Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-03-21
The March of Prohibition.

I -MZA
Legislature of MAINE, passed the first act of
complete Prohibition of all Traffic in Intoxi-
eating Beverages, ever inscribed on an
American statute-book. The original Maine
Law, passed in June, if we mistake not, to
take effect on the 1st of August 1851.
The tidings that the Liquor Traffic had
thus been outlawed in Maine was received
by the Press generally with Indifference or
derision. There were very few Editors,
apparently, who believed that the act would
or should be sustained. Out of more than
three thousand periodicals then published
within the limits of the Union, certainly less
than one hundred approved promptly and
heartily the act of Maine and when, some
time after it had taken effect, Neal Dow was
run out of the Office of Mayor of Portland,
the newspaper graduation was general and
unbounded.
Yet thousands waited in silence, with anx-
ious yet hopeful hearts, the early advices from
Maine as to the working of the Prohibitory
Act and when they were assured that it
could be and was enforced, that Crime and
Pauperism were both diminished by its ope-
11ratidn that outrages were less frequent, life
and property more safe, than they had been /;
they thanked God an6 took courage, resolv-
ing that the example of the pioneer Prohibi-
ton State should be generally initiated.
Since then, the States of Massachusetts,.
Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Della
ware have passed Prohibitory laws-all based
on the act Of Maine, but some of them sur
passing it in stringency and efectivepess.-
In New Hampshire, two successive Houses
have declared for Prohibition, but the Senate
of that State is 50 elected as to be usually
the merest tool of the central oligarchy, and
has thrown out the bill. This year, if we
case will be bravely altered. New York
passed a bill through both branches of hel
Legislature, but the then Governor vetoed it
and the people in turn vetoed him. New
Jersey, after repeated trials, has at length
carried a similar bill through the more pop
ular branch of her Legislature-it was los
in the upper House by one vote. Pennsyl
vania barely failed to pass an act Of like i'm
i port. In Maryland, Baltimore City chose
) full Prohibition ticket at the Legislative elec
; tion, and a bill fashioned upon the Main
| Law was with difficulty defeated last winter
? Virginia and the Southern States are agit'
s ted by the premonitions of Anti Liquor law
Q and acts considerably restricting the trait
have been carried in Mississippi and Texa
8 Ohio-though her Corn, her Grapes, h
small grains, are largely and prOftahly al
sorbed in the manufacture Of Whiskey, Win
j and Lager Beer, has yet passed an act 70
!, bidding the sale OF Distilled Liquors as
n beverage, and is beginning to enforce it, u
e der the impetus of a decision of her S
preme Court, affirming its constitutional
Iowa may be confidently expected to do bt
n. ter than this under the impulse of her R
,e publican victory and her Temperance &c
ernor. Oregon for some years upheld a ft
ed BILE Prohibitory Law, but the influx of i
be migration and the behests of party desp
n. ism at length broke it down. In Miuneso
DIS a prohibitory act was passed. In Tennes
and Kentucky, the initial skirmish on
question of Prohibition took place at th
last Legislative elections resi- %ectiyely, WI
ey Shelby Co., Tenn, Including Memphi
at elected m entire Prohibition ticket-prov
an that such a ticket, properly placed in
Ich field, san succeed anywhere. In WASH
full ton City, the question of Prohibition or
ect Prohibition was last year submitted to
he People, who decided against the liquor T
MS fc, by a large majority.
1rd We have condensed these facts into a sill
7ed article, in the hope that they might ten
sgy disarm the futile yet misch;eyouS resista
are offered IA our Legislature to tie passage
ur. stringent act of Prohibition? What 2
can he even hoped for from this course
in Prohibition is a moral certainty in e.
State 1t is at all events to be tried, and '
re- good can result from staving it off for a
- or two? Then why not initiate the
sense of Capt. Scott's coon, and come d
ter. at once? Let US have laws that sciUstoy
tent trafic-stop it thoroughly and conclusive
and and then if the People love Quiet and Pl
per- too little, OF Liquor too much to uphold Il
ped they will empower you to enact their re
ity. Certainly, Alcoholic Beverages and tn
ield cense system have had a fair trial no,
YOU Prohibition and Total Abstinence enjoy
your turn. If they create more misery and
ma tuition than they supplant, we will spe
\ and heartily join you in decreeing and
ting their overthrow.
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