The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-01-26
[For lhe Weeklr Gnaelle h.


say u word Oh The ennstitui onality of the
Maine Liquor Law" from the fact, that
your issue OF Dec. 20Eh, contains one against
ii more specious th4n solid, but nicely fram-
ed, AMI therefore, not without an influence.
Itargnes that no Legislature has the right
to pass such law; that it ID a violation Of
the Constitution; an infringement on the
natural aud inalenable rights which belonp
TO every human being. Ibalienabie rights.
For sooth.-I have yet u learn that man
possesses any right which may not be alien
ated.
That he has natural inalienable rights
which no man orlaw dare molest while he
pursues proper course Of conduct, I readi-
ly grant. But while make this conces-
sion, fearlessly assert that he enjoys no
right, the gilt, of either g cd cr man, which,
BY an improper copfse oIeosduct he may not
/ forfeit; unless, indeed,be exile i,fmseifdrom
society. But while he is a member Of socie-
{ ty be it's government a Republic, a Mon
archy. or patrarchal, fyou please, his pratt
ing about inalicDble rights means nothing.
! II il be violation OF mans constitutional
rights il must be some one Of the numbsr
enumerated in the first Section OF tie Bill
of Rights" for that covers the whole ground.
And what ar they'll "Tbe right OF enjoying
and defending lIe and liberty. acquiring,
possessing, and protecting property, and
obtaining happiness and safety" Nov who
does not know that. any one, or even all
of these rights may be forfeited.
Life, the most valued of all these bIes-
sings we mag be called TO render up as an a
tonement for one death-dealing blow. The
I liberty TO go when e. where we wish: the un-
restrained freedom Of our person is lost when
we turn burglar, and free an entrance in
to our neighbor's store or dwelling. And
/ by the same act we, are deprived of the
/ right and power Of acquiring properly. We
have Alright to seek and obtain Happiness
/ by such means aud in such manner, only,
as shall do no injury to others. From these
remarks think it follows clearly that man
( has no right which NAV not be forfeited by
its abuse. Now if il can be shown that the
sale of spirituous Liquors is an abuse Of the
right to acquire property, or any other right,
! it follows that the proper authorities have
an undoubted right both TO punish the abuse
and 10 prevent it in future. Now as the
use of Liquors does actually produce
misery, crime and death, we must conclude
| there is violation of duty, perversion Of
power, an abuse Of right somewhere be-
tween the final effect and the starting point
OF the causes producing that effect. Now
the first glass drank cannot be regarded 3s
the beginning of this lava-iide of death,
since the desire to take that glass must FIRST
be produced. Admitting Qor the sake of
argumenD that every man who becomes q
drunkard, has natural inclination TO drink,
a desire dating from his very existence, aud
knowing that it is only necessary to eulti-
vate-develepe this desire, to destroy the
life Of the man, entail beggary on bis fami-
ly, aud mar the peace Of society, has not
government the right, the ildisputable
right to preventive cultivation of that de-
sire, by every means in its power, and es-
pecially by means the most direct in their
effects,- most efficient in their opera
ton, and the least difficult in their execu-
tion! If it has not, all government is a
( farce-is dissolved aud man is free to live
without law, murder without restraint or
fall himself by the. assassin's blade with no
hand to aVenge bis blood. Preuent is the
word. Prevent the cultivation of a desire
to drink to become drunk. All law, civil
or divine is based on the principle of pre-
vention. Does it fnel it is to prevent the
necessity of fning! Does it imprisonl 1t
is to prevent imprisonment! Does it take
life! 1t is to prevent the tUking of life.
Prevent by means the most direct, eff
cient and practical! When the law prevents
the traffic in lquor-drags the fiery serpent
from the public streets, the shelf, the coun-
ter. beyond the gaze and beyond the reach
tof the tempted, does it not perform its work
directly, efficiently, practically Even ad-
hitting that every man who becomes a
!, drunkard, has constitutional longing after
liquor, | think the right to inforce every
principle found in the Maine Law (and o.
theirs if necessary is clearly established
But this admission is false. II is well
known fact that the se.Ise Of taste in lis
natural and healthy condition, with intui
tive sagacity, and lightning like rapidity
: conveys TO the miud the solemn protest a.
gainst the swallowing Of the poison. i
this be the case, how shall we account fol
the long train of bloated beings hurryins
each other onward to the gravel 1t is pro.
duced by challenge to drink! A standing
temptation! The force Of examples contin'
ually before their eyes. A challenge, a
temptation by whom presented! To hin
who has not already beeu drawn into tbt
vortex, friend who has bantered him tt
drink social glass; pledge or renew friend
ship over the sparkling wine-cup! He wht
drinks, tempis him who does not. But wh'
tempts the iempter--the drunkard!
Look you at the long row of protrudinl
windows thrusting themselves upon the sid
walks, exhibiting the clear and sparkling flu
id, rendered douby enchanting by the bril-
liant coloring Of the sun, or the well-trim
med lamp within. Dare you say it is ther
for any other purpose but to tempt the eye
ercite The appetite, and when tempted. eS
cited to drink, to crafty, to quench the burn
ing thirst? All. rather to "Drink, and drin
! and yet be ever dry!', Does the Inerchan
the ,shopkeepers hang out his goods, and a
range his wares SO as TO catch the eye, mert
ly for show! Do they not do it to indu
men to buy them! To persuade them to pu
chasel Does not the rum merchant do tEi'
} And if he tempts, induces, persuades men
come and buy, even though it be simply b
an exhibition of his goods, is he not the ir
stigator, the author ofthe evil that may 70
low! The, dram-shop as the mother, IN
: nurse, the exhaustless fountain of stream
vices, misery aud death; raging whirlpool
(which, when within the circlng eddy, ID
tremulous whirl drives US in and ~, I'LL q
lastwe drink and die. "I3ut," says Thame
Davis 1.-The drunkard s guilty; punish him.
Morally, he is indeed, guilty; but SHAH W
j sanction, project and thus encourage school
/, of vice until they have made him SO! Kath
|, er let us prevent. This is the object OF q
law: And we are not without precedents.-
/, Look al the act for the suppression OF gamn