The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1854-07-22
A DANGEROUS Precedent,

rights belonging ''inalienably" to each
citizen Of this Republic. with which
we had thought the majorities could
possibly get no authority from the
Constitution, that great Magma char
ter Of liberty, or any other source to
NEEDLE with. In the Incorporate ex-
element Of the public mind in New
England, on the subject Of temper
ance, this principal has been most
grossly violated, by the majority !;
who have armed the petty ministers Of
the law with authority, to violate the
sanctity of q mans own castle aud to
march in "minions of malice" to the
privacy Of the very bed chamber and
search for "liquor, "-alcohol which
has been denominated poison" in the
face Of the six thousand years expert
ence Of Patriarchs, and pronounced
in the profanity of fanaticism hell
fire" and "spirits of the damned"
Sober men can never be made to
believe the sincerity of such assertions
They may console themselves with the
reflection, that such unreasonable
warfare Of determination, can only
have a brief existence, and whilst it
lasts, cannot blight the vineyard, or
prevent the vineous fermentation. We
have no desire to argue the point, but
at the same time we deny that alcohol
comes from the Internal regions, we do
not think that it was stolen from Heav-
en-. 1t is evidently thing Of earth,
and will be used and abused to the
end Of time, as every thing else is
That it can be used, and not abused.
the most biggoted must admit. What
We contend for, is this: a dangerous
precedent has been set by our State
legislature in allowing a bare majority
Of the citizens. Of town or parish, to
say that such business-the business
Of connecting cooling drinks for the
over heated multitude, shall not be
carried on. There are many, quite
as good men and true in the minori-
ty. who think that such business
should be protected by license, as
there are opposed to it. This is a
matter upon which like all others
there may exist an honest difference
Of opinion, land we hold that every
man has right to entertain whatever
belief his interest or inclination die.
tates; and so far as he does not inter-
fere with the rights of others, COM
plants on the part Of his neighbor
proceed from malice only. The ten
dency of all communities of men, is to
despotism the majority would domi-
neer and dictate to the minority, not
only in temporal but spiritual matters
no tyranny is more to be feared, than
the tyranny ofnumbers, and when it is
once admitted the majority have the ,
right, might comes in with the pow :
or of the sword to exercise itself
In interdicting any one kind of bu- t
siness by prohibitory laws, the door is i
opened for factions, and sects, to come
in. aud contend in anarchy for suprem- .
acy. We oppose the no license law '
on these grouuds-we oppose it be- y
cause wo can see in this assumption of !
authority Ito no purpose =
in the end) that other encroachments .
will be made from time to time, until A
The civil code is dispensed with and a
the Blue Laws established. In the Il
FIRST Ward Of this city bare majority Il
If five votes have decided there shall e.
be mo license" granted in that ward le
md in this, it is tie vote. What is
% be the result, remains to be seen. g