Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1855-05-03
GOVERNOR JoHNsoN's ANSWER.
NASHVILLE, April 90, 1856

terTOSatOrieS 10 me, In reference 10
the passage Of law, by The next
Legislature, prohibiting The sale of
Intoxicating liquors as a beverage,
has been received. j.
The first OF which is rs follows:
"Are you in favor OF law pro.
the sale Of Intoxicating liq-
uors as beverage?" @
The second:-"Will you, If elect
ed, recommend to the Legislature
the passage Of such law at On
early period in The session." |
/ am not sure that | understand
the precise import of The first in
terrogatory; but if resolution
adopted by the Convention of the
friends of Temperance in Davidson
county, on the 18th Of February
last, and by which Convention all of
you were appointed delegates TO
the State Temperance Convention
~ lich was 10 sit on the Odd Of Feb
ruary, is to be taken as correct
Interpretation of the first interroga-
tory which you have propOupded to
me, and is as follows:
"Resolred, That as friends Of
temperance reform, and ofthe COM
munity in which we reside, we
pledge ourselves 10 vote for no man,
for either branch of the Legisla-
ture, Who does not advocate and
support the Maine Lar; in other
words, law prohibiting the mauu-
Iaciure OF, and traffic in alcoholic
| liquors, with the necessary provis-
ions and penalties for the enforce
ment Of the same, and the enact
ment Of such a law al an early day
of Tie, next Legislature Of Tennes-
see"
| ] understand you asking me d.
rectly whether ] am for or against
a law commonly deDominated the
|'Mane Liquor Late" Iftbis is the
interrogatory which you have pro-
pounded TO me, / answer directly
and explicitly that am not in Ia
vor oi the 'lNaine Liquor Law'' as
the mode by which the excessive
use and sale Of Intoxicating liquors
are 10 be prohibited as a beverage,
believing, as | do, that some of the
leading provisions Of that law are
incompatible with the rights and
privileges O: freemen, and as COM
ing in conflict will; The spirit, if not
the very letter of the Constitution
Of the State; and, il elected Gov
ernor Of the State, cannot recon-
mend The passage OF such a law
10 the next Legislature.
! hope that l have succeeded in
making myself understood, and that
my answer may be entirely salts
factory.
] will add, that your letter would
have been answered before this, but
for the press Of official ard other
engagements, which prevented me
from reaching it in its proper or
der until The present date.
] have the honor TO be most
Respectfully,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
To w. b. Ewing, Esq, Hugh
Carroll, Esq, Rev. J. d. McFerrin.
]. II. Curry, Esq, Committee, SIC.
The committee are free in sta
ting that neither the answer Of the
one nor the other Of these gentle
men is satisfactory. The one OPP
poses what is called the "Maine
law, by the way, which
$ not mentioned in our letter to
him, or, as we understand him, he
$ opposed to law prohibiting the
'ale OF intoxicating drinks. The :
,tller, We think: advocates a sys-
EN- which, though good, does not +,
% far enough-does not strike Of :
he root OF the evil. We advocate
otal prohibition. In view, howev- !;
r, Of all the facts before us, and the
surrounding us, we :
eem it inexpedienl- to call Con- i
ention for the nomination OF a
eparate candidate for Governor, e
ut we recommend the friends Of g
to nominate and vote Il
,r candidates for the Legislature i
'ho will pledge themselves, il elect.
D. to vote for the enactment of a
w prohibiting the sale Of intoxi- ?
ating drinks as a beverage. o
5 W., B. EWING, Chm. o
HUGH CARROLL, Sec'y. 81
Papers in the State are requested