Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-10-07
fox rRt wuio.
THE TEMPERANCE rRouIBIroRY law


the truth Of position understood be assumed by tn
oppohents OF the Temperance reform TO the ELECT that
law that could be passed with view to aid in the advance
ment OF the said reform, would Prove to be thing e
thah mere humbue, OF utteIy nugatoiy aud unsvail
pS 10 answer the purpose designed to any metersl
ten',-ihc same writer, with your further indulgence
proposes now pre- iced assign briefly possible
the reasons which have Induced him to dissent from tha
position In the outset however, Of the effort to d.
which the friends OF the reform desire should be pssssd
ne VIII advert TO certain provisions OF law, species
restraint which, perhaps enormously Gpprchendd b.
some designed TO DO incorporated in the said Law,
desired to be passed, which not so designed.
In the hrst place, neral principle, IL may be re-
Marked that no provision OF Law is desired that will ii
any degree effect interfere ws the FREQ exercise OF
right, deemed inalienabc which may 10 properly
ghded as an indispensable right under the bill of rights
or either the State federal constructors in word
any civil right whatever, which be properly called
rght-ss for instance, provision OF Law Ia desired
which aims TO cause To be total abstinence
temperance man in any forp.ro pApa or other ivQusi
.oa authority Is wished TO be exercised over him, &c
compel Nun TO sign pledge, or nite IN any temper
ance organizaton-no tax imposed nor contributions
acted, To aid in tho support oil temperance reform
or organization. No. each and every individual vt III,
community is to be left perfectly free in all these respects
Tic will moreover be e perfect liberty manufacture
Tor himself OF 10 procure OF ihr manufacture OF others
where 1t may be had best suit his interest
Neuence and TO keep his domicle Tor the use oi
himself aud his family, qusuy or quantities Of the
various vuous alcoholic drinks that he NAV pie ,c
and TO drink thereof cN ut he pcases even so "a
TO make perfect dog beast OF himself provided that
in doing so, az that were possble he does
With the rights privileges morals OF Others Nay he
NAV SO still ftriher-vn leaving HON. he may take with
him tick er IN his pocket, bottle bottles in his
saddle bags or carpet bag filed with any species of such
intoxicating drink, which his his fancy may prefer
to regae himself with on the road wherever he pes,es
aud TO any extent be pcascs-ssvng aud rsserviug
before stated that in doing be only keeps within the
limits before described of not interfering with the rights
privileges, or morals Of others.
Yes proposed TO leave the yotares OF the God B,c
chus at perfect liberty do all this which Mould seem ia
reason, and in all good conscience ought be enough
satisfy any man who is disposed be eaaysganty Wild
his radical democratic notions % civil rights and liberty
IN community which has any prc;sns estfsning
laws ALL But that they not so satisfied that
portion OF the higher order rsuk at least Of the
aries Of the Coo BAcchus insist in addition all the
privileges before stated they shall be allowed to lie sc
commotaed with the indulgence in the eating beye.
ages, at all public places tn which they think proper
10 re.or aud call for them every road yIge
hamlet &C cabin which they AZ happen in
tact with IN their nnbles stroId ~ae others OF the
lower ralk OF the voaties OF such tod, tho
derssppers in his court service acu.ci by the sur.
did motive OF profit GAIN derived from the drinking
such beverages at such places, with equal loud Glamour
insist that they shall by be deprived OF their
-hono'ed vocation in the trai, in the said drinks,
ana the invaluable emouinent which daily accrues 10
them thereirom. But the friends of the temperance
returmsottly gentenen-S If you please YOU are
entirely asking too much, vastly too much; the hands
of dHsnTe~iHg humanity which of you ask the
mere pary, trins qualification OF acquired preterna
rural, morbid and depraved appetite Tor the poisonous
beverage aud others, for ;he pul sordid aud
significant profit advantage which they promise
selves from the traffic thu ein So 10 contend is like nut
ting mole hill, against mountains, mite against
lIesathau. You certainly have not reelected on the
mountain waves OF human crime, wretchedness misery
zoe and prem.ture death, VIII ell rolling and
lowing with rapid torrents through every rank of the
man family and avenue of socety-caused by this une
qualed scolrge OF the human race and inqui
~, Alcoholic liquor, and its equally oous deestsbe and
dieolca grand accessory, alder and abette the traffic
in such liquor, aud by which all its attendant evils
are manly effected aud augmented. and Which will con-
tinue 10 roll ana How for countless to come, less
eifecua for averting is fell progress
can be devised and nterpo.ed than has hitherto been
The friends OF the Temperance reform it be ad-
mtied by their persverIg efforts upon the principle OF
moral suision chiefly to stay the and roll back
the immense floods of evil caused BY the OF alcoholic
quorand other intoxicating drinks but chiefly aud greatly
augmented By the wide spread traTck therein, have
achieved much have succeeded in greatly diminishing the
quantity OF liquor used throughout the community gene
rally and thus greatly curtang the of evil In
doing this however they have asceraned by woful e1-
perience shat the traffic in, sale Of the said liquor so
generally aloSed aud practsed at all public places or
places OF general public resort constituted the greatest
aud most difficulty obstacle 10 the success
or TO the progress and advancement of the REFORM That
1t has been in fact at all times huge lion in the path Of
reform, aud its friends have therefore become fully ts
fed that the reform succeed extent which
the cause OF humanity imperiously demands, that
point OF consummation aimed by its friends and to
which they think il can aud ought succeed unless this
lion can DO thrust out Of the PATH nay they regre, tina,
they are compelled in candoT TO go further aud admit
that they believe there that unless this
great obstacle in the way Of REFORM vide spread traffic
in the all poisonous but fascinating beverage be great
~ curtaied or banshed from tue community there will
be caused by continual rerogresye tendency on the
reform, which only be averied by the
constant, strenuous, and unTemed exertions OF its
friends owing to the temptation which the said traffic daily
and hourly presents to the weak and unwary and the
youthful and inexperienced inducing them to disregard
the admonion Of holy writ which SAYS Look not thou
upon the wne when is red when il civeth its colour in
tspf ariuht fhala IL
like Serpent and stingeh like adder" Pow 81 81
80. The single, but all important question therefore is
shall the attempt be now made totally to abolish this
odious traffic Throughout the limits Of the Commonwealth
or shall! it be permitted to remain hydra headed mon
ster pandora box food the land With the enormty
of evil which has flowed and will continue to flow
from II III all time TO come, unless some means eau be de-
yised efiecuay arrest IT,
The friends of reform profess believe that the appro
pirate crisis for such attempt effort to be made Is
arrived. They believe thGt the reform has now
point peculiarly fit and proper for the making of an eff
fort TO obtain the passage Of law with all suitable pro-
visions for the total suppression of the said traffic
throughout the broad limits Of this old dominion They
consider upon the ground that they think they have
good reason TO believe from the change that has been
already effected in the minds OF the community on the
subject oil the REFORM that If the question be
brought before the people the polls whether such la
should be passed or not there would unquestonably be
ound clear decided aud triumphant majority in favor OF
such law.
So fully impressed are the true friends Of the temper
high aud eminent importance Of the REFORM and the
necessity that law should be parsed aud put into opera
ton as speedily as possible for the entire total pro-
hibon OF the traffic in alcoholic aud Ill other ntoxca-
ting drinks, throughout the limits of the State that they
have a. far "a the writer is advised aud believes come TO
the settled aud final determination to act thus
Firstly, by all proper aud judicous means to obtain
clear aud decided expression of the sense Of the people
whether they are in favor Of the passage Of such law or
not aud
Secondly 10 the want Of its being ssceraincI that
clear and Prdecai minority Of the legally qualified voters
OF the Sta'S are IN favor Of such law ssnguine.
ly anticipated then TO nsst on OF even demand as Of
right at the hand Of tue legislature, that such Law be pass
ed with all suitable pfO'sons in order to effect the grand
object in view. hut here again the friends of reform are
met by It's opponents With various objections even to tha
apparently very fair liberal aud rational course In tie
hrsi place many undertake deny aud boot OF tue
idea OF tho existence Of any such majority among the PEG.
pie aud insist that II tho question referred tho
people whether such Law should DO pissed not there
would be found to be large msjofiy tho other way or
against the passage such law And yet strange say
when the proposition Is made and urged, IL has BEEN
rom time 70 time for years past that the question
should be referred TO the people, At the regular polls aud
petitions upon petitions presented 70 the legislature, with
NN alma N q H.. Il n-I -