The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-05-11
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

1s&OOTe M
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Massachusetts State Temperua< . convention
sPEnsH OF GovghS0R CLARK, OF \ ,,on =. n.
During the evening sesaon Of the CONVEX "0 oa .us
although in feeble health addressed the cos, 'ntoa ~
follows -.
MI rREsDKsr:-It was not my purpose ia 'm, u,
here to undertake TO entertain you with speech "J
efforts and labors In the perance cause have b.
in other departments than speech making. Hsviny re-
ceved from your State Temperance Committee . worry
polite and pressing invitation, concluded, IL my pres
ence here this occasion would be OF any servca to-
the great cause of temperance woad attend, although
quite out Of health Nor did come here for the par-
pose with any idea, OF instructing you on the sab
ject of prohb!tory law You have had more expert
until the people of State forced from the
old system OF granting licenses to sell Intoxicating
day has that Ubiquitous system hualIy, iu every
part OF our State, come to an end But not
until the Fourth of July-that day commsmora-
tive of another great event-shan come into
the full fruiton OF that bene6cent law. On this ques
tion of temperance and prohibition of all parties,
difficulties are, suppose, the here in my owa
ano other States The clamor from interested parties
about the titutionalty OF legislative proh ition
the liquor traffic will bs fierce faint not according
to the conflict or harmony OF such laws With the
out according 70 their emcien or insfcieacy
The real objection of our opponents however they
dsg uise under OF verbage is to the
by which We seek to accomplish the end but to that end
itsef The processes OF law which will give effect
to the prohiotory princpe the principles which, in
sutos Other processes might violate every ovsioa
OF our fundamental laws, and yet being inaihc emit,
those guardians the constitution The thing DONE
and not the means cong it, repeat, constitutes the
real ground OF objection and calls forth the most
active ana vEulent hostility TO our prohbisory laws.
If the experience of the past has Determined
II it Is safe to infer that effects which through
the whole period Of human history have folio we'd
tan conssquen upon and will continue to
follow ttoe causes then is It demonstrated fact that
between civil government as an ordination to certain
thal lnefiv
there Is inevitable antagonismfata to the integrity
of the other II is the province of government
TO suppress crimethe liquor traffic promotes crime. IL
is the province Of to conserve the public
peace ana safet-the liquor traffic npsrls an3 not
the province or to prevent the citizen from
so using his property as TO eDdsuger health destroy
life DJure the property of othersand on this prn.
cple lie predcaied all laws in relation TO nusances,
not to give other illustrations The liquor traffic sacri
fees the real interests Of the many to the supposed in
terests of the few-apd than this involves the
wantoD sacrifice Of thousands OF human lives, AMI
vice spread Generalization OF the living to be de-
pIecsted tOsD death itself IL or word every interest
liquor traffic assails, and tends to destroy The
question OF prohibition, therefore, is simply this
for which it was The question of the const
nationality Of prohibition becomes tbis-ts the civil
ta,nment Of that ends Both OF these must be
answered in the affirmative, government Is farce.
statute which most eectualy the suppression Of
the liquor traffic. best accords with the primary idea OF
government, and Is therefore most in harmony with the
nton and meanings of its fundamental law This. 1t
seems to me, is only the philosophical but the
view of the subject needing no fine spun
legal f0phstries to sustain it, and impregnab BILE TO all
their assaults There is not law upon the statute
property life morals that does not rest upon and de-
rive its authority from this principle If therefore, it
ia unconstitutional to suppress traffic whose an
onsm all ghtful interests has been demonstrated
by the experience of centuries 1t is equally to inter
fere with minor evils affecting less vital interests and
neither 20 far reaching comprehensive IN their
suits. Prohibition thus placed upon an inptgnable
principle the details of the legislation designed to
carry 1t into effect, however imperfect they may be,
cannot vitiate the principal itself Mistakes have
doubsedy been and may stu be, committed ey tns
and experience With purpose that commends itself
to the phanthropic and the good everywhere, and in
purpose the friends Of temperance and prohibition have
only to in their work according to the wisdom
the courage and the zeal vouchsafed to Them and In
diminished wrechedness and crime, In increased com
fort and prosperity In thronged schools and crowded
churches and In many other ways, shall they be paid
bundre1 fold, for when lsbors unseldshy for his
fellow man. he becomes missionary of the Lord Provi-
deuce crowns his work with success and gives to the
laborer himself rich recompense for all his toll Mr..
Pre- sdept trust that assachusetts and New York,
which now both about to mence new era In the
great temperance movement will stand nrm in the sup
port and OF their respective laws and that
whatever alterations or amendments 1t may be
necessary hereafter to make that they may never
be repealed.
SELLING LIQUOR WITHOUT LICENSE.
Within the past few days large number of arrests
have been made in the upper wards for selling liquor
without license Yesterday James DAILY, Ernest G.
Stepenhajun william Frieker, Charles McChestney,
Christopher Tacy, William ODonnell, Henry O. Smith,
John Thorne, Hartman Deirson, John A. Abensetu.
brought before Justice Brepnan at the Second Dis
trict Police Court and held to bail in the Of $500
each the charge Of having sold liquor in their
establishments without license.