Smyrna times., 1855-01-24
Written for the Smyrna Times.

|
House Of Representatives of the State
of Delaware, elected by the kmeri-
can Party:
Gentlemen An humble member of your
party, and an humble citizen of the State, pre-
sumes to address you, in reference to a subject
which he deems of great interest to the welfare
and prosperity of the State of Delaware, and Of
great interest also, on account ofits probable in
nuence on the American party-that subject is
The Prohibition, by lGp, Of the Sale of Intori-
eating Drinks, as a beverage, in the State
Of DeLG,oare. | do not deem it necessary to
speak OF the evils resulting from the sale of
these drinks-the sad results are known to all
and they are known to you. stop not to argue
the constitutional power of State to prohibit
their sale-your statute books have upon them
too many acts of assembly based on the prnci-
pie OF Prohibition, as applied to evils of less
magnitude. conceive that ii would be an in
suit to your understanding to enter into an
elaborate argument to prove, that if mems per-
! sonal liberty may be restrained in minor evils
that would affiict society without such restraint.
that the power of Prohibition may as properly
be applied to the great evil of rumsclling. |
leave all these questions as without doubt salts
factorlly and justly settled in your own minds,
and address myself to the single question, as to
the probable effect that Legislation or non-legis-
lation Will have upon the American party in the
State of Delaware. Now, what are the mate
rails OF which this American party is composed
In the first place. it has within it more than
seven out OF every eight Ministers of the Cos
pei in the State. II has also. in all probability.
from three-fourths to seven-eighths Of all the
members of all the different churches in the
State. 1t has "A very large proportion Of the
temperance men in the State, also. unhcsi.
tatlngly assert that there never has before ex-
sted IN the State such party, looking only to
the moral character of its integral parts-there
has never before been party in the State of
Delaware which could so safely take hiph moral
ground-which had so much to gain, ard so
little to lose, in legislating according 10 the
principles of strict moral rectitude. And 7
therefore, argue that The sgfety Of your party
lies IN the passage, at this session of the
! Legislature, Of a judicious Prohibitorv Lam.
Pass 1t, and who do you lose! Who can you
lose' Scarcely single vote. All that can
be driven from you on this question have already
gone. Was 1t not universally unde stood be-
tore the election, that the American party wal
the party most likely to favor temperance Leg
lslation Accordingly, temperance men voted
for it-Soth, on that account, and on account OF
Their adoption of the great principle of the
| American platform, that Americans shall rule
America" Was it not as generally understood
that the Democratic party was tie party least
likely to favor temperance legislation! And
did not the Independent party, in a body, 90
over to that party solely on that ground o.
all the hosts that remain with you, and that
carried your party into power with so larpe
majority, there are scarcely any really opposed
To Prohibition. Your short-sighted, would-be
party leaders, who urge you to postpone the
consideration of this subject, are not themselves
opposed to it; but they fear it will iniure the
American party! Your men, who are busily
engaged in some parts of the State in begging
| Wv "oAS VI AtCdfeii, HOt 10 sign pro-
hlbitory petitions, are not themselves opposed
to it--they fear it win injure the American
party! No one that hear talk in the Amerl-
can PARTY is opposed to Prohbition-only on
the ground that it will injure the American
party How! Why! Injure it by passing
law that your party is this hour in favor of !!
No, gentlemen, if you do not injure the Ameri-
can party by any other means than BY passing
the PrOhibitory Law, it will never be injured
by that. Pass 1t, and what is the effect! It
becomes at once the leading, striking feature
III your legislation-it stands out boldly and
consPicuously as the one grand, leading act of
your party. Where, then, is the position of the
Democratic party if they oppose you! Then
they must array themselves in opposition to This
measure, And what is the effect upon them
The moment they take ground openly against
Prohibition, there ,Eill walk forth from among
their ranks q large body Of men, great in their
numbers, and great 10 their influence, and great
in tlleir moral worth---and array themselves
with you. side by side, on THE great subiect--s
You will gain them, and il you lose at all, YOU
will lose the very worst portion Of your party.
But, while your gain from the Democratic par,
ty would be great, | do not believe you would
Sustain any oss. Pass Prohibitory Law. and
4 ,ft't' 's %'A- s4+ = s4s Il 50 =. agil14 ljst