The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-06-28
SPEECH OF THE Hon. JOSEPH HOWE

10 the ,ProhibitOry Liquor Law
"After much reflection upon the subject
he had not been able 10 bring bis mind up
10 assume the responsibility Of voting for This
bill. He approved of the efforts made by
the Temperance Societies, and wished them
success, so long as they sought 10 reform by
persuasion, by argument and by example
When they attempted impossibilties-when
they soughi 10 coerce The people into temper
ance, he conscientiously believeCtheJ would
fail---he believed lha. all the good they had
done would be periled by a resort 10 harsh
ness and coe rcon. So
The Deity had mol prohbued the use of
wine. On the contrary he had given The
grape 10 man with immeasurable other boun-
ties. Our Saviour had not prohibited the use
OF wine. He had sat with those who had
crank il, and had, by a miracle, replenished
their cups a,ihe Marriage Feast. The apos-.
Ties had no; forbidden the use of wine. It's
use was denounced in the Koran, by the Pa
gan Mahomet, but was not, so Gar as he could
perceive, in the Bible. What. then, the Al
mighty had not, done or a,iempled---what
He conld have done with so much ease, yet
had refrared from doing-be thought il not
wise for man 10 attempt.
The evils flowing from the excessive use
of wine he deeply deplored, as he did the
evils flowing from the over.indulgence of
any other passion or propensity. But who
could argue from excess of any kind that the
rational enjoyment of Gods gifts was there
fore sinful? Who would venture 10 argue
that because mischief was done by many of
Gods gifts that they should, on hat account,
be circumscribed or prohibited by human
laws? The atmosphere that fans the cheek
of beauty-that invigorates The frame.--,hat
flutters the leaf upon the tree-that dimples
the surface of The ake---ihat gives variety
and majesty 10 The ocean; when accumulated
in masses, lashes itself into The TEMPEST and
strews The shore with tte wreck OF Human
lie and property. The ieassed member,
standing amidst the wreck of naves, and The
Whitening bones of the human victims, might
eoqnently describe the scene; bu, would he,
If he could, attempt 10 restrain the eccenr-
cities of nature, or 10 forbid 10 man, human
laws, te benefits of navisation2 How teau-
tiiul is water! (he Temperance mans own
elemeri.) yet how dangerous. The rain
which ferlilzes The fields sweeps away with its
excess, bridges, mills and human habilations.
If not drained of il sours The land, and breeds
the pestence in cities The fire That warns
our hearhs--hat clears our woodlands -;hat
smells our mela.'--that drives our steamers
and locomotives, is not less dangerous
Would he deny To man the use of these ele-
ments because the casualties by fire and
Hood are most disastrous! Would he for.
bid their use because people are burned in
cities: drowned in The rivers; because a-bol-
er bursts at sea, or an engine sometimes runs
off the track, or kills hundred by violence
oil a collision? William ihe Conqueror, il is
true, once denied TO the people OF England
fire and light after the curlew tolled but the
adherence in which The lis held would
not encourage anybody TO follow his exam
pie.
Woman is Gods best gift to man. The
fascination which she spreads around her
how difficult 10 resst-the passions she iI-
spires how intimately interviewer with all
tnat arouses 10 exerton, and rewards US for
our tolls. Yet, when even love is INDUCED
in 10 eXcess--when reason is overpowered-
when passion hurres or 10 folly, how nu-
merous the victims how blasting the effects.
Yet, who would, reasoning from the rerils
OF indulgence, and the dangers Of society,
deny 10 man the companionship which alone
makes existence tolerabe? The. learned
member for Annapolis might draw from the
sinks OF vice, or even from ihe agony OF a
single victim, some narrowing pictures; but
would he on that account initiate the Turks,
and lock up all the womena (Roars oflaugh-
ter) The victims of Indulgence in opium
have never seen, but even spirituous liquors
do not produce the extent of physical suffer-
ing and moral dislocaliou tina, results from the
abuse of This drug. But would the learned
member deny 10 society the use ofthat which
allays the del!rium OF feyer--wllich sooihes
the infaut upon The mothers bosom, and
saves more lives than itever Destroys? Take
gunpowder, which blasts our rocks, loosens
our plaster defends our country, and kills
our game. Mark the mischiefs and miseries
it produces when its mysterious power is
abused. But who would argue that, because
boys blow themselves up, and tyrants
use guapowder for unworthy purposes, its
use should be forbidden Z Would The learn
Q d gentleman, even with the baule-fields of
Balaklava or lnkermann before him, attempt
TO restrain, by human laws, the manufacture
and sale of gunpowder2 Who denies that
law is the safeguard of our, lives and proper
lies; that courts are indispensable institutions;
that lawyers are the fearless advocates oil
the innocent and oppresseda But has not
even law been abused 2 How many petit
fogsers defle the courts ensnare the igno-
rant; waste mems estates, and embilter their
lves1 Walter SCOTS PEBBLES and Planes.
lanes, and Dickens, pictures Of the Court Of