Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-05-10
Objections Considered.

We give place to the article OF our esteem
ed correspondent "a" because of our read ii
mess to encourage a full discussion Of the Il
question of prohibition, and not because we t
are convinced by his arguments of the inu- n
tility or ineficiency of a law to prohibit en- P
tirely in this State the sale of spirituous c
liquors to be- fused as a beverage, orlbecause Y
he has given us any additional light or sug- L
gested any new mode of making the present |
license system more ~effectual in suppressing !
intemperance. His views for the most part
have been anticipated by others, and his OBJ
%jections to the Maine Law have been over
and over again fully answered.
Like most directors, he seems not to be
fully informed Of the provisions of those laws
which have been passed for the prohibition of
the traffic in different States, and he certain
ly could not have carefully examined the
Maine Law in its details. If the Maine Law
is despotic in its provisions-invades the
quiet home of the citizen and wrenches from
him what he has rightfully provided for his
own use and that ofhis tamily--ifit tramples
upon the inalienabie rights of freemen and
denudes them of their property procured by
legal and just means, then we are opposed
to the Maine Law and all others of a kindred
kind and we should be found side by side
with our friend "a" battling against it to
, the bitter end. But we have not so under
stood it. CA" is not alone in this opinion.
Most temperance men who have opposed it,
profess to understand it as he does. 1t is
! likely most of them have gone off half cock
ed" as we sometimes say. Let them "pick
their fints and try again"
As we understand it, the Maine, as well
: as all similar laws, is based upon the gener-
ally acknowledged principle, that the traffic
in spirituous liquors is the chief promoter of
intemperance in the State-that it is by con-
1s sequence the mother of crime-a common
to source of the poverty, wretchedness and final
&c ruin of it's citizens, and therefore, is a nuis-
Gnce, an u~nmitigated ofence--nay, if you
=, please, terminal act, which must be arrested
and punished. Now, if it be q nuisance, an
offence, a crime against the community, the
Legislature not only has the right, but it is
Io morally bound to abate, remove and to pun
- ish it.
e A" admits that the Legislature has the
riqht to pass a Maine Law, and then charg-
II es upon it, an infringement Of the rights of
the people-nay, that it is despotic! Now
if it be all this, where does the Legislature
get the right to pass such a law ? Does he
not know that our Legislatures in this repub
lican country have no such rights. Let hin
review the matter.
ow. But what is the remedy proposed by GU
friend CA" Why, " taxation" He woult
ms have the license law so amended that ever,
her. dealer in Alcohol, whether in small or larg
FALL quantities, be required to pay $1,000 for hi
the license. We agree with him that every dea
ial er, whether wholesale or retail, shall be trea
p ed alike. We have no idea that every mis-,
We rable, little, dwelling grog-shop keeper, sha
It us pay a tax for his license, and that the MOI
respectable wholesale dealer shall be ALLOW
ed te s4lhh 5T thing Il "5Fepo5Fedr0us. Butdo
pros not CA" see that his tax of a $1,000 woul
IN amount to prohibition and would be as likel
MICS, to be called as despOtic as the Maine Law
nd a Would it not be as difficult to enforce na
oper- would not all the objections which lie again
S ev- the Maine Law apply with as much force
have that ? Most certainly.
fine "A" seems to have no doubt about Il
9TH right ofthe Legislature to license the traf
are in spirituous liquors. There are two sides
most that question. Hitherto our Legislator
into have not hesitated to pass laws licensing t.
rices. traffic. because Il has oil o1onr ham roconJ
ana as a legitimate or suitable business for su
of its citizens as thought proper to embark
it. Years ago, our Legislatures licensed al
allowed the institution of Lotteries and t
> vending of ticketsin the State, and so they
the Faro-Bank, but when their evils were f
ly felt and the people demanded their 81
preston as a nuisance-an evil--a wrong
community, the Legislature did not hesit;
from to suppress them.
u. We hold, that the Constitution does r
! r"i' guarantee to the Legislature the right to
cense a nuisance, a wrong, a crime up
' nnsS community. The people have a right to
The moot ond doa,on -,
n -l and all. Now, the question is, is the ira
+" ~ IN spirltuous liquors a nuisance, a wrong
- crime upon community? Now, we do not S
that 1T is so in all cases and by all perso
1t mag be sold by proper persons for prop
necessary purposes, and the Legislature m
$ once so license its sale but we ask, has the L
army, ~islature a right, constitutional or moral,
Many license the traffic, when it works a wrong
to es- a crime upon community? More anon.
er IN
-, Archbishop HUGHES.