Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1854-11-08

unconstitutional, and the people would not have
submltted; but, in a great measure now the
people are being prepared for such laws-they
see that there is an immense upas tree to be
uprooted, and the strong arm of the law must
be called in aid to effect ths-they have OBJ
served that popular opinion can accomplish much
sense of duty to ourselves and Creator can eff
feet much, moral suasion and force of reason can
restrain men, but that all these cannot operate
efectually upon men lost to all sense of shame
and of honor, whose mental faculties are OBJ
funded and drowned in the maddening cup
Upon such men all these means have been tried |
and have signally failed; and they see that the
cup must be snatched from their lips by legis-
lative force. ,s.-.-.
Upon the whole we may naturally and rea-
sonably conclude that the cause is placed upon
n much better basis than it was twenty years
ago, though we are not in possessing of the
statistics of the traffic, of the amount of alcohol
manufactured and sold and consumed, though
we cannot but conclude that the cause is fairly
progressing.
The conflicts which it encounters will now
enuage our attention, though but very briefly.
Truth has always to battle with error and
preludice-it can never be established the mo-
ment it is promulgated. 1t requires time to
report complete victory over its opponents
its conflicts are numerous. Ignorance and its
legitimate offspring, prejudice, it is difficult to
combat, but they are finally obliged to succumb.
Thus has it been with this cause, a Id still cen
tinues to be. Its enemies have been numerous:
error, bigotry, ignorance, prejudice, aud the
perverted appetite of man have combined
against the cause, and have been powerful OPP
ponents.
As to error, as we have heretofore remarked,
it was a long time before the subject was well
understood, before it was placed in view of the
public in sufficiently strong light-this has
impeded :he cause.
Another strong obstacle to its free progress.
is the fact that men are naturally des. rous OF
popularity, and hesitate TO do any act which
might cast opprobrium upon them, or in any
wise diminish their popularity. Some men,
naturally impressed with the Importance of the
j., subject, fear to avow their sentiments, as such
g course would possibly be prejulcal to their
interests among a certain class, though that
:, class should be comparatively few in number;
:, this fact induces them to keep silent upon the
subject, when their opinions at the same time
might materially further the cause.
The gain attendant upon the traffic is another
; serious drawback: this mercenary motive in
duces many to pursue the business in opposition
to the dictates of conscience and the laws o
:, reason. A man engaged in lucrative bust
ness, reluctantly abandons it, even if somt
- compunctions of conscience should OCCASIONAL.
&c visit him because of the unholy nature of III
business. stH
. There is another conflict which it meets
= which, though not very serious in its nature
not very powerful, deserves still passing nc
y tice. 1t is this-the ladies are not sufficient
~ cautionate with respect TO the cause they sue
- brandy to enter into the composition of to
- many of their domestic preparations for tn
table,, in making brandy subserve the purpOs
of vinegar in "putting up" fruits, &C., prepa
" ration for fashionable intoxication this
" doubtless bad example, and one which design
ing persons will avail themselves Of .-.s
- Another conflict is the erroneous opinion
/. :. prevailing with some, concern ng the absenc
% % oxcating qualities in certain beverage
:" Many habitually being addicted to the practiC
:. of imbibing vast quantities of lager beer, POI
" ter, ale, beer certain kinds of wine, &C., und,
the impression that they contain no ingredien
n.y. which can intoxicate, until they finally ha,
abundant practical proof to the contrary
' Why, they all contain alcohol, in greater
avs less proportions, and all are capable of intox
:, 70" eating.
'''' We will now endeavor to speak very brief
-" of the position of the in our county, thong
'"s sometimes we imagine it to be enigmatics
- cant divine whether it is progressing or retr
''' gading. At the present writing, we do n
sue know Of an Order Of the Sons of Temperan
use in our county, nor of a temperance socei
- though we must not form our convictio
" from these facts. The present license law
40 had the effect of preparing the minds of t
people for more stringent liquor lawss 1t /
any also restricted the traffic in some degree. 7
~ Number Of stores here, retailing alcoholic
'seu quors has been materially diminished. I
' sentiment Of the people in the towns here g,
nave orally, is not so strong against prohibitory la
;, but in the country it is different---the farm
o thinking itan infringement upon their rigl
and consequently opposed to it. s,f5
Those country stores at the various Gre
c'iVe roads, where liquor is the principal stock
WINS, trade, have bad effect, as they are great tel
rally, ations to the agricultural class residing in
The neighborhood. - ~
m /, " - ,a ae /" "',,es ihu''cca - 20 =
rest old SUSSEX and ,,uE thai .vs,,,.,lv fbers
be a prevailing sentiment here for law
dand hioitlng the use o. alcohol asa beverage.
ffic of Georg eio~n, DrL, Nov. 2, 1854. ilsss