The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-11-10
From the Philadelphia North American
The Election and i,s Moral. s.

". VA "Aiio hiduilhiS DIS 10 lDc extent OF Tux
defeat or triumph. Nor is it of any utility
10 ascertain every secondary influence which
has contributed in producing the issue of the
canvass. If We can with tolerahle certainty
discover and measure the main and ruling
element Ill the contest, we shall have obtain.
ed all that it is important to obtain, both fol
the purpose of understanding the political OF
/ popular import of the vote cast and inprov-
ing the lesson of wisdom which thai vote
may teach.
! 1t is very clear that the election through
which we have just passed, has gone very
decidedly for one party against all others.
In SO far as the choice of candidates is con
cerned, the Democratic ticket has been car
ried here and throughout the State by a
triumphant majority. There were reasons
why, according to ordinary calculations and
Chances, IA different result was to have been
expected But in this, as in many previous
instances, the fact has disappointed the hope,
though that hope was supposed to be based
on the shrewdest and surest estimate of
probabilities. The Democratic ticket, as We
have said, was successful, but it by no means
follows that the Democratic party has achiey-
ed triumph of its political principles, or
that it has secured a public endorsement of
It's course in the administration of the feder-
al government, or that its nominees for Office
were carried over those of the opposition by
any thing like an independent party vote
The revelations which are deducible from
certain known interests devolyed in the can
vass, and the aspect of the electoral returns,
suffice to demonstrate very distinctly that
there was one question in the late struggle
which, with very large portion of the pco-
pie of the city and the commonwe ealth, over
rode all other questions, and temporarily
superseded or subordinated them to it's more
immediate and practical consequence.
That question, it is now manifest was the
liquor question. 1t embraced the PROPOSE
ton whether the exceedingly prohibitory
passed by the last State Legislature in rela-
ton to the sale of liquor, should be main
tained or repealed, and though this issue was
distinctly and formally made but upon one
Sldc-the Temperance vote, as such, being, in
reality, of too little force to be estimated as
an clement in the election-it was enabled,
in the singular complication Of affairs which
existed, to sway controlling and decisive
power over the result which followed. Tho
it was not known what was the precise
strength Of the "Liquor League" as the op-
ponents of the law styled themselves, it is
very evident that their organization was a
most formidable cne in point of numbers,
pecuniary means, and party discipline 1t
was so strong indeed that it could make
whichever one Of the two great political
parties 1t might choose to coalescc with in
the cal;tass, the dominant anl victorious
party. For reasons which contemplated the
accomplishment of its own particular aims,
the League saw fit TO cast the weight of its
vote into the scale. Of the Democracy, and,
accordingly, that interest prevailed over ali
adverse combinations.
So much for the causes of t,.c result Let
lis ytiituie now few reflections as to its
moral. The lesson, tl:en, which it seems
most obviously to inculcate is the folly of
attempting any such legislation as does un-
necessary and extreme violence to the judg-
ment, the interests, and the settled habits
Of the whole or a large majority of the peo-
pie. No matter how salutary the purpose of
a law may be, or howsoever commcndable in
its moral aspect, abstractly considered, ex-
perience has abundantly shown that, unless
it can be sanctioned by the common sense,
and submitted to with the willing assent of
a community, it must be practically inorcra-
tive and fail of its objects. Even if it were
capable of being temporarily enforced, yet
under new system of government in which
the popular will is sovereign, all such laws
as are oppressive, and especially, all oppres
siye sumptuary laws, undertake to interfere
with the private tastes and fixed personal
habitutcs of the people, are liable at all events
to be certainly and speedily repealed. 1t is
very clear that the act passed at the last ses
sion of the Legislature in relation to the liq
uor traffic is generally regarded by the citi-
Zens of the entire State as unreasonably, if
not unjustly severe and arbitrary in its char
acter, and the consequence is, that in few
months since it was enacted the people have
everywhere declared against it, and chosen
! their representatives in the next Assembly
with view to its revocation.
| All persons of sense and candor must see
and admit now that to have passed an act
Of the kind was a grave mistake on the, part
of its friends. Their general object was a
good and proper one, but they fell into the
fatal error of defeating their design by at
tempting to effect it in an impracticable man
ner. We believe that while the great body
of the voting inhabitants of Pennsylvania
are unwilling to have their personal liberty
in the matter excessively restrained, they
are sensible Of the evils of intemperance and
will cheerfuly acquiesce in any just and wise
legislation adapted to the exigency. But that
legislation, in order to be effective and whole
some iii its operation, must of necessity be
in conformity with the civil and social condi-
lions of the community, instead of repug-
nant to them. 1t must undertake to correct
an abuse which is seen and felt to exist,
without needlessly invading the interests and
taking away the rights of the citizens indis-
criminately. The present law in relation to
the liquor traffic is emincntly Objectionable
because it is extravagantly prohibitory. The
laws which it was meant to supercede were,
perhaps, quite as Objectionable on account of
their extreme lberality. The mean between
them has yet to be struck. A judiciously
devised system is what the common happi-
ness OF the community requires, and what
the people would cordially concur in and sus-
tain. In order to secure such system, the
most earnest advocates of Temperance should
unite their Influence and efforts with those
Of all other persons. The hope of effecting
iIhmoderate measures should be utterly aban-
doned and with all friends of the cause har-
tmoniously cooperative in the matter. we are
persuaded that a law may be obtained from
the next legislature which will be salutary in
practice, capable of efficient enforcement
and entirely acceptable to the public sympa.
thy and understanding. i-s-S -
ARREsTs.-Within the last five months
; No locc thon pleven PostmosterS hayo boo,