The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-06-26
Mi5rfllaaRults.
-, From South Carolina temperance Tract s..z
Is A PRoHIBIToRY LIQUOR Law DE
MANDED IN SOUTH CARoLRlA7

S~~~~~>~>>>>'>>'
Is Intemperance an evil, bghting blasting
whitening as the Sirocco Of the dcsert9
Has single district, community, or family in
Tthe State escaped its terrible ravages!
Scan the entire criminal code, make cata-
.ogue Of all the crimes enumerated in the statute
book, and answer canddy-does any one, or all
Of them together, pour such incessant streams Of
suffering, misery, and death upon Society, as this
hellish, bottomess fountain ofiniquity9
The extent Of this evil is absolutely ind escri:
bable, incalculaole astounding; and yet We stand
still with arms folded-h hardened by constant
obs,rrati n and contact in the midst ofsurrouud-
ing esolation-doubtng the right or the e1pe-
diency of binding the monster at once and for
ever in chains and bars. .,... '.-.
Have we the right to enact laws prohibiting
the manufacture and sale Of Intoxicating liquors
as a beverage?
"All power is originally vested in the people,
and all free governments are founded on their
authority, and are instituted for their peace, safe
sy and happiness" Constitution offs. c., Art
8, Sec. lst.
The very object Of government, then, is to
prohibit, or suppress, whatever may conflict with
the peace, safety, or happiness Of the people
and the people being the source of political power
in all free governments, hayea perfect right to
demand legislative interference when moral
suasinn fails to secure to society immunity from
insupportabe evils.
Persuasion and force, or legal coercion are the
instrumentalities employed to restrain and pre-
vent vice, immortality, and crimes ofevery shade
ard degree. -.
Moral suasion is usually employed to induce
men to receive or reject a beief--to do, what
they are under no obligation to do. and to re.
strain men, henthey injure none but them
selves. =.
The habits, conduct. and acts Of man, how.
ever Objectionable so long as nobody else but
himself is injured--ifinterfered with and reform.
ed at all by others-can only be properly reach
ed by moral suasion. 49,.
Legal Coercion, ON the other hand must be
employed to restrain men from indulging prac'
tices, or pursuing asbusiness which injures any
other man, or class, or community Of men. The
moment that We come where one man inflicts
injury upon another. we have passed the line
where moral suasion ends, and legal coercion
begins. We have left the province of the one,
and have entered that of the other. -
Applying these principles and illustrations to
the liquor traffic Of South Carolina is it possible
for any one divested Of all prejudice to question
the right Of our Legislature to enact proh'6'toory
lawsl Why, our statutes already abound with
partial prohibitory liquor laws restraining all
from selling intoxicating drinks in certain quantl
ties, uho.d do not buy tie privilege. If the State
has heretofore rightfuly demanded considera'
ton for this special permission this license to
sell fauon-may il not 60 a step further, in
view Of the admitted evils growing out ofthe
trafic--spurn the paltry eonsideration-with.
bold the license aud prohibit the sale entirelyl
So much for the right. And now as to the
ezpedieney of enacting this law -. -,
It Is said that the people are not ready for It.
SOFT was saidin Maide, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, and other States
until fair expression was obtained at the ballot
box when overwhelming majorities declared il
language not to be misunderstood-"sc art
reaak.n ~ ekss- - . ..sOs ga z :. I. < Y :,
SOFT will BE nthc old Ralpetto State. qh'