The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-11-02
TIE MAINE LAW.

! says OF the writer that as a witness of the
tru'h, he is preeninen'y qualified, being jus.
trend OF the cagse-a iithful minister 10 his
penple-and not nnly unimprached, bat uriln,
peachabe" J"
! THE MAINE LtaUoR Law.
PoRrLAsD, Oct. 3, 1853.
! tn the Editors of the State Of Maine
! The statements which | made in your paper
are doubled by many warm friends of temper.
ance All that have said regards the Irsl
| population. ! have intercourse with the Amer.
lean population but anything which / may say
about the non Irish, simply quote on reliable
information But as regards the Irish popula-
ton depend not on hearsay | give my own
observations and my feelings ards the law
are the result Of TIVE years close and unprein-
diced observation When state that there are
more places aohere liquor is sold at present in
Portland than there eristed before the introduc-
ton ct aeAat IS calitd the Maine liqnor lu,o,
simply state what know, and believe to be a
TACT. Should not therrtnr, this information be
thankfully received br the friends of temper
anee ; that they may be able to furnish them.
selves with the proper weapons TO fight The enc
my; and having found the weakness and imper-
lection OF the law, bring it TO such state OF
! perfection, as 10 destroy not only The private
Experience teaches, that as the danger and
risk CT sale are increased, under the existing
law, The temptation is also Increased and
the profi always keep pace ith III : risk and
| loss.
| We rel need when we read that Mr.. Justice
captured and Destroyed some ten or fifteen gal.
ions or barrels of liquors. yet who suffers the
loss Is 1t the seller were it so, probably his
many losses would. ina short time, put q STOP
to his unlawful traffic He suffers no loss,
other than temporary one. The poor unfortu
nate inebriate has TO pay for all, and cash down
for the law has destroyed, to the great benefit Of
the seller, the credit system, for viler and q
dearer article
whist the vgilant officers of the law are
triumphing in their success, the unfortunate sci
Ter gioats mourntully ov, .he loss, to the no
small JOY OF the friends Of temperance, while
he is busly engaged in receiving and storir @
away another plentiful supply. Indeed, might
compare the present position of liquor sellers,
to that OF confirmed gamblers; poor day and
rich TO morrow. The profits are SO great, that
the loss OF one supply is regarded as of little
| moment; and besides, they are prepared for it :
But then we have fines and penalties. What
lei me ask, have we been able to accomplish by
hnes! We have, | believe, driven some four
or hye persons from the city, but nothing more
/ Whilst one member of the family is attending
court, another is more han making up the re-
CURED amount by smart sales, and large profits
from those who crowd in, to show their sympa.
thy foi Mistortune. Instead of a decrease in the
sale. renewed exertions are made to speedily
recover the loss; and host of friendly Gus
toners, are enlisted in their behalf
1t IS an easy matter to talk and reason with
the poor man; he will readily admit all you say
he sees the great evil, and much regrets the
thafi .;.la a.,
law. But he has large family; he is ashamed
to beg; his wife informs him that there is nc
Hour III the house--oiher articles are also re-
1 qnfed 1t IS true, little economy would bring
all right IN short time he is impatient, how
ever to furnish the necessary supply; and ac
eordlngly introduces five or ten gallons of Ii.
au r In short time, the whole is sold Blu
the required articles, furnished, the traffic stops
not here. Thus far, he has been successful il
escaping the eye OF the law. lie has more tha,
quadrnped his money. He tries again ant
aga'n, and Is still successful. What reasonin.
will persuade such man to give up the traffic
But after some eight OF ten months, he is de-
iePled, he is fined perhaps thirteen dollars Thi
ne considers as part of his good luck IL gi0e
,.,,s q. ,. efossetg md IS an advertisement Som
nifty new customers are on the ira.A
The law nnwilingly becomes this man S ben
eiaclor; and the nelghbors are induced, by hi
gooc success, to try their luck They, too
engage in the business, and as in other sales
The customers are attracted to the place wher
The greatest number of shops are to be found i
T the same business. THUS we find here in por,
/ iand, aud do not now refer to one solitary in
q stance, one honse containing three grog shop.
boioRgtRg TO three different persons
During the year OF Mayor Dow adminstra
$ uon, the law was introduced Those who ha
I been engaged in the traffic were alarmed TIL
first six months were spent in talk. Wise an
learned men were publicly and privately enga Q
cd IN discussing the constitutionaiity of the law
inc seller became acquainted with all its wea
points; and forthwith means are devised to Sc
cure good supply of liquor, and hundre
channels are opened to receive the same
The untrlng exerions of the Mayor. aide,
by Jealous officers and backed by large bo
OF cillzens, did not stop the traffic Indeed j
was comedy, during The latter part of the yea,
7 TO listen to the carriers OF the liquor, relatn
their hair breadth escapes; and here, as in al
other cases, the greater the danger, the create
the glory One man loses five gallons and il
three hours after, he receives four barrels
Many such examples might be adduced; bu
examples OF this nature do not prove the inutil
= Ity OF the law. When we state a fact howeve,
! ihal but few--pe rhaps, among the Irish pepu
atlon not more than eight-have been induce
to give up the traffic, the statement goes far !;
prove the inadeguacv of the liw and calls per
2 emptoriiy for something better and more eS.c
tive.
And when we GO farther and state that Sc Her
or sh ps hare tncrsased t,co fold, then we prov
1 the utter inability OF The law to accomplish il
object. This is the result in Portland 1t ma,
not he the same elsewhere.
admll tnat Tie abuse is not so public as for
merry. There fewer street exhibitions. bn
in ny rfat,,
!, such pubilc spectacIes are becoming more com
mon; and it is with regret am obliged 10 sa,
that IL st Sunday was peculiarly dsttie uishet
Tor It's noisy rowdyism. do not recolect hav
ing witnessed 50 much noise on Sunday even
ing during during the Fast three years
spent three quarters of an hour between thu
honrs ot seven and nne . 'clcck in the evening
walking through The streets: and met no les,
than seven men the worse for liquor--indeed.
might say highly intoxicated. And were | te
speak OF the private abuse on the same evening
l oeileve the facts would hardly be credited =
! There is desire TO know how much liouo,
Is soid; and It the sale exceeds the consumption
before the law. To answer this Question nus,
be only by guess. | have endeavored TO form
an estimate Thus | have selected some twelve
persons, who have carried on their private sale
over nine months, and have escaped the eve oil
our olbcers; they have averaged together fftu
| gallons a aceck Before the LIQUOR law. thew
were industrious aud contented with an honest
gain The law, TO accomplish its object, must
have an influence over these PERSONS and in or
der 70 nave an Influence, it must not only check
but wholly do away with the temptation to rri-
vaie sale.
hope ! shall not be regarded in laying be-
fore the public my observations, as an enemy
to The cause OF Temperance. Ny sole object i
to benefit the cause 1t is much better in NV
| opinion, to know the whole truth The cancer
on the sur ace of the body may be checked
under skiifGI treatment, but when remGy we'd from
sight, all efforts 10 check its progress are use
less on
BRITISH FAITH IN AMERIcA.-The Euro,
Peln Tines of a late date closes lending arti-
Gle with thus language The jaundiced poll
t'cians of Enctard viewed, yeats ago, witn
alarm and terror, the SUCCESS Of tie democratic
nrinc'ple on the western shores of The Atlautic :;
but much of this fear Of liberal institutions in
ih .ir most expansive form has long since dis.
appeared, and even the most stationary poIlti-I
Clans ~ this country, so far from dreading Ame.
rea, have learned TO respect her Old prelndi.
hi t@aA L