Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-10-12
For the Grant County Herald.
Millville, Grant Co., Wis, }
September 28th, 1853.


Gro. w. LEE Esa-Dear Su.-You
requested my views on the subject Of
the ''Maine Liquor Law" nd as | was
hurried SO as not to be able to give them
at length, at the time, | now take this
way OF giving you my vie ws more il
detail endorsing as | do the sentiment
you expressed-that it was the privil-
eye and the right Of the people to know
the views OF candidates in regard te
matters they are expected to act upon
ii elected.
am opposed to the Maine Law.
shall vote against it this fall at The polls
and exert my influence against it.
Nevertheless, regard drunkenness as
one OF the greatest evils OF our land
one'that should engage the attention Of
every moralist. Go not use ardent
spirits, and | expect, during my whole
lie, TO use all the force OF moral sua-
sion that | am able to command to have
It's use, either as beverage or medicine
done away with.
| do not oppose the law because man
kind must have ar dent spirits, but be-
cause 1t is III my view an encroachment
upon the natural rights OF lnan.
And here let me say that we have
too many laws; We need only such
laws aS are calculated to restrain man from
all encroachment upon the rights OF ms
fellow man; this number OF laws are
absolutely necessary and il these were
enacted and none others, then would man
be lett as perfectly Tree as 1t is is pos
stole TO make him. He would then be
possessed OF all natural rights, for he
never had the right by nature TO enroach
on other mems rights. Then every in
dlviduai would be d perfect little nation
OF his own; his freedom not having
been absorbed by that conglomerate
mass known as the ''common good"
Doubtless however there are those
who say that drunken man encroaches
on others rights. | ask how? the an
swer is, his degradation degrades the
race /; II this be SO, then pray DON'T de-
grade, him worse by maklnghim slave,
Tor slavery will degrade, and 10 make "a
man dignliied, you have first to make
lam free
But it may be said that the drunkard
neglects the wife that lie has sworn 10
protect. My answer would be ii he
aeglects to comply with any PERSONS
rights, punish him.
But, may be said again, that he can't
control himself. | would ask then III
what respect does he differ from the
lunatic who is unscrupulously confined
for endaugering The lives and rights OF
others Ihe only law based on
primary justice that | know of touching
this matter, is now in force III the state
OF New Jersey, which treats all hope
less cases OF drunkenness as lunacy and
deprlves them oil the common right oil
acting for themselves. But it may be
said that the law does not interfere with
the rights OF men that drink, because it
allows HIM to get liquor when he Can
and drink it; but merely prevents men
IRON manufacturing and selling it: Sc
much the worse; instead of the drunk
ard, the only man that disturbs society
by It's influence, instead | say of the law
bearing alone on him, it strikes at the
general right TO manufacture or sell for
such purpose i'll mechanism, science or
medicine, as We many conceiYe to be
eXpedient thereby declaring the prin-
clple that man individually has no rights
but as the common good sees proper tc
grant and that ali Individual freedom is
absorbed by the conglomerate mass
But as this subject has another impor-
tant subject connected with it, | shall
turn and view the other side.
The question is liable to arise in the
next legislature whether it has the right
to act upon matter in the face of q
direct vote Of the people to the contrary
My views is that they have not. | car
class the vote to be taken this fall with
other constitutional restrictions on legis-
lation- For, being republican as
am, can only look TO the people fol
the power to restrict legislation. Il
would be dangerous to the principle o.
republicanism to allow the legislature t,
be superior to the people. Ii then the
peoples decision this fall, ii regard tc
the liquor law should be wrong it is tothe
people we must look for change of thai
decision. The member of the legisla.
ture is Tins bound by the vote Of his
constituents, and his only alternative, te
vote according TO the principle they have
established for his guidance, or resign.
And resignation for such cause i:
an act too rash to be countenanced ex.
cept the popular will is SO bent on dis
honorable motives that there is no hops
securing justice. That time is, Itrust
far distant, but if should come then have
the friends of freedom nothing to hope
for. Yours. &c., STEPHEN BARTON.
The mounds overing the ruins ofNin.
even having, in the opinion of Mr.. Lay
ard and other competent judges, beer
very specifically explored, and Gov
ernmeut being unwilling to grant more
money for the purpose, the Literar,
4 Gazette states that a society has beer
formed having Prince Albert as lea
ding member for raising money to carry
on the work Of discovery.
4 y7Since the new divorce law wen