New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-23


il no, 10 stimulate bat 10 sOoths the nervous system
u nav be Otherwise m some instAIccs; but these are
rare eIce ptious 10 the gcnai rule Toe opiu o. aker
u in q passive sse, setsned ~na ns 9Fn ur'emy
useles, but rot nscf ievous. II IL quite othsr sise
With Alcoholic Liquors. When Bshop and his part
ner murdered the Italian boy in orer TIA they might
sell hi. body it appeared in evidence that they pre-.
nsred for the task by plentiful dbston OF
sin. TIE ,sme course e pursued by ooasebreakers
and others Who engage IN desperate criminal under'
takines II iswor1hy Of noiice, also, ma Opium "a
mueh les. See.e,ious to the individual than gun or
brandy" .-,.,
BASIS OF TIE Duty OF GOVERNMENT.
In the light of thee views the cuty OF government
bseou e. evident lis resion TO IN 81 VINO drnk Ii,
toxjc.tire Equors is Of direct responsibility ana
rover and differs from Il a. Of voluntary societes or
private d rsors In uryisg upon ndivliusis tne coa
81 er atoms which should ndue them 10 oiscounnu9
drr king i, il proper that we present the We "a ever!
nsnsct .n6 appesl 10 various motives. In sta1ds 'ha'
Acebo selects the citadel OF thought q, the uiain
point Of sttsck in the human system, sy NO meals
imply ths; lis i iuries are limited 70 nis par" Tug
whole cor piiu'ion 10 liable 70 more or less emDroh
ment and disease and is entirely appropriate 10 isy
open 10 he ncon,ders,e The details and extent OF inc
harm they are iItiicng upon vanous organs OF tuo
system. But with Gowrnmen! II Is different. IL h'
business TO pry toto the minuta oil ooduy ahehSs
There les iui jealousy OF It's encroschnens In de-
partnerts Of impairment curiosity. In respect OF
many things apper;ainiog 10 tho management OF the
body, and which involve the mantensn,e or loss OF
health men will rot toe a'e interference or dctauon
The question, for example how person VIII manage
his digestive ard pulmonary affairs is concern OF bus
own with which Government, has no right to inter ned
die. Beyond genera sanitary measures Tor the pres
ervation of public health and protection from causes
OF contaeion the lea slaure has no night OF interpo-
si.ion. II by indusing in bad quality OF diet or
oyereating man chooses TO naict upon hlmselt
stou aoh liver disease, or II he 30 deal with air,
clothing heat TO eDgeDder colds inn Amnstions,
lung complain Is and rheumstsns be has the sovereign
privilege of go dong without governmental molesta-
ton or disturbance. The evi consequences IN these
cases are presumed to be confaed 10 himsef be can
do as he fs with his orn. II in like manner by the
use of Alcohol a man infsmes and ulceratss his
stomach or degeneraes his kidneys, or graouses his
liver the matter is purely private into which the law
makers have no right Of scrutiny, and over which
they have DO authority CT prevention
But this rule does not apply TO man cHtire constl.
tu.ion. There is part of the body Ia which, as l
have stated Government has esitims te and especial
concern. Ills not private affair OF TIE individual
arc matter OF Indifference to Society II the human
brain be in health or dis When this organ Is IN
order the nan il capable Of contributing his due sup
port to the fabric of Society but when II works ID
IT, he becomes the victim OF headlong and irressn0e
in pulses be il longer amcnabe to the tribunals OF
Society as ration al being and Government places
him VI der restraint as dangerous 10 the community
That mater part, therefore, which is the basis OF
mans outward and public relations Is not his private,
individual matter to be managed aud dealt with as
he likes The question Of its treatment and con-
don in ally particular case IL an affair OF vital
moment 10 each and 20 all II Il emphatlcaiiy Paofc
concernment. In q certain sense tue BRAIN Of man
belongs to Society. If be adopt any course by which
its offices are disturbed or ts purposes hwared, the
community il at once affected, and Government, IN
virtue of s very existence, which, so far as the md
yiiual ia concerned, is ann hlated IN the subverhon
of his reason and in virtue Of it's high obliga
lions TO protect the righs of all, i'm eratiyey and
sol. mnly bound to interfere. The minor derange-
ments of the human body it i, not its province
10 notice but nvssions of the cerebral system, which
cOndrst ard Chara IL NEGLECT
without fragrant recreancy to its trust
The night of Government TO nterdict the use of In
toxicaing Liquors beverages ls therefore the hight
10 preyen, the undermining of s own foundations
cestral right OF sefdeense AID self existence. have
shown that Alcoholic Liquors, by their prominent
malgn sc'ion upon the brain and mind, tend to dis
rupt all civil relations. The obedieot citizen they
transform into reckless anc tuI bulent yioator OF
law; they are thus the ma ura enemies Government,
and should be treatedtte nspirers OF lawessnees,
their own fate should be outawry. 1t is no inperti
nest Offer sve interference with private personal
concerns to interpOse authority and prevent man
from turning himself into fool maLiac or cIimi-
na. The obligations of Government and the indivi
dual are reciprocal. Government owes to the ndivi-
dual protection Of natural rights the individual owes
to Government obedience to law If the Individual
fail in fulfilling his part of the contract, is the pre-
roge,ive Of Government TO enforce compliance with
it. If the citizen indulge in any habit which, IN its
nature tends directly to disqualfy bin tor tho lust
discharge of his civil responsibilities, Government has
the necessary right of interference TO the Ut most OK
ter of its power. If the effect of Alcohol in the brain
be to put man beside himself aud make him ncapa.
bic of working out the tasks which belong 20 his
hood II the duty OF Goveme nt 10 see to 1t nat he
do not alcoholic his BRAIN If The effects of these
liquors be, az Science demonstrates and universal ex
perepce veres, so to poison and pervert tue springs
OF conduct that q thousand forms of evil result,
if they weaken those sentiments and faculties
BY the exercise of which man ia elevated, aud
EDUCATE and discipline TO more than natural
strength TIE lower propensties by which be is degra
dol that htr fnn N nf m IN
paray all sef respect and noble exersn; if they
change the Of work ard thrift TO an dler and vag
abond if they consume to ashes and ciDders the afec
ton of the husband and father and scatter widowhoOd
ar orphsnage right ADD left through ths community;
If they Lift the hoOdgates ofevery form Of vice aud de.
moralizaton, peopiIg the luna,ic asylums with the
insane, the sms-houses with vagranis and paupers;
filing the prisons with Grim nails and causing tie gal
lows to bend with lis burden Of msefactors, surely
they fall with the leg innate scope Of man.
sgement ard, If government is not q mockery, its
control them must be b,olute, and adequate to
the demands OF the case Indeed, to remove such OBJ
ssces this to private safety and public prosperity
lie the very thirg that Government is for II liz pur
pose be anything else than to furIsh comfortable
res lipg-places for housing deInagoguesi If II have
any other aim than TO attend 10 the collection OF money
ard its disbursement among lis Oil als if poli-
tics be thin more than great game 10 be played
at by few for their selfish and ambitious ends,
and the amusement and excitement of the people; IT,
the contrary, Government be al Inst ument Tor the
accOu psbment Of good beyond itself If it be an
institution endowed with full and responsible pc to
protect the rights and res uate the relations and pro-
mote the welfare OF its eiZens politics be truly the
vocation of earnest minded statesmen, who seek to
address themselves msnfuly TO the problem Of hu-
man improvement-thon does the present question, ia
all lite vital bearings, fall within the do naia d egsa-
tive az justmeLt.
But il is pure folly to attempt to raise the question
of govern mel tai authority in this case The lesisa.
ture s driven to action by necessity that Il cannot
escape. II has no option bat must act. Tue inhq-
rs AinahOl over human conduct IL iucIOTable