The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-03

that the strength of the temperance delu-
sion is broken. As very often happens in
similar cases, it has been its own destroyer;
victory has killed it. The party succeeded
in passing the Prohibitory law in thus State;
but like Pyrrhus' battles, one more such tri-
umph would leave it completely undone.
As it il, it shows on all sides sy mptoms of
unequivOcal exhaustion and weakness. In the
West, where only q short while ago. every
one was in favor Of temperance, revulsion of
sentiment has already taken place; illinois
gives fifteen thousand majority to the oppo-
nents Of the law. 1t has been practically multi
fed in Michigan. In the East, though the un-
happy fusion of city and country still gives
the prohibitionists the command of fhe Legisla-
lures, public sentiment is 90 decidedly against
the measure that it cannot possibly be enforced.
Legal objections spring up at Boston to defeat
it; as fast as one is overcome crop of others
take its place. Even in Maine it is now estab-
lished that cases must 60 to q jury, which is
equivalent to notification Of the law, for no
jury will convict. Here in New York, the
masses of the people have expressed their dis
sent from the sy stem on various occasions, and
notably at the meeting of last night Fatal OBJ
jectiODs have been taken to the statute and the
constituted authorities conceive themselves ex-
onerated from any responsibility in regard to
its execution. 1t is an error to suppose tina.
this is due to the haste or carelessness with
which the bill was drawn. On the contrary
we have every reason to believe that the bill
was as perfect one as the legal advisers of the
temperance party could draw. But as Lord
Eldon used to say, lit is impossible to draft an
act through which sharp lawy er cannot drive
a coach and six, if it be worth his while;" and
we may rest perfectly assured that whatever
act the temperance party may pass, fatal OBJ
jectioDs will be taken to it, and the proper
authorities will not carry it out.
Say what GU will about the impolicy Of this
in theory, we cannot expect it to be otherwise
in practice. You cannot drive thousands of
thinking persons to act contrary to their per-
sussions by a mere written statute. They may
not--the most respectable portion of them, we
mean--make parade Of its violation; but
violated it certainly will be. The only practical
effect of the act will be to compel fraud and
concealment, and trickery and dishonesty.
Nine-tenths of the rejecting portion Of humanity
never think of the laws; they act according to
their own views of right and wrong, and the
principles they have been taught at school,
and as in such matters in free country there
is very little room for error or difference of
opinion, their conclusions are usually the same
as those of the legislator. The only effect, We
repeat, which an unpalatable law like the
Prohibitory statute can have on these men Is
to make them resolve to indulge the Legislature
in its fanatical dream by ying it the compli-
ment OF affecting ystery aad concealment
What wonder, then, if the authorities senslbly
decline the offensive part of disturbers Of the
public peace, or the ridiculous part of dupes
by frankly refusing to carry out the law?
The ultra fanatics cay We know that
the law cannot be carried out. We know
that men Of money will always have their
wine. We know that importers will always
have good liquor on hand. But we hope
and expect to choke of great deal of drink
ing among the poor and the reprobate, end this
is our excuse, and, If we succeed, this will be
OR reward,
This l. D fair sample of the reasoning of these
fanatics. They have laundering confused
way Of rushing at an end, in the hope of get
ting trife, by asking for great deal. They
would take trip hammer to brush fly from
mans nose, aDd would be as angry with the
man when he refused to be relieved in this
way as they are with us at the present time,
What Il the real meaning of the argument
given above? That certain among the poor
and reprobate do themselves mischief by the
use OF strong drink and therefore all poor and
all rich should be forbidden to drink, and GER
tain among them allowed to break the law.
But what reason have we to suppose that those
whose fralties are winked at, and those who do
not do Themselves mischief by drinking would
be one ard the same? Is IL not highly proba-
BILE that the very persons who would be the
most certain to evade the law would be the
very men for whose benefit it is passed.
The fact is, the whole law is a disgusting
sham and blunder. From whichever side /. il
viewed, it appears equally repulsive, ridicu-
lous and impracticable.
+ FOURTH OF July ORATroNs.--The Union IL to
be saved tbisyear in q thousand or more cities,
towns and villages, from Bangor to San Fran
cisco. The Fourth of July orators promise to
he numerous and entertaining. We zee that
the Hon Edward Everett has promised to de-
liver an Grafton tomorrow in his native town.
Dorchester, Mass, where the day is to be cele
brated officially for the first time in mary years
The Hon. Lewis G. Levin, one of the founders
Of the Native American party, will address the
citizens of Altoona, Penn on the Fourth; and
throughout he couatry the number Of patriotic
epics to be delivered is exceedingly large. Ga
this day, the leading politicians, poets, philoso-
phers, orators and Journalists find veot to let
off their superauous patriotism. One would
think, to read their orations a. printed on the
fifth, that this glorious Union was like a city