Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1855-01-19

public opinion, IN Tvs most Aulhcn'' WV" ~
expression. that The The sale of intoxicating
drinks !, an evil. "Only" We are told. "as
4, Is prevalent and iesp- seated evil, il musi
he regulated Bot how can We regulate an
irrerularIly How can YOU regulate an OBJ
,ruc,ion tina, IL involved with the springs Of
\ machine. OF the worksof clock The On.
/ ~ possible method obvious Ia common sense.
would he TO remove the obsiruciion; snd II,
would he ,hourht the most foolish speculation
conceivable Tor one IN spend bis ingenuity in
coniriting sons way TO keen the obstruction
where il Is. and yet TO keep the clock going
as IL ought lii moved regularly. the mat
ter referred 10 would not he an obstruction :
and II il did not, the eonlrivane. IL keep IL
there would 10 help to the obstruction.
Now. I consider this great vice II iniemper.
ance a decided obstruction In the clock.work
Of an individual man, or the more general
mechanism of society. II transforms great
many aces into had jial-pliie,. distnrbs the
pendulum of public order. makes people 70
much too fast, and renders them liable 10
strike at all times. Now. II m,n. or cum.
muniiy. can be made to 90 iust as we'll With
I. rs without II. We certainly need no lsris-
la,ion. for there is no obstruction Or the
other hand. III Is essentially an irrrrularilr
the only ratonal method il to get rid Of ~
accessories altogether 7" enact some way
in which the irrerulirtv shall work, is 10
confirm and sanction tho irrrPulsrily. Add
the licen'e.svSrm-fsr wish To he plain and
specific here-conGms and sanclion, the
agents Of in,-mrersncs. II indicate, Wsy
in which the iuerulari,y may work.
And 20, only is vice thus aided by the Law
The sNi,i,acc or such a sanction enssnj,rs
either an error or a moral wrong. For itin.
dieire, that the sale Of intoxicating drinks !.
public benefit. Shirh is false; Or, on the
other hand, that il is lawful 10 uphold an
evil. The same principle carried oct 10y in.
dividuaI., would excuse almost any fault
The man ho steals loaf Of bread may ron.
tend tina, II is necessary eSp-dienl. and he
who Gll' an empty purse At his neiVhhor's
cTcen'e, only rndclvor, to regulate an irrc..
ulari,y.
But SUPPOSE VIC make the system a strict
one, What process shoall be employed Pro-
baby You you would sly-"break up an
these filthy and low haunis. al these places
where tho h,bilually inlcmpcrnrc, tho dcrra-
cd, the wre,chedlv POOR conrrtra,s; and let
these beverages be sold only in respectable
places and to respectable people" But is
lh., really the best plant On the contrary.
It seems quite reasonable In maiRiain that il
is better to sell to the n,rmpcraic ,hln 10 the
'ob-r-,o the degraded than to the rcsp,cta.
ble-for the same reason that It !, better TO
hum un an old hulk than io set fire 10 new
and splendid ship. think II worse to put
the irs, rl's, 10 a young mans lip', Than IN
crown With madness an I'D dpnkard's lie.
long lIrnluon-wor,c IN wake the fierce ~.
petite IN the depth n generous and promi,
ING nl,urc. than 10 take the carrion of man
a mere she'll " inhecilly. and soak /, in
fresh dyhluch. Therefore, II ! were going
10 ~ when. the License should be granted
in order In show is efficacy. ! would say
take the worst sink. OF inicmpcnnce in the
go. gita lhcia The sanction Of the Law, and
LEI them run 10 ovcrhovinr Bot shut up
the rildei apartments where yoa'h lakes it.
frs, Jraughr. ,nd rr,rsrrab.liiy ja', begin,
10 Glrer from ils level. Close the simple
doors through Uhel, enters the !on, train ~
those who stumble to destruction and reel 10.
to quick graves, anil let the h"ol oyerNhelm
only IL. manned and battered conIcrpl, that
remain.
besides. il i, better To sec Iiee a, il really
is, than as It sometimes appears. tn. dan.
GER u incompetence j. when i, assumes this
very rarb IT responsibility. and sits in the "a
dian, circle OF fashion attended by wit and
hcauty. and social delight. Let Us sec III,
Temper, not a, he seems shen he throws
out his earliest lures. in feslal garments and
IN rose. around h.s brow bot 4, h. looks
when fairly engaged IN his work. showing
his genuine expression.
let u, see this vice Of intsmpcronce IN is
rc,uts. Al, they teen and d'rkrn here in tho
mid,, of our city lie. Lay hare It's channel
let ~, see In is very dcplhs-whcre It hovs
over the wrecks ofhuman happiness. and over
de,d mems homes. Lly bare It's fostering
heaps IT disease. It's madness, il, despair, its
domestic de,olaliun. It's reckless sweep over
all order and sancIiiy and thus tracing u
from ms sources unlcr rli,iering chandeliers
and in fonIs Of crystal, we shall BE- able to
say--"ihs is the real element which exists
and does 1t, work. by public connivanee and
wi,hihe sanclion Of Law 80
II sou ask me then, whether lhirk ilaia
statue Of absolute prohibition would stop this
flowing curse, reply that At le,s, It would
IN, the Influence Of authority on the right
side. 1t would lend It the force Of consistent,
endesror. As 1t is, II would be Tar better II
the public sanction had no expressions fnr
now ii on!y confirms snd guarantees the evil.
II, POKER /, oxrr,sd not IN the right, but in
III. wrong direction. ], is an ally 81 the
tcmp,cr. For the spirit Of everlasting JUS
iire and Benevolence, speaking as !, were by
tho mouth OF Jesus, says-'iIe tina, is not
nth me j, against me- 81"