Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-28
DAILY NATIONAL ERA.


liquor, also, when on sale for drink.
Our patience under the sale of intoxica-
ting beverages, with all its burdens, and
perils, and woes would be most wonder
full and inexplicable, did we not know the
power Of education. We are educated to
witness all This, in patience; and we are
educated to il by Government itself. Civil
Government is mighty to educate the
people, upward or downward, either in
right or wrong direction. So long, as it
licenses or protects the dramshop, so long
it is mighty influence to reconcile the
people to the dramshop. The people will
follow Government, even in its grossest
Inconsistencies. Government may declare
horses, that are brought out for racing, to
| be forfeited. Government may declare
the gambling apparatus, that is brought
into public places, to be without the pro-
lection of law and in all this the people
will acquiesce, as they acquesce in the
gross inconsistency with all this of extend
ing the shield Of Government over the
dramshop. Gross inconsistency, indeed
for the evils Of horse-racing and gambling
are not to be compared with the evils Of
dramshops. Another inconsistency, of
which Government is guilty in this case,
is that, in frowning upon horse-racing and
gambling, it but seeks to protect the peo-,
! pie from demoralization--a work, which,
to say the least, is, when in its hands, of
very doubtful legitimacy. But when Gov
eminent lets the dramshop stand, it neg
lects to protect person and property, at
| point, where they are far more fearfully
| {bo,, H..
neglecting such protection, il neglects
what all admit to be the chief duty in the
province Of Government and what many,
beside myself believe to constitute the
sole province Of Government.
| Time forbids, that | should extend my
argument, any further. Would that Con-
gress might pass such bill, as have now
called for; and as the people of this city
| did themselves virtually call for, year
ago, by vote of two to one! For Gov
ernment to break up the sale Of intoxica-
ting drinks is, as | trust, have conclu-
sively shown, no stretching of its func-
1 tons. | again admit that the sole legiti-
mate work Of Government is to minister
| protection to person and property. But,
if to abate a nuisance, which yields no
possible good, and which, more than all
things else, perils and destroys both per-
son and property, is not part Of that
work, pray what is? | again admit, that
for Government to protect person and
property from the dramshops of this city,
as it could do, only by shutting them up,
would be to render an immense service to
the cause of temperance in this city, in
this nation, in this world. | admit, too,
| that | cannot, consistently, make direct
claim for this service, at its hands. New
ertheless, | can claim, at its hands, the
protection of person and property: and,
happily; the service in question is neces
sarily Incidental to such protection. The
service cannot fail to follow the protection.
And who is there, that should not rejoice,
that so great a direct good and so great
an Incidental good are brought together,
and are inseparable'
The city of Washington is, in sacred
language, beautiful for situation" Than
that it wears, there is no greater human
name. Ii is, too, the capital of great
nation so great, as 10 need only 10 be as
creasing rapidly; and buildings are going
up in, and art is embellishing, every part
of its broad and beautiful amphitheatre.
| Fifty years hence, if our children shall be
so wise and virtuous, as to constitute one
nation, here will be two hundred thousand
people; and here will then be a city I'm
surpassed in intelligence, and in all the
rehncments and elegances, which adorn
the highest style Of social life. Upon all
this beauty-upon all this glory-shall the
blot of the dramshop remain Nay, will
il be possible to attain 10 this beauty and
glory, if this broad and deep blot is suf-
fered 10 remain
Why, then, should we not, in the clear
est terms, authorize the suppression Of the
sale Of Intoxicating drinks, in this city
Who would be harmed by the suppress
sionS What mother, what wife, would
shed one tear the more, because Of it I?
What sister would heave one sigh the
more, because Of it? And who of US
would be the worse for iii Nav, who Of
us would be the worse for never again
using any alcoholic liquors for a drink J
And who of our successors, on coming to
this city, would suffer any injury by not
meeting the temptation Of the dramshop
| | have spoken of our successors in these
seats. But for the egotism of it, would
add, much in the language Of Paul before
king Agrippa: al would 10 God, that not
only they, (our- successors,) but also all
that hear me, this day, were both almost
and altogether such as am" in respect to
intoxicating liquors for it is more than
quarter ola century, since drank any Of
them and, as to my children and chill
drcn's children, they are ignorant of the
taste Of them. Happy ignorance may
it last as long, as they shall last Happy
| ignorance may it become UNIVERSAL
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