Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-07-20
For the Banner.
A PrOhibit0ry Law. No. 5.

Mr.. EDlToR:-My friend Observer in
his last communication seems TO yield the
point on every side, and as he has given
me the field. will occupy it in advoca-
ting those principles which prohibitory
law involves. A few words on the tenn
perance resolutions passed by the late
democratic convention. This law has
already received the notice Of Mr.. Burns.
and also Of Mr.. Observer: still ms the
resolution emans ted from distinguished
body. md is considered as good democrat
lie orthodoxy, il may not be amiss TO give
IL still further investigation. The Ian
guage Of the resolution is as follows
Resolved, That intemperancr is great
moral and social EVIL. for The restraint
and correction of which, legislative in
terposition is necessary and proper; but
that we cannot approve OF any plan for
The eradication or correction OF this evil
that must necessarily result in the iuilic-
ton OF greater ones; and that therefore
we ore opposed TO any law upon this sub
or the seizure. confiScation, and destruc-
ton OF private property"
Here ProhibitioniSts seem 10 be charged
with advocating law which will author
ze the destruction of property. This
charge is not true. Intoxicating liquors
under prohibitory law would be con.
ira band. and not property. The Maine
Law, if i'll force in our State, would not
destroy property. /, would only destroy
liquors kept for illegal sale.
Again: The language OF this resolu-
lion conveys the idea that law author
izing the searching for. and the seizure.
coniiscation, and destruction of property,
would be greater evil than imtemper
ance. Well. prohibitory law, as has
been observed, would only destroy intox-
icoting liquors, manufactured and sold in
an unlawful manner. Is drunkenness a
less evil than this? But, says one, your
law authorizes the searching of houses ~
We'll, a law prohibiting any traffic TO be
eifectual, must authorize official search
for the thing prohibited. Liquor ven.
derS would care but little how severe the
penalty of the law was agains, their EN-.
/
from search. They could then. to gIea,
extent, evade the law. and defy its man
dates
But continues the director. under a
prohibtory law respectable people will
be annoyed. and their houses searched BY
medulesome officers upon trifling pre-
texts This. conceive. is taking a
wrong view of the matter. LIST. Re-
spectacle people will not sell liquors. to
the woe and ruin OF their neighbors.-
I'd. They will not be likely to fall under
suspicion. Let US then take anotheI
Wow of the matter. We have laws al
ready. which authorize the searching oil
houses in which stolen property is suppo
sed to be concealed. Proper lega! steps
know must be taken 20 Justify proceed
ings Of this kind, aud prohibIory law
should have a similar provision. What
inference then is to be drawn from the
language OF the resolution above quoted
Evidently this: that the convention, or a
majority Of them al least. considered
drunkenness with all its horrible conse-
quences, IA less evil than the efleciua
shutting up Of doggeries and the des
truction of whiSky.
A little more on this property matter
Persons have often been fined before oul
courts of justice. md made to pay yer,
dear for the whistle. FOR selling liquo,
contrary 10 law. Well. IS it not as much
destruction of property. to take money
out of mans pocket IN the shape of d
/ fine and costs. as il is TO knock IN the
head Of his whiskey barrels. (admttins
for the sake Of argument that this whs
key. if outlaweJ. is pfoperty' Do no
both amour: to the same thing? w.