Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1855-12-13
Truth In a Nutshell,

The October number Of the Westminster Re-
view contains an article of singular ability,
starting with the proposition that drunkenness
cannot be cured By Legislation. 1t is written
iand PUBLISHED in view Of very persistent efforts
n England to obtain the enactment Of Maine
aw by Parliament 1t traverses the whole field
of discussion of the questions of prohibition and
regulation Of the liquor traffic, and treats them
in manner at once candid, philosophical, con-
elusive. An extract or two must serve to show
the strength Of the article:
"The world would be very different world
if great evils we're so easily cured, and if ten
lines in statute-book could crush vice and make
virtue triumphant. Experience tells different
tale. 1t tells us that a law is in itself powerIess,
and that it is only strong whenit is the outward
and formal expression Of what men really wish.
Even # Il law, such as the Maine liquor law, were
obeyed, which it might be for time among an
orderly and law.loving people, there would be
no escaping, in one shape or other, the penalty
of so gross an infringement of the true principles
of State government. 1t would be an evil
worse than that Of drunkenness, if a nation
learnt to lean on the rotten zeal Of external
enactments, and thussapped the very foundations
Of right and destroyed the spring Of all moral
action
Again, in regard to personal rights-the de-
NAL to men of their freedom Of choice who live
under the rule of laws which recognise the great
fact Of personal libcrty-the writer remarks
ITO deny the use Of intoxicting liquors alto
gether, to withhold by law the means of ndulg-
ing because indulgence is often carried to a
vicious excess, is, i'll fact, an attempt, IN very
signal instance and on u very wide scale, to in
crease the sphere of State government, and to
deaden the sense Of individual responsibility.
1t would be impossible to furnish more con.
spicuous example of that mode Of viewing nan
and morals, which makes wrong and right the
subject Of State policy and not Of individual
conviction,
1 "a subtle poison taints the moral atmosphere
=, in which such law is upheld. The mind Of
man becomes narrow and crippled when he il
no longer his own master; his actions are mean
, ingess when stripped of the beauty Of choice
-, his sympathy for othe 5 grows dead when h'
! has no longer to assist them in cncounterln!
moral trials and to gain and give the strength o
=, mutual counsel Prohibition advocates are ion(
i of prophesying that as men cease to drink the.
: will 90 to church.
What will they find when they get there
Is the faith Of the churches of Chrstendom s.
=, warm, their words so full Of meaning, their ap
, peal to tie conscience 50 direct, that they ca,
: afford to be guided by a law which, as faras on
;, law can, deadcns responsibility and obIiterate
l. the distinction between good and evil IL TIL
i, text will be the keencst satire on the sCrmon.--
= The text will say, Use your freedom as thos
- who stand or fall to their MASTER" the preach
- cr will say "My Christian brethren, abstain al
b together for there is penalty of five dollars 70
the first offence and ten for the seeond',
g We advise whoever is ,keptcal as to the fal
c lacy of the doctrine of the Maine law to obtai
this article and read it.