Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-09-28
A Falsehood Refuted.

go, we alluded to the fact, that the Raleigh
Standard had published extracts from the New
York Express and Boston Transcript, that
he Prohibitory law in the State of Maine was
totally disregarded, that liquors were
As publicly sold in the city of Portland and
the State, as ever, that intemper-
lnce prevailed to a mere alarming extent than
was ever before known there and finally.
that the law is a complete failure.
Since then, we find the following extract
in the Raleigh Register, which has been cop
led generally into the papers of North Caro-
Is THIS TRUE John Neal of Portland.
Me-, says the effect of the Maine LIQUOR law
has been to increase the drinking of ardent
spirits in Maine. He SAYS
AT this moment-and it has been grow
ingWorsee every day since the first three months
were over, when people were blinded by its
rashness-there is more intemperance and
more drinking In this city and neighbOrhood,
and probably throughout the whole State Of
Maine, with here and there a doubtful excen.
ton, than there has been at any other time
for twenty years"
When we saw these statements, we deter.
mined to apply to some responsible source.
in order to ascertain the facts in the. case
and accordingly addressed a letter to the
Mayor of the City of Portland. We did so.
not knowing his position, and entirely igno-
rant of what kind of a response we should
receive. His answer is now to hand, and IS
copied below. Is it any thing but fairness
and justice that those Editors who have pub-
lished the former statements, should also copy
this? 1t is brief, and cannot form an ex-
cuse, on account of its length, for any to de-
cline it. 1t is a frank, honest statement of
J the truth in the matter, and we invite for it
a candid consideration:
CITY OF PoRTLAND-Mayor's Offce,l
September II, 1853.
/; A. NJ. GoRMAN, Esq. Dear Sir: Your
favor of the 9th inst. is just received. My
time will not permit an extended answer, as
? | Am to leave the City this evening, to be alb
/, sent a few days but allow me to say, that
in this City there are no Shops or Hotels
!, where liquor is publicly sold, to my knowl-
edge that but little of intemperance is seen
D or meets the public eye our criminal docket
has not been less for many years than at the
last term, and our City is very quiet under
the operations of the Maine Law, which l
believe has generally had a very favorable
= influence. THERE'S, undoubtedly, much drink
ing in private, which the law does not at
o tempt to reach, nor can it control, particular
ly as the article is freely sold in adjoining
States to our citizens, who have the right to
e take it to their houses for use, but not for
d sale. My impression is, that the quantity
Of liquor consumed in this City and State
generally, is very much less than formerly
and that the Temperance cause is onward
II and will yet triumph; whether it is to be &C
complished by legal measures is vet to be
n determined but | think it will be necessar,
to use both legal and moral suasion and al
: true friends of man must unite in accomplish
ing this most desirable object.
re Your ob't st.
JAMES B. CAHOON, Mayor.
Comment on the above is Unnecessary
One or two thoughts suggest themselves, how
= er. ~ e~ory election, since ~the.passag
of the Maine law, the liquor interest haI
in striven hard to get a majority of the peopl
in to vote against its continuance, in order tina
i'd they might have an argument in favor of it
e, repeal-but each time the law has been su:
he tanned by larger and still larger majorities
This does not look like it was unpopular {
re oppressive to the people. Again-If thei
in is more liquor sold under the operations
un the law than without it, is it not singul;
of that the liquor dealers spend so much labc
ng and money in trying to get it repealed? A
no swer us that, Master Brooks !! If the la
enures to the advantage of the liquor int
it'll est by increasing their sales, is it not reasor
a able they should desire its continuance :?
the But do they? They know their tills are n
ion crowded with the dimes and dollars of liqu
~swillers, as heretofore, and they want Il
ave- law repealed, and continue to strive for it,
This fact alone gives the lie direct to all t
silly twaddle about the increase of liqu
ne, used.
'me "The above is from the organ-not of
temperance men-but Of the total abstlnen