Smyrna times., 1855-02-21
Communications.

lhe lrVDhty vi l'eueIIhSsd lew IeuidIkS through n
the columns of your paper, with regard to the
action--or rather no action-of our Legislative
body, now sitting at Dover, on the Prohibitory
Liquor bill. Why, or for what purpose, action
is deferred we cannot tell. .Rumor says--which
Us always abundant on similar occasons-the /
object is to "defeat" the bill. But that hard
word we are unwilling to believe. True it is, I
that time with them is drawing to CLOSE
Two weeks more, according to custom, will
close the--present session: We're they not J.
as " old croakers" or "fogies % If the latter,
we have nothing to say; but, if the former, we
shall look for and expect some show of Young
Americas bOasted motto, "Go Ahead" We
do not presume that they can hesitate one mo-
ment with regard to the proprictytSH the law,
either from its righttulness, or Ihe Nearing it
would necessarily have upon community as
matter of party policy. We mean by that
that the right TO legislate in reference to the
traffic an Intoxicating liquors will notbc denied
Our present license system is the fruit of such
! legslaton--it has, in The process of time, un-
dergOne many notifications, but its restrictive
/ elements, throughout all these changes, have
bcen retained, in subservience to the orig nal
purpose of the system, VIZ: the prohibition of
the traffic 50 far as the public goo1 may demand.
Consequently, all strctve legislation contains
the germ of Prohibition, and is, in fact, Proh'-
bition partially applied So, what is termed
prohibiting Legislation in regard to the liquor
traffic, is only the extension Of principle en-
dorsed as sound by successive legislation and
its impartial application to all.
The conclusion, then, to which we are ne
nessarIly forced, is: that the only reason why
any member hestates to vote for the prohlbi-
ton of this traffic, lies in the fact that it has
previously been licensed. The power of Gus
tom alone sustans it. At this point We will
PROFOUND a question: Ii, with his present
knowledge of the results of this traffic aud the
state of public opinion with regard to it, would
any member of the Legislature vote for the
license system, provided the question came up
before him for the first time! We think, we
risk nothing in saying, not man of them would
venture that awful responsibility. Well, the
whole goes to show, as was said by one Of cur
revolutionary sages, when trying TO arouse the
people to action and to arms for liberty, that
"men are more willing to suffer existing evils
than to rid themselves of them by the adoption
of revolutionary measures" But, Proh|biton
is not ga new thing under the sum-" as great
many people suppose; it is contemporary with
, American independence, the following fact
will show; Some six months after the passage
of the world-renowned " Declaration of indie
pendence," by our forefathers, we find in the
, journal of the Continental Congress, Feb. 81
l777, the following remarkable and patriotic
resolution: ..-
"Resoved, That it be recommended to the
several Legislatures of the United States, i'm
: mediately to pass laws the most efectual, fol
y putting an immediate stop to the perncou.
: practice of diStiLing, by which the most ex
n tensive evils are likely to be derived, if no
. quickly prevented" "-.
Bnt, alas was it needed! " History" nay
observation will tell tie tale. The license System
is of long standing enough to have established
its character, and it is but Just on the part o
the Legislature--as it is confidently believed
that large majority of the masses, if not the
votables of the State, are, and have been fol
: the last ten years, in favor of a repeal of them
: which is the only way the question can be fair
ly settled-to act promptly in the matter
Now comes up the wiry, ppe-aying, log
f rolling subject, " Party Policy" All gentle
men, here lies couched the monster-the stun
y bling biock-that SO much impedes the progress
,f this great moral movement. Well, the casua
obser;rr, even if he be KnO'o Nothing, can
not but see and Judge from the "signs of thu
times" that the subjecc Of Prohibition is "alivC
= and Kicking" in the State of Delaware, anC
:. soonor or later, she will have to "daddy it "
State after State in almost "double quick time,
: is falling into line; and Delaware will not suf
, fer herself to be both least and last in adopting
this laudable and popular enterprise. W.
would like to say more in reference to the work
f ings of the Prohibitory Law in other States
: but our article is growing lengthy and will no
admit of it. We will now take peep at thu
= complexion of the House only: Well: New
Castle county done first rate-she has sent sil
s delegates for Prob bition--best, full-blooded
: south-down, of the right stripe--and singular
5 as well as unfortunate Shepard (who, by The
way, is clever fellow,) with them, who, it il
e said, will not follow the sheep. The latter, NJ
doubt, can take care of themselves, aid avoid be
coming inmates Of cutters well without hin
e as otherwise. Keat county sends seven also
n the most of whom are reliable. We have al
: confidence in the representative from Duel
: Creek hundred, in particular-to him we conf
p ded our trust, and we cannot believe that h
f will betray it; he certainly will " toe the mark
e like a man worthy of his station. We are per
, sonally acquainted with the Little Greek mem
ber, having favorAbty known him for the las
t twenty years, since he first commenced farming