, will not be controlled
by law In their habits of diet and food or wear
ing apparel, and when the thing is attempted,
many will resent by taking an opposite direc-
ton. A friend who has recently travelled in
Vermont, informs us that since the Maine law
went into effect, a spirit of resentment has
sprung up, and young men who were never
before in theshabit of drinking, now resort to
the places where it can be had and indulge
freely. They say that such law shall not
control them, and they prove the assertion by
drinking.
The above extract is copied from a Con-
necticut paper, the Hartford Times, paper
that has taken strong grounds against the
adoption of the Maine law in Connecticut
Any person acquainted with the operation of
the law in Maine, cannot deny that the obiec-
tons above expressed are valid and unanswer-
able.
In all the cities and large places in Maine,
"club rooms" exist which were unknown be-
fore the law went into effect No other quail
fcation but closed lips is required to admit
young man to these rooms. They 90 and
drink, not always to excess by anymeans for
some of the best young men in the State. SO
far as business habits and general reputation
are concerned, occasionally meet around the
club room demijohn but they drink, out Of
spite, perhaps, or to show their independence,
or merely because it is considered that the
liquor law says they shall not drink. The
number of demijohns of the best of liquor, pro-
cured out OF the State without regard to cost,
10 this and in every other city and large town
on the kennebec, thus accessible to young
men In club gatherings, we have no doubt is
much larger than many temperance men who
talk about the salutary effect of the liquor law,
imagine.
1t is also true that thousands of families in
Maine now lay in a stock of liquor for family
use. They, the heads of such families, re-
spectacle men, temperance men, say they con-
slider liquor good in its place, and good liquor
necessary in the family. City and town
agents, notoriously, sell bad liquor and the
buyer is obliged to have his name put upon
the registry for the examination Of all descrip-
tions of men, and particularly those intermed-
ding, sneaking kind of fellows, who are for
ever taking care of other peoples affairs, and
want to know how much liquor is registered
against mans name for six months. No
man, who, when he uses liquor wants genu-
inc article, and respects himself enough to
manifest a decent show of independence of
character, will submit to such degradation
The consequence is, his demijohns go out of
the State and come back replenished with a
good supply for family consumption.
We do not believe, though the Maine law
has shut up many groggeries and made it diff
fcult for an habitual drunkard to appease his
appetite as often as inclination prompts, that
one pint less liquor is consumed in Maine to-
day than before the law went into operation.
But it is said by temperance lecturers that we
have empty jails, little or no drunkenness in
the streets, &c. We rather think some of
our jails will show as many commitments for
a year past, as for any year in ten previous.-
We know it. And as for drunkenness in the
streets, it is deemed rather hazardous for
man 'half seas over'' to be seen out, when he
may be brought before Justice and committed
for thirty days for getting drunk Drunken
ness in Maine is now generally indoors it is
true there is little or no drunkenness in the
streets
The truth is, Maine has some how or other
got better temperance reputation than she
deserves. She-is cried up as the banner state
at distance. Rev. Mr.. Chaplin travels right
straight through Maine, and goes back to New
York with the wonderful statement that he
did not see drop of liquor during his whole
journey. The jaundiced and cadayerous ma
terlal of which temperance watchmen clubs
are often made up, report astounding progress in
the cause, and Maine is ''cracked up'' to the
skies as kind of second moral Eden. They
dc not tell the truth. They know nothing of
the current that RACES and foams beneath the
surface. Let Mr.. Chaplin go through the
State as Jacob Brown, Esq, who imbibes a
little good liquor occasionally; and let the
young men Of temperance watchmen clubs get
an inkling of the young men that make up, as
occasional or regular visitants, the club Of the
demijohn, and there would not be half so much
gas used in other states about the wonderful
progress of temperance in Maine. Our own
private opinion is, that in the matter Of real
temperance reform and advancement, we are
in Maine preparing for repentance.
~ Result of the Election.
Some of the democratic presses are furnish