The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-03-10
Che ColltroucrsioList.


The law, 7. NJ Informs me, does not pre-.
tend TO prevent any one from having liquor
IN their own dwellings, for their own use.
Then how shall drunkenness be ahatcd !
You deny the license and take away the OPP
portunity to obtain it by the glass. You do
not, however, take away appetite, but take
away that system which allows it by the
small and allow in lieu thereof ,hai lie must
buy BY wholesale. OfcourSe appetite is not
| destroyed; and lie lays it in l,y Wholesale to
| satisfy that appetite. This is allowing that
the law could be iaforced, which neither do
believe or admit. But for argument sake VIC
| see how much would be gained by it. The
quantity will be equal 10 the demand, an
abundant supply would be in our midst
! those who will not now hearkcn to the voice
Of reason, but give way to appetite, would
be as likely to do so then; those who NOW
pawn their coats for liquor would soon learn
to import, and instead Of procuring it by the
glass, they viii obtain it by the tirrcc Or
kes.
But / shall try to convince even 7. NJ that
the law could not be inforccd. There is moth
ing easier than TO eyadc it. Ill refer to il
again presently. His answer to my right to
smoke a cigar is a ruse; an uamauly dodge.
The question was asked that might know
to what extent he proposed going with law.
| have right to engage in pleasant rccrca-
ton, Im not in Church. Yet the right iii q
becoming place is mine and am at liberty
to exercise it. We read that proper times
and places are allotted for al! things. The
burning Of the hay stack and the quotation
are stale arguments and irrelevant to the
case. in the one case you can and ought to
prevent u man from burning bis property to
burn yours also, 1t is right. Bat you can
not prevent u man from drink; you cannot
say to an individual thou shalt not drink
VIXEN he says he Will. don't care if he is
injured by it, and you too. own he has
not the moral right nor tie Social risht, but
then he has the civil right, for no law can lie
made to prevent it. Though not vclscd in
the law, still say If there could be made a
law saying the farmer should not make his
apples into cider or the yincgrowcr the grapes
into wine, or drink it because society might
be injured thereby; why you have Just as
good right to say man Shall not oxpcnd
over certain amount Of money for reasons
or that he shall not be worth over
a certain amount ofmoncy, because the large
surplus with him will be the means of others
being minus. When the few have a SUPER
abundance the great mass are in want, and
man should not need when tie earth is filled |
with copious supply for all, if equally dis
The mass should not suffer by the |
avarice Of the few. Moreover the abduction
is inapplcable, because the burning of the |
hay consumes other property adjoining it;
the firing Of the ono is the positive dcstruc-
ton Of the other. In the other case it is i'm
material contcnding with immaerial and |
which is subject to other influences than
mere external circumstances and possessed
of the power of option 10 do or not to do.
Then so long as man does not become va
grant ne may drink strong drink if he will.
b did not write Temperance lectures nor
lid he intend that his pen should dictate to
man what should be on his board. T. NJ. is
n dilcn.a about the forlorn hope party of
rs. In his former essay he asserted Ia man
was not entitled to the name of good citizen
much less sovereign who did not obey the
aw." Now | hold that man may be a
good citizen and yet reoollious one. Ills
:ausc, purposes and sympathics are good, and
light, and just; and get inS,bordnat2. WASH
Notion was a good citizen; and if driven to
Var by tyrant's misuse of power, he might
DC called rebel BY that oppressor, but not
'y the rule q justice be deuominated bad
,itizen. for his aim was the general good of
mankind. Children arc ordered to obey their
1arents but theologians teach that they have
| right to disregard parental law, when it is
rot i'll accordance with divine law. This
hey could do and yet be good children, even
housh di5oledient,