The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-07-31
THE pR0HIBITORY LIQUOR Law.

THE PkOHlblIOk1 LlQUUh Law
In several Of the northern States where prohibitoy
liquor has been enacted the temperance question threat
override all other issues which may be presented to
the people the ensuing fall elections In the States OF
New York Pennsylvania and Massachusetts,, know moth
ingsm has sgnazed It's accidental accession TO supreme
power by adopting the wild anaticsm Of Neal Dow and
by giving shape and substance the tratorous designs Of
the aboltioniss The last provity of knownothngism
betrays It's pareniage and the sincerity Of the movement
therefore be questioned The temperance ohshoo
allows Of less charitable construction. The acts and con-
fessons Of Hiss the orgies the Astor House and the
equally dsrepuabe in certain barrooms in Phila
delphia and Harrisburg concusively show what the
private habits Of very large portion of the
members of the knownohng legislatures OF the three
States named. Their practices in disgusting op-
position their professions and 1t is only fair TO infer
that in passing stringent prohibtory law they either
doubted their powers of se-control they were
basey bidding for the political support Of men whose
stern arbitrary principles afforded somewhat apt
mentary upon the text of their lives.
We viii not stop TO dwell upon the evils of intern
perance, 10 discuss the constitutional right OF egs
ave interference 10 control and regulate the traffic
in articles attended with less danger to pub
lie peace and morals. lntemperance is not only an
evil but it is justly regarded crime by human
as well by divine law. There has been, and can
be- difference of opinion on this subject and the
only question is how regulate the penalties against Of
tenders prevent well punish Under the fed
eal constitution each Of the States has the undoubed
right to adopt such police regulations the necessities
its citizens may require the public veal demand but
while this right conceded it should also be borne liz
mind that the regulation of the foreign of the
country of the sole prerogatives of the federal Union
and that prohbitory law has yet been passed by any
of the States which was opposition, in of its
provisions to existing treaty spuatons between the Uni
ted States all the foreign nations with which have
commercial and diplomatic intercourse
The immediate effect of these prohibory laws has been
to increase the place of diminishing the number Of
drunkards When attempt 10 destroy free agency in
community you attempt to reduce that community to
the dependant nonaccountnble condition of childhood
with all its tricks, waywardness and folly. We are there
fore surprised meet in the editorial columns Of the
New Haven Palladium with the following account Of the
workings of the prohbitory law in Connecticut;
Probably there is intoxicating liquor retaed in
Hartford this time than BEFORE and evidently there
drunkenness. stringent law will make moral
temperate The liquor generally used at this time is said
to be very deleerious article and is doing much harm
aborer remarked the week to of merchants
that he knew Of twenty three places short street
where liquors sold. The town agency is also in
full blast dealing out largo quantities Clubrooms have
multiplied fearful extent, and hundreds Of families in
which liquor unknown before August last keep
variety, and ask their friends to drink. This feature
alone doing ncalcuabe mischief The fashion of keeping
liquors upon the family sdeboard is fast coming into use
and evils great those Of the shop. The
liquor law is the parent of that evil
Statements similar to the above may be daily found in
the those localities where this stringent law
supposed be in full force An executive clothed with
despoc powers, with army of hundred thousand
picked soldiers ready TO carry out his slightest wishes
might faithfully the prohihtorylquor law in the
State Of New York but nothing short Of such
tive with such force wonld be able TO carry out its nrb
trary and oppressive provisions Apart from the
suonality of the measure, is repugnant to our
ideas OF perfect personal liberty that not surprised
that public sentiment which seldom errs) should manifest
its decided opposition in such marked and unmis,aka-
bic manner. Lord Grosvenor's Sunday law not a
whit offensive oppressive in its details than the
neutrality-suspicious. laws in force in many of the north
States and yet when attempt made to enforce
that law hundred thousand citizens of London
one man. and they rose Queen peers, and
retreated awed abashcd conrineed Are the free citizens
of this free country less jealous Of their natural cons
utional rights and less able willing defend them,
than the lege subjects of Queen Victoria?
In every State Of the Union drunkenness is punishable
by law, by fine Imprisonment, both To guard
against the evils Of ntemperance in most of the States
cellent license laws have been passed with the view of
ulatng and controlling the traffic in intoxicating drinks
We believe that the evils complained of would in great
measure disappear from the country if these license laws
rgdly enforced hut until they enforced, what
good may be expected Of law which lacks the binding
force of constitutional obligation and which strikes
the very root OF those principles which have been held
sacred by American freemen?
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THE LATE OVERWHELMING DEMOCRATIC VIC
TORY IN OREGON.
Extract from private letter to the editor of the Boston
Post, dated Salem Oregon Territory, June Z:
" So far heard from, wing know-nobing' has
been elected the legislature No county yet unheard
from is considered at all doubtful for Lane fThe people
Disguised with know-nothingism, and portion
the wings have voted with the democrats help kill that
suton of darkness This is especially true in
of the which USUALLY whip