The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-07-05
J W. FORNEY, Cierk
From the New York Lcade
THE MAINE LAW.


The Conneciicutians have adopted the Maine
Law. 1t proposes 10 abolish The drinking Of
Intoxicating liquors by man strength. We
ha We looked over the law with some care, and
find but fault with it it doesn', go far
enouth 1t lacks, in fact, the one thing need
full. II fails to prouide for the immediate aboH-
ton Of human nature. The Connecticutians
were always peculiar people. In the begin
ming, they resolved to be governed by the Law
Of Cred TIL they could find time TO make better.
Since then, they have had more leisure, and
have labored to excel Him. They commenced
with an attempt to regulate nature, beIev
ing that her works could be adjusted like
those of wooden clock thus they endeavored
to determine when, where, end how often,
l,usbands should embrace their wives. But,
kissing went on as irreguIorly as ever, and the
law became dead letter. They attempted,
shortly alter, to regulate The length Of women
petite oats the color nf their dresses, The shape
of their bonn"'s, and in fine, the general cut Of
their jibs But the womt n were too smart for
then, and insisted that dresses, like kisses,
must be left TO the tas'e Of the ndpv;d ual /.
they then .tsought out many Inventions, and
fain would have improved upon ull natural
productions. They commenced vii nntmegs,
hams. and cucumber seeds, manufacturing
these articles out of wood ; but unfortunately,
I tneSS HOllonS WOuiQn go upNH
So the sooner the Conneciiculans get a little
cutter. and go back again to the Laws OF God,
the better lfthcy wish TO try any more Of
their pbsurd experiments, they had better find
out some why, above suggested, for abolish
ing human nature.
The Maine Law IS the greatest humbug of
the day. 1t hasn't, diminished the quantity Of
Intervening drinks consumed in the country,
by so much gill but even if it had driven
the article out OF the country. in less than five
wears the whole land would be flooded with il
We as much opposed to oram-drinking as
nybody can be. We know ii 10 be one of the
most fruitful causes of crime We have seen
its terrible workings in every class of society.
Some of our Fest friends have been ruined by IT,
1t has been the curse OF literary men for centu-
ries But we are not such blockhead as To
suppose that pass on which has become all
but universal, is to be extinguished by law.
Constituted as society now is, in gross violation
of every principle of natufa al Justice, it is not to
be ordered at that it's victims rush after every
stimulaht within their reach Deny them alec
holic liquors, and they will fly 10 opium, chloro-
form, arsenic, etc or, adopting still more
dangerous stimulant, exclaim
How happy should be with ether,
Were the other dear charmer away!
The use Of other stimuens as subs itule
fer alcohol is on the rapid increase. In 1889
when the temperance movement in Great Brit
ian was beginning 10 be formidable, the guam
| fifty Of opium imported into that country was
al 1000 pounds ia 1852, when The movement
was at its height, the importation exceeded Id, !.
900 pounds.
A writer in Bluchrood's Magazine, com.
menting this fact, says:
It is to b. observed, however, as matter of
comfort ",bat we are note xpect either in Chris.
tim Europe or in America, to the consump.
ii"n Of opium ever become universal as in
Mohammedan countries ,chere the use of mine
is forJidden to the true beiitrer. So long as a
freedom of choice is allowed 10 the people, or a
mora conpulsion only is exercised over them
there is little fear Of their becoming generally
addicted to opium. Prohtb,t the use Of fermen
ted I,qors by lao, and ,ce mau hope to ,ncraast
Hugely the consumers Of ms drug"
Truer or more timely words than these were
never spoken We have personal evidence Of
. the fact that in numert us instances where men
have been denied The use of intoxicating drinks
| they have secretly INDUCED in opium to an al
armng extent. The first temperance editor We
| were acquainted with. was addicated to 1t to
such excess that he told he could not hive
without it, His most eloquent denuncltions Of
drunkenness were composed under it's irdnenn.
The most distinguished temps..aance lecturer we
eU-. knew could no. speak exec. rom it's In
spiration. But the Characteristic fact Of mos,
:,,en who have entirely renowned the use o.
INTOXICATING drinks is, that they at opce increase
their consumption Of tobacco, the extravagan
use of which, as we know from our own expe.
.rience, is delelerious beyond description.
Ihana facts ought to be known /; and it ough
1nra1nNS1 Dk~nnn many othe