The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1854-11-26
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Public OrlNloN lit is dangerous
if not suicidal on the part Of newspa-
per editor. " ho lives on the waves Of
public favor, fnr him to gn counter to
well understood public will, which is
net only seen, but fit in every gravel
walk as well as higl, road Of society, as
iangehble living moving and speak
ing reality. But may we ask the man
ofcommon observation and reflection
''is public opinion always right = Or
10 We not find it, as often playing the
wavwarH chill, ticlle1 to death with
some new trinket, or running after a
mere phantom and crying its eyes. out
because it cannot be captured, by that
large class Of harmless individuals,
who spend their lives, and wear out
their eyes hunting for something
''ruod.' to attract the attention Of
mankind and secure tlrir own imnor-
ttiity' Even SO. Where is The
nian. who can look back on The past,
and net exclain---,pon he petusal Of
nearly avery separate page ct history,
What Iolly"' Who is it that eau
not point TO some populal delusion Of
bis own day, that has been consigned
to tie s',ades by sudden shifting Of
Public opinion. Did not a Very large
and respectable body Of our own cit
zans, predict The utter caving in Of the
Union, when the old Eternal Jack
sou. closed the Monster lank 7 And
did not The public MUD run wild, in
the day Of Cotton Nather, and New
isnalaad wi,ehoratt Even so.
Now we have the widest and most
absurd mob legislation OH the subject
of liquor drinking The legislature for
gets its cf1ce, aud BY its act establishes
q law that proclaims the tyranny Of
numbers; striking at the dea,est
rights Of MISUNDERSTANDING the
dangerous precedent, That three men
have . right to control two, in matters
relating To their personal tastes and
habitn II requires no stretch of fore
sight u soc that this principal once
established, is fra,tght with The most
dangerous consequences. No one de
MES the evils of intemperance, and
every good citizen is willing to lend
his aid TO put an end to the evil, as
far as il is possible 70 do 50, If it
cannot be done by heavy taxation, it
canuot be done at all The following
ia all extract from the n q, Bulletin
on this subject, which meets our un-
qualified appreciation
They would so graduate the price of
licenses as to make the number of COT |
fee.houses about one sixth what it is
now, compel the keepers to give heavy |
bond and security to ensure a faithful
obedience to the laws, State and mt
nieipal, and secure the payment Of
whatever pcualties might he imposed
for their refratton In each house
there would necessarily be two or
three, and most likely, more partners
llerc, at once, would be- a body of
1900 or 1900 policemen, ten times
more ofiicieut than any The city could
hire, te put down aud keep down IN
licensed traffic. Self interest would
prompt them, and self.iuterest is the
most powerful ofprompters
From the madness of Temperance
Advocates Of this day, we place them
in compaaionship with the witch find
ers of Salem, and think that in time to
come. they will occupy ano less cnvia-
bic position. /
RS Comrlatc official returns Of the re-