Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-05-25
Judee o,Ndrg Address to the Peonle.


O'NEALL, and pne of the most pointed pilhy an
forcible piecesFe remember TO have seen from hi
pen. 1t is nn Usually good specimen Of the '' nlu
tum in parUo."
We do not beve that intemperance can be legis
lated out of anytate and have serious fears ha
the attempt to dso will bring about much more L
evil than of goo 1t is admitted that the in'emperat
use of alcololicrinks is haneful to individuals, ant
secondarily to tiiIies and communities So is tn
incorporate use tobacco and OF opium. So is lh
extreme and vics indulgence of the carnal appe
lites and propenies generally. Ii weegSlate agains
of these eyly hat reason is there for not legs
lating agans, ilh all To be consistent, it wonl,
seem that those formers who contemplate the con
troll by law of inyidual excess in tile article of drink
ing, should go b and suppress tobacco.chcwing
opiumea,ing gosandizing, fornication and all crimi
nal indulgcnces, ,Ihich tend to the harm Of parents
and, through the harm, to the injury Of those de
pendent upon tho. Some Of these e1cesses are es
observable, less cking less destructive than drunk
enness. But rehey not all of a kind! And may
not the looping oiof one but tend TO aggrarate lht
othes' To banh the whole bevy by legal enact,
mcnts is Eutoph idea which most men will FIND
Dome difficulty inmbracing at this distance from the
millennium. TO u offeven one, and that the greatest
Of them, appears many in the light Of an impos,i
biliy; at least, nil great moral change has been
effected lhroughot society," change which involves
the Utter aacriicf the man Of sin within US. This
change is the wor of Heaven alone if there be truth
in the Gospel. hoSe, who think that all human
efforts to reform mnkind are vain until God speaks
the word, must no b, classed wicked men if they
fail to acknowed.e that the Maine Law refurmers
exhibit true wsdcn.
In regard to hetral-tess Of Northern experience in
this matter Of proibitory Legislation, be per-
mit:ed TO say andwe say it with great respect for the
opposite opinion Judge O'NEALL) that there are
two accounts of tyiven out to The world. Some goo
men declare that it has worked we'll, while others
equally honest AM pure assert that it has proved
failure, so far nt last as the good which expected
10 result. We nggsst that until thi, trial-lest is
further lustraeGa any alluson to it by way Of argu
ment is premature The re.ormers who have its sue
cess at hea hopcand believe that it sgong to provo
eflcacious. But m long we hear of perjnries upon
pe1uries 10 avoid Is provisons-as long read VI
apothecares selling thousands of gallons OF brandy in
little New Englard villages for medicinal ID pur.
poscs 30 long mutt cool and uninlerested observers
doubt beth It's eIpediency and its authority There is
an inherent and an almost nvincible thirst in most
men for kind of stimulus; and, by some paradox
'f human nature, this desire grows stronger if
suspects itself Of being yrancally checked. Suchi i,
Ind will be the case wherever prohibilory law is
,assed And may it not be calculated that all the
lrts and appliances Of cunning will be put in requs-
ion to evadc the statule May not be feared indeed
hat mobs nnd rebellious oubreakings will speedily
olow in its wake! We only suggest these probabili.
les in advance Of any action. After an enactment
would of course be the duty Of all, who could re-
once themselves to Obedience to respect its provis
ons, even if they could not cordially assist in their
Increment But We may be permitted to doubt
fhether it would not require asyslem OF police almost
quail to NAroLEoNs TO carry them out fully al last.
According to the proposed prohibitory action, as
it, the importation Of ardenlspirits sale
except by druggists is TO be forbidden But does this
revent the importation from France and Madeira of
randes and wines by individuals for their own and
leir friends private uses We imagine not. To be
Die to do this however one must be IN possession Of
ore thnn ordinary means. So that the working of
e law would seem to be this while the affluent
'uld enjoy social)gas at any time unmoles,ed hy
ss,,i~ y~uuru uruIte=l
~ such liberty Now, whether the liberty to do this
ing be regarded as n curse or not, papable dis
lcliUn between different members Of the Same com.
unity must here necessarily occur. And it is we'll
the advocates Of this partial prohibition TO enquire
fore.hand into the reasunableness of expecting any
pulalion TO remain satisfied long under the operation
such distinction.
As 10 oil the noise Of enthusiast lecturers about the
rrble deeds, the wretchednrss and woe, which are
used by strong drink, nre very much inclined to
ink tnal il is often largely exaggerated Let any
al in South Carolina look around his home, and see
Nv the present regulations Of tile liquor traffic work
his neighborhood. Let him take q scope of ten
lies in every direction, and ask himself what has
en- tile extent of.thl terrible tyrant's power Out
hundred men, be would probably find very many
no took an occasi6rn drink He might find some
n or twenty who oice or twice a year were apt to
under into tiIsines. And il might be that lie would
low one or two wD had become sots. We very
lch doubt whethe{ {even these proportions are not too
eat for the large minority of nelghborhouds through
1 the State Of Souh Carolina. TO prevent this oc.
sional sottishness ian exception under generalty
is now proposed Il pass law debarring the more j. j.
'pcctabe and ordsy portion Of society the posses.
N Of an article, Hlich (whaleyer reformed drunk.
ds say of ip they egard one of the comforts and
cessaries of life.
But laying all otter considerations aside, we base
T objections to lhGontemplated enactment upon the
DAD ground, that interfere by Legislation with the
vate habits and scial customs Of the people is IN.
mpatible with TIM objects and purposes of free IN
I'LL
Yet, while We bti:ve both Judge O'NEALL and g
followers to be risaken in the policy they recon. &c M
md, respect ls arnesiness of their convictions
j the purity Of tier Intentions. No one can real
address" wepplish this week without being
listed that the publ veal is the only object had in
w. Let each re,tk perusc il with the care and
llsideralion it meiu
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