Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-28
Government bound q protect from tie Dramsa
SPEECH OF HON. Mr.. SMITH.
OF NEW YORK,
On the sale Of Intoxicating Diaks, an the
city Of Washington.
IN CosanEss, JULY %, 1864.

Mr.. MAY, OF Maryland. / am instruct
ed, by the Committee on the Judiciary, to
report adversely on the prayer Of the New
York Temperance Alliance, in reference
to the prohibition Of the sale of intoxica-
ting liquors in Washington, and to move,
that the report be ordered TO be printed
Mr.. SMITH. move, that this report
be recommitted, with instructions to re-
port bill, which shall clothe Oe~city Of
Washington with express and ample pow
ers to prohibit the sale Of intoxicating
drinks, in all places within its limits and
on this motion | propose to make some
remarks.
1t SO happened, Mr.. Speaker, that my
first act on this floor, after taking the oath
Of Office, was to present the memorial Of
the Temperance Alliance of the city of
New York. That memorial prays Con-
gress to empower the city Of Washington
to prohibit the sale Of Intoxicating drinks.
moved its reference to select commit
tee. This was objected to. It slept upon
your table from that day, until the day last
week on which succeeded, though with
much difficulty, in waking it up. With no
less difficulty have | kept it awake, until
this hour, when | am so fortunate, as to
obtain the floor.
II may be thought, that the adverse re-
port before us has proceeded from enmity
to the cause Of temperance and it is,
therefore, due from me to say, that IL know
this is not so. The gentlemen of the Ju-
dietary Committee, who are responsible
for this report, sincerely desire the pros
perity of the cause of temperance. For
one, cannot blame them for their inter-
probation of the charter of this city. [
think it the only just Interpretation. 1t is
the same, that | would myself have put
upon it, had been OF their committee. |
hold, that the liberty to license, irresistibly
implies the liberty not to license; and that
the word regulate covers the right to
prohibit.
As you are aware, sir, | make the limits
of Government very narrow. And, yet,
find ample room between them for the
doctrine Of my motion. admit, that
Government is not the custodian Of the
peoples morals: and that it is never to be
called on to protect, still less to promote,
the peoples morals.
Government, according to my theory of
Government, is not to do the work of the
people. II is, simply, to protect the peo-
pie in doing it. Government is but the
great Watchdog Of the peoples house. 1t
is ever to keep watch outside of that
house but it is never to come into il. 1t
is never to mix itself up with the affairs of
the people; but whatever relation it may
have to any Of those affairs, is to be pure
ly external. All that Government can
legitimately do for its people, is to protect
their persons and property. If it tries TO
do more for them, it will but harm, instead
of helping, them. Moreover, wherever
there is people, who, notwithstanding
they are under the ample and efectual
shield of faithful Government, either
cannot, or will not, do their own work,
and take care Of their own interests, both
material and moral, there is people, that
Government cannot save; there is peo-
pie, that must perish.
Were this the place for the usual style
and topics Of a temperance speech,
would dwell upon the horrors of drunken
ness. ] would begin my proofs and Illus
trations of these horrors, by summoning
the drunkard himself ] would ask that
unhappy being, in the language in which
God asks him: " Who hath wo, who hath
souowi who hath contentionss who hath
babblng' who hath wounds without
cause who hath redness of eyes !" |
would, then, turn to the wife of the drunk
ard, to inquire what is drunkard; and to
hear from her the answer: " Would that
my husband were ahything-nay, every
thing-but drunkard And, then, to
the mother Of the drunkard, to hear her
say: "Oh, that my child had grown up
into any other monster Of vice aud wick
edness than drunkard And, then,
would appeal to the family, only one
member Of which is a drunkard, TO hear
that family reply: "Only one drunkard in
family is enough TO make the whole
family miserable ~ would, then, give
opportunity TO jails and penitentiaries TO
tell me, that very large proportion of
their inmates are drunkards and then TO
the gallows, to tell me, that nearly every
one Of its victims is a drunkard. Finally,
| would 90 to the Bible, to inquire what is
a drunkard and 20 listen to IFS awful re-
spouse No drunkard shall inherit the
kingdom of God"
Were this the place for the usual style
and topics of temperance speech, |
would enlarge on the fact that there are
in our beloved country more than half a
,.iIion Of drunkards; and would group
along with them their wives, and children,
and parents, and brothers, and sisters, 10
show, that drunkenness makes millions Of
the American people miserable.
Were this the place for it, ] would make
much use OF the fact, tina, the annual ex-
pense to our nation, from the vice Of
drinking intoxicating liquors, largely cx-
ceeds one hundred millions Of dollars;
and would add, that, Instead Of doubling
whether we have means adequate 10 the