New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-02
SHUT UP THE GROGsHOPs.

The attempts of many of our cotemporaries to
put new wine into old bottles, OR in other words,
TO re- concile new facts in social science with ex
ploded barbarisms is amusing as the best farce.
In nothing is this so evident as in the Temper
spce question. On this THE TRIBUNE has had
but one idea-a Prohibitory Law, without quali-
fication. But in this we have been alone among
the daily journals of this City, although lately
"the outward pressure Of the friends Of pure
water has caused some Of our contemporaries to
execute flank movement and retire somewhat
from the nights of moral destruction. One of
the most striking evidences Of this school of
irreconciables is exhibited in The Courier and
Enquirer of yesterday-tbe subject being the
closing of groggeries in Edinburgh Scotland, on
Sundays. 1t seems that the Provost, by virtue
of an ancient, though disused statute, was lately
enabled to close all these peculiar institutions on
Sunday; and The Courier is delighted in giving
long statistical account Of the effect Of this
measure in diminishing the number of candidates
for the poor-house, prison and gallows. 1t
closes its remarks in the following summary:
owe conceive Of no stronger proof Of the good
OF abolishiDg the Sunday traffic. That the closing OF
public houses one day in seven has in great city,
even though not fully enforced diminished drunken
ness and crime that day by three tourths the total
amount of these ndices Of human misery by oHe-Jh
and the whole number convicted of ofenses and con-
sequeLtly the expen,es entaied upon the community
by crime by One-fhird IL worth Than any amount
OF argument or speculation the abstract right of
to drink what they please. II the right Of So
cety to diminish suffering, and misery, and crime,
and its own burdens arising from them, and to look
after the moral welfare of its constituent members is
to be regarded, let us have Sunday laws strin-
gently enforced, instead of being as they are shame
lessy voioted let an Executive be elected who will
see that these laws are executed"
Precisely so; the moral effects so produced by
preventing the tale Of rum on Sunday are worth
"more than any amount Of argument or specula-
"ticn on the abstract right of men to drink what
&" they please" Never truer phrase; and what
is true of Sunday, is true of Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, or
solid facts are nebulOus and experience is the
yapor of dream. If the arrest of the tide Of
drunkenness on a single day Of the week in large
city produce such benefit, what might not be
promised with the same prohibition every day :
BE it borne in mind there is no doubt as to the
good done by one days leading not into tempta-
ton, although the toddy -mixing gang have fall
swing to rob and poison during six days; the GER
tainty of TN extinction Of ordinary crimes, ninety
per cent ofwhich are known to be directly caused
by grogshops, must therefore come by the accele
ration Of moral force were the law prohibitory.
We entreat all journals that wabbe around the
truth they fear to embrace, to come out boldly
for Prohibition. Give over this Irritation with
the DEVILS mother, and enter the kingdom of
common sense and good morals.