The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-06-13

perstructure without foundation, must fall.
The principles of the Bible teach the doctrine
We are advocating. St. Paul teaches it. Thes.
iii, TO- Ifany man would not work, neither
should he eat" The plain meaning Of this pas;
sage in its broad sense, is this, if any mans
work is not productive of good to society, nei-
ther shall he enjoy the common benefits of so.
ciety.
The Great Teacher of the world has clearly
taught the same doc rine in the parallels of the
talents and the barren fig tree. In the parable
Of the talents, those who improved them to the
good Of society were blessed; but the man of
one talent, who buried it, or failed to use it to
the general gond, was condemned and cast out
as an Improbable servant into outer darkness.
Now, if the mere burying Of talent (which
made it at least harmless to society is good
reason in divine procedure for expelling man
from the society of the good, how much more
will an employment constantly active in pro-
Iucing gigantic evils to society, las the liquor
trade does) expel it's agent from the protection
of society. Again, the barren fig tree was
condemned to be cut down, because it failed to
produce fruit to its owner, 1t was cumberer
it being cut down. Now, If unfruitfuness is
sufficient reason in the Divine Mind for cutting
down tree, then it is abundanty evident that
the tree, whose fruits are evil only, and deadly
to all, merits richly to be slain. The liquor
traffic is deadly upas tree, whose roots have
gone down deep in the soil of fallen humanity
its trunk tall and sturdy-its branches shade
the land with crime and pauperism, distressing
widowhood and piteous orphanage-its leaves
are for the destruction of nations-its fruits ia
tally poison thousands annual!y-its sap is the
tears of widows and the blood of our citizens
its continued prosperity is the standing Jubl-
lee of hell. Now, will any man of common
sense say, that this tree has right to be pro-
tected by the shield of the commonwealth? As
well might the wolf, that devours the sheep,
ask protection from the shepherd, as for liquor
dealers to ask protection in their business from
the guardians of the public interest. There is
as much reason in the former as in the latter.
Just as well might the leech sucking out your
hearts blood claim protection from your hand
while so doing, as for the liquor dealers to
claim protection from the body polite, while
they are draining off its vital currents into the
dead sea of utter loss. Would the simple fact,
that the leech is enrching its own veins be
valid argument for its protection Nay, veri-
ly. The man is ininitel ely more valuable than
the eech. Then will the simple fact that H.
quor dealers enrich their own Golfers, be valid
reason for protecting their business while they
suck the life.blood of the social body, and it
pines away and dies? No. The eternal max
i'm of all wise legislation is, that the safety of
the public is the supreme law. The republic
has thrown her arms of protection around these
liquor Dealers while in the helplessness of un-
protected infancy, nursed them into manhood,
and now in the language of the Bible, Casks"
from their employment "bread' that nourish-
es, but receives "a stone' to bruise her head.
casks for san egg" to impart vigor, but re-
ceves "a scorpion" to sting her children into
maniacs and furious desperadoes; tasks" for "a
fish" to afford nutriment, but receives "a SER
pent," whose fatal fangs lays forty thousand
annually of her promising sons in the gloom Of
drunkard's gravel!
In closing our remarks, we will give state
ment of our argument. lst. Every employ
ment has its claim for protection upon the
ground Of promoting the interest oI society,"
Then whatever business advances the good of
society must be protected by its shield.
I'd. The business of the liquor traffic contri
butes no'element Of good to society; but on
the contrary, saps its foundation-destroys its
mental, bodily and moral elements, therefore it
has forfeited all claim to protection. Whalev
er destroys society forfeits IFS right on society
for protection, the liquor business does this,
therefore the liquor business has no right Of
protection. II. i. HUDSON.
Salisbury, May 8, 1854.