The true Democrat., 1854-07-26
The Maine Law.


 The Connecticutians have adopted the Maine law. It proposes to abolish the drinking of in- toxicating liquors by main strength. We have looked over the law with some care, and find but fault with it; it doesn't go far enough It to provide tor tue inanaediate abolition of huma,, nature The Connecticutians were always a peculiar people. In the beginning, they resolv- ed to be governed by the laws of God till they could find time to make better. Since then, to excel Him. They commenced with an at. tempt to regulate nature, believing that her works could be adjusted like those of wooden clock; thus they endeavored to determine when, where, how and how often, husbands should embrace their wives. But kissing went on as rregularly as ever, and the law became a dead letter. They attempted, shortly after, to regu- late the length of women's petticoats, the color of their dresses, the shape of their bonnets, and, in fine, the general cut of their jibs. But the women were too smart for them, and insisted that dresses like kisses, must be left to the taste of the individual. They then Sought out many inventions" and fain would have improv- ed upon all natural productions. They com menced with nutmegs, hams, and cucumber seeds, manufacturing these articles out of wood; but unfortunately, these notions wouldn't go down.
 So the sooner the Connecticutians get little cutter, and go back again to the laws of God, the better. If they wish to try any more of their absurd experiments, they had better find out some way, as above suggested, for abolishing human nature.
 The Maine law is the egreatest humbug of the 1< hoc,, os,,sr rL~I x1 -c toxicating drinks consumed in the country, by so much as gill; but even if it had driven the article out of the country in less than five years the whole land would be flooded with it. We are as much opposed to dram-drinking as any, body can be. We know it to be one of the most fruitful causes of crime. We have seen its terrible workings in every class of society. Some of our best friends have been ruined by 1t. It has been the curse of literary men for centuries. But we are not such blockhead as to suppose that passion which has become all but universal, is to be extinguished by law.- Constituted as society now is, in gross violation of every principle of natural justice, it is not to be wondered at that its victims rush after every stimulant within their reach. Deny them alcoholic liquors, and they will fly to opi- um, chloroform, arsenic, etc.; or, adopting astill more dangerous stimulant, exclaim:
 How happy should be with etlber,
 Were the other dear charmer away! M
 The use of other stimulants as substitute for alcohol is on the rapid increase. In 1888 when the temperance movement in Great Bri- tain was beginning to be formidable, the quan. tity of opium imported into that country was 41,O00 pounds; in 1852, when the movemen, was at it's height, the importation exceeded 114,OOO pounds.
 Awriterin Blackwood's Magazine, comment. ing on tdis fact says:
 It is to observed, however, as matter oi comfort "that we gre not to expect either ir Christian Europe, or in America, to see the con. sumption of opium ever become so universal as in Mohammedan countries, where tie ssc 9 sosae forbidden totbe true bel;ever So long ass freedom of choice is allowed to the people, o1