The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-05-04
Governor .Johnson's AnMper.

NASHVILLE, April 20, 1855.
Gentlemen Your letter Of the 29th ultl-
mo, propounding two interrogatories to me-
in reference TO the passage OF law by the
next Legislature, prohibiting the sale OF In
toxicating liquors as beverage, has been re-
ceivod.
The first of which is as follows:
care you in favor Of law prohibiting the
sale of Intoxicating liquors as beverageT
The second twill you, if elected, recon-
mend to the Legislature the passage Of such
law at an early period in the session.
am not sure that understand the pre-
else import of the first interrogatory; but II
resolution adopted by the Convention OF
the friends Of Temperance in Davidson coun-
BY on the l4th of February last, and by which
Convention all of you were appointed dele
gates to the State Temperance Convention
which was to sit on the 22d of February, is
to be taken as a correct Interpretation of the
first interrogatory which you have PROFOUND
ed to me, and is as follows:
"hesolped, That as friends of Temperance
reform, and Of the community in which we
reside, we pledge ourselves to vote for no
man. for either branch of the Legislature,
who does not advocate and support the prin
ciples of the Maine Law; in other words,
law prohibiting the manufacture of and tiaf-
fc in alcoholic liquors, with the necessary
provisions and penalties for the enforcement
of the same, aud the enactment of such law
at an early day of the next Legislature OF
Tennessee
understand you as asking me directly
whether | am for or against law commonly
denominated the Maine Liquor LdW' II
this is the interrogatory which you have pro
pounded TO me, | answer directly and explicit
lu that I m, NOT in favor Df the HUdlUs LII
quor Ldto" as the mode by which the exces
sive use and sale of Intoxicating liquors are
to be prohibited as beverage, believing, as
do, that some of the leading provisions OF
that law are incompatible with the rights and
privileges of freemen aud ms coming In con
iiict with the spirit, il not the very letter oil
the Constitution of the State; and, II elected
Governor of the State, cannot recommend
the passage Of such q law to the next Legis-
lature.
hope that have succeeded in making
myself understood, and that my answer may
be entirely satisfactory.
will add, that your letter would have
been answered before this, but for the press
of official and other engagements, which pre-
vented me from reaching it in its proper order
until the present date.
| have the honor to be, most respectfully,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
To W. B. Ewing Esq, Hugh Carroll, Esq,
s. s. Hall, Esq, Rev. ). Is. Mcferrin, D. H.
Curry, Esq, Commute DC.
Tho Committee are free in stating that
neither the answer of the one nor the other
of these gentlemen is satisfactory. The one
opposes what is called the "Maine Lava
law, by the way, which is not mentioned IN
our letter to him; or, as we understand him'
he is opposed to law prohibiting the sale oil
intoxicating drinks The other, we think
advocates system which, though good, does
not 80 far enough--does not strike at the
root of the evil. We advocate total prohi6i-
ion In view, however, of all the facts be-
fore us, and the circumstances surrounding
us We doom it inexpedient to call Conven-
ton for the nomination Of separate eandi-