The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-06-08
GREAT ANTI-PRoHfBrToRY DEMONSTRATIONS IN
ppNNlNFVANEa


PENNSYLVANIA.
On Monday last meeting or rather a oonyen-
ton held in Berks county, Pennsylvania by the op
ponents Of the prohibiory liquor law recently passed by
the legislature Of that State The meeting is described
Of the largest and respectable hed in Penn
syvanatbe proceedings characterized BY prudence mod
Grafton great Of purpose and jealous regard
for the constitutional rights Of all classes Of citizens and
although the call for the meeting does appear 70 have
been general one there but few counties in the
State that had representatives upon the ground Able
eloquent and argumentatiye speeches delivered
the OCCASION which il appears received with
larger share ii favor than efforts Of the kind are usually
received BY meetings from speakers Of their
choice We make room for the following speech Of Hon. j.
Clancy Jones, SO widely and fayorably known 10 the
whole country for his acute intellect prudent eounses
and his ardent and consistent attachment the principles
Of the democratic party Of which he has for long pc
Rod been SO efficient member and SO distinguished
ornament
SPEECH OF CLANCY
Mr. President aud fellow-cidzens very much graf
flied appear before large assembage OF the peo
Pile although il has been but within day or two since
knew could enjoy this pleasure On account Of engage
nlents in another part OF the State under the inn
preston that should be obliged leave town before
this and therefore, thought could not be with you,
have prepared no set speech will endeavor, however,
to say the little have 20 say in few words.
Now, iellow-eitzens for what are assembled here
to-day z
Voice Freedom, liberty, and independence
Mr.. Jones voice says freedom liberty, and independ-
ence [Appausel The men who passed the prohibitory
law against which assembled to proest try to make
the impression abroad that all men who are lot with them
their endeavors in favor OF making drunkara of
filing society with drunkenness the county prisons and
ais with eonvcts and OF doing every other thing which
a wicked mind could prompt man 10 be guilty Of
The large assemhnge Of my fellowcitizens before
me have together without distinction Of party
press their opinions upon the question OF liberty Liberty
il the question: and it is because OF the encroachments
Of the legislature upon the rights that God has given you
and which set of men have the right to take
away from you. Applause That is the point | am
ready any time for reform provided II is constitutional
reform, but the difficulty is in placing the dividing line
between the Of thing and the abuse. Everybody
who Is here is against the abuse for who make
drunkads2 do not know of anybody unless it be the
famous legislature which passed the act preventing man
from taking drink without he takes whole quart APP
pause They say that shall buy less than quart
ut The time and il the opinion Of our committee on res
outions told that this is Of the most obectona-
bic features Of the law APPLAUSE
From this it is plain that the party who framed this
prohbory law and passed it at the last session of the
legislature not the temperance party but who
in favor of the moderate of liquor, the truly tenn
perae and the prohbory party who abuse the of it
by forcing too much on US, are the incorporate party
Now to the question of liberty. In order consider
it and its bearing in this case, must examine briefly
into the history Of this law The drinking of whiskey and
ardent spirits beverage IS mentioned IN the act recent
y passed absolutely and positively prohibited That
belongs to what CALL in political economy "sump-
tuary laws and what is meant by sumptuary laws is an
attempt the part Of government to say what
shall eat and what we shall drink. Laughter
From the earliest Of the world up to the present time
have many instances on record Of the attempts Of gov
ernmen to enact and enforce tins class OF laws but we ind
that they always in the rankest desposms, failed
the people refusing TO be governed in such matters APP
piause.
W. ,ro rovarnea and a-ar,ad ,na;nIy hv tho l,yv az
God and that coners upon certain inaienabe rights
which man set OF men have the power to take from
us. What would you think Of a law to regulate the
breathing of the air of heaven? And has not the egsa-
ture much right and power to regulate the quantity of
air breathe, when we shall breathe it, and how we
shall breathe it, regulate how much shall
drnk2 maintain this for the purpose of linstra-
ting this subject and showing that there have been certain
things which have been recognised in all ages and by all
powers Even amongst the Modes and Persans where il
the custom when the Emperor had made decree
that power earth could change il, and where the
most absolute power was exercised the people these
inherent rights OF theirs interered with and
defy any to point me to single instance where these
elementary rights of the people have been wrested
from them. Applause
These rights what called the manners customs,
and habits of the people and Emperor head would
have been upon his shoulders hour if his subjects knew
that he intended to interfere with them to their injury.
Applause
luton when they required from the government of Great
Britain that the fundamental rights Of the people which
secured TO them their liberty should not be invaded and
their loved their memories reverenced, on
account of it, After that over and the wise
Of our nation brought together for the purpose of
ganizing the government and establishing the consttu-
ton their attention first drawn to them and they
agreed that majority should rule in all matters
ing the government but that there certain inherent
rights of the people which that majority had right TO
take away The Legislature therefore, had power, for
1t was conferred ppG em infringe upon these
rights There is but in which these rights can
be taken from the peoy eacebly and that is by altering
the constitution and she bill of rightsand that may be
done The only other way is by revolution
The simple principle with is that such power has
ever been conceded to legislative body They have
right TO bind us in this manner and will submit
be bound by majority when that majority attempts
us by the constitution and the bill OF rights Applause
say that they thus undertake TO strike down pr-
vate rights II not in their power they have usurped pow
ers not conferred and am not the to say always
popuii, del do not believe that the majority is al
ways right-sometimes all know they get wrong /
think the whole State Of Pennsylvania got wrong last fall
applause and think that the legislature of Pennsyva-
MA last winter decidedly wrong almost rythng
Laughter do not refer 10 any gentleman in partcu-
lars refer to the legislature body do not believe
that they had the power to make such law. Such power
was never given them, and have doubt, and
that have because the record is there speak
ITSELF that they passed this law in the very face Of 5000
majority of the people Of Pennsylvania the other way
To revert for moment this grant of liberty
My opinion s as before expressed that the right regu
late eating and drinking Is mans individual right You
cannot take IL away from him. Suppose the legislature
should pass law that should eat at all Laughter
II they have the right TO say that shall not eat half
loafand the saying is that bali loaf is better than