The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-08-05
From the Toronto &c. W. Leader.
PRINCIPLE OF A PROHIBITORY
LIQUOR LAW

Journal says:] + Had we faith in com pol
sory virtue in any shape, we nigh, no
be indisposed TO look with some degree
Of hopefulness upon the Prohibi,ory Ii
qnor Law movement now in progress in
this Province. Had we any evidence
that Sumpiuary Laws, wherever adopted
wers attended with benefi, TO the com.
munity on which they were Inflicted, we
might attach degree Of confidence to
the proposed Canadian adaptation flheir
form and spirit. But believing that the
virtue which springs from legal restraint
is hollow and hypocritical, aud therefore
worthless; and knowing thai Sumpluary
Legislation in every age has been unjust,
iyrannical, aud, after all, inefficient; we
are constrained 10 regard the agitation
with which we are threatened as i'll Iude. /.
ed in its inception, oppressive and i'm.
polite in its working, and tending only
TO mischieyous results.
II will not suffice 20 denounce the op.
ponenis Of the contemplated law as
friends and apologists Of iu,emperance.
II will avail The moyemen, lille. 10 de.
ride It's adversarios as " Rummies," or
TO i,npule TO them desire TO couDier-
act the Temperance organization in lis
voluntary eifo.ts. Properly considered.
the question at stake is one OF principle
not of taste or passion. !, involves con-
slderations iha, must be looked at broad.
ly, dispassonately, manfuIly. |, implie 8
measures that trespass directly npon the
personal liberty Of the subject, and re-
move the issue altogether beyond the
boundaries properly occupied by The en-.
emies Of drunkenness. There is little
10 surprise us, therefore, in The fact. ,ha,
not few Of the most consistent friends
of temperance and total abstinence resis,
the Prob bliory Law as more calculated
to defeat Than advance the objects which
they are sincerely solicitous to accom-
plish.
The first query that meets the inqui.
rer in relation to this topic is, whether
The Government can properly bring il.
within The range of their iun:,ions. The
nature of the powers possessed by COVE
ernmeDt, and The extent to which il may
safely interfere with the circumstances
and pursuits Of those over whom il ex-
ercises cont,ol, form question thai
must be settled at the outset. Tho flee
and the socialistc ideas of goyernmen,
rise together 10 challenge comparison and
choice. We must elect between a sys>
tenn that confines the range of govern,
mental action within the narro west limits,
and one tha, makes its presence and in.
luence felt everywhere. Is The world,
then, governed loo much or too little p
Is i, desirable TO educate nation into
condition OF selEhelpinn vigor, or 10 re-.
duce its people 10 automala, bending and
rising, eating and drinking, working and
PLAYING. ouly as The central will NAV di-
reci2 Ifit be preferable 10 cn,rrst TO n
Deople the voluntary performance of what
their own intelligent sense of duty NAV
dictate. let US leave 10 them and .heir
own Municipalities the work which Mr.
Neal Dow and bis followers wonld have
government 10 neffo-m On ,be other
hand. IL municipal eovsrpmen,-wblcL
Enplishman have been accustomed 10
cherish as a safeguard of liherly-mus
be- superseded by a strong centralized
mower. le, rs raise our voices and give
our votes for a Probibi,orv Liquor Law.
with n a clear consciousness that The prin.
ciple which sustains il will also sustain
The naren. socinlis,ic elemen, in other
sbapes. lie, ia acknowledge. heartily
and a, once ,ba, The rich, 10 control n
MANS ,,s,a in reooId 10 lonors ,s The
s.me yiob, which 1ova h,,h 70 ,ha Rlme
laws of Connecticn, which prumn,ed
The ul,,as If ,be fra, French reyoln,;or
to dsc,ee tho size and nice of baker,s
loaves and which was exerci,pd bv The
+, m;able fanatics who bn,ned no,obbors,
bodies 10 save ,beir souls All these are
Of tho same ,emper--forms
of The same pripciple. and thew canno,
he honesllv hidden or denied
We are reminded ,ba, The Government,
o