Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-08-22

/ To epdeavor To shift The issue by saying
THAI il Is mol the drunkard al HON this law is
aimed bur The liquor dealer, who alone profits
| by d runkenness. i sophisry. The drnnkard
Is the man bnrfied by the law. and il IL u law
protecting. OF designing 10 protect linn against
bis own folly and wickcdness. This fact can
mol be avoided, II Is, IN the last anal ssis, az
endeavor on the part of the government To
project the individual against his own nature.
| IL If an attempt 10 brace him who does no.
choose Ia stnud erect--io take the right and
duty Of set-2uidance and self support from
tie hands Il him. who alone usefully en-
joy the one and discharge the other. "Mer, y
says a sensble cssasist, ale endowed
!" ilh instincts and sentiments and perception,
a conspning fo sell preservation. Each Of
these faculties has some relationship. direct or
i"direct, 10 personal well-being. The due ac
lion oi each brings ifs qnantum # pleasure /;
the 'n-ac'Ion lis more or less of pain. Those
who arr provided with ihcse faculties in
doe proportions (or he might more Property
say, who use these faculties ae,seig) prosper
AMI multiply those III provided Tor " ho use
them unwlses Increasingly TEND 10 lie out.
And The general success Of this scheme Of
human organization IS seen in The fact that,
under it, The world has been peopled add The
complicated appliances and arrangements Of
civilized lie bave been developed Bnl bu
man governments always wise above what 3
written. have necessarily aud from lime lmme.
mortal. proff.red to alter the laws which are
self administrative, and, by their crcumscrbed
and foolish regulations. have sought to change
the course OF nature. They have prescribed
opinone-p"lnlcal and religious; they have
II, 4 Al
aud shoes aud now The attempt Is made, in the
middle Of this the enlightened 10Th century
and here in the old Dominion. whose govern
trent has never disgraccd itself by intoer ance,
10 assign TO man the quality of his drinks
Wha' II our Legislature has senselessly legi la
ted against nsury, gambling and the whole
catalogue Of human evils does that make the
described Legislation more prcperl Who
that knows any thing of The operation of these
laws. believes them 10 he useful? The usury
law makes the money lender more mercess
He has now 10 he paid Tor the iisk OF losing
every thing by the plea Of usury, superadlcd
to the risks which constitute PROF er elements
in the worth Of money. Our gambling laws
but increase the secretness and the crime Of
gambling; they do not save one victim, where
they he p 10 make five. And SO it is with ev-
cry law which seeks to protect the individual
ag a'nst himself Every such law is unw'se
an d rs almost obliged to end in greater evils
tn IN those which IL aims To prevent Nature is
wi ser In such matters than government. Her
laws are the only proper, the only efficient
la VS.. In fact they are laws which it Is erin.
lnally foolish IN any government TO endeavor
to and, nbolisl,or counteract.
With your permission will, Mr.. Editor, at
are many s1ong views, antagonstlc To the de-
slf ed leglalnllon, at which have not glanced
/ ope hefealter 10 be able to present them to
tho public