Smyrna times., 1856-07-16
What Good are we Doing ?

what Good are we Doing?
The friends of temperance are often met with
the interrogatOry, "What good are you doing!"
ana the question is put with an air aa if unan-
swerable. Point us to the result of your la
boEs," say the opponents of our causa "Not-
"I'hstanding all your efforts for years you see
people will do rs they like in the matter, and
there Is now more liquor made and drank thun
ever before. You can't stop it, and it is idle to
attempt; and You may as well dsband your or
ganizatiOn and let things take theirown course +"
Let us look moment and examine into the
truihfulness of these assertions.
There Is to-day stronger and fsner conyic-
ton among the people throughout the State
at the evil of intemperance and the necessity
OF Its overthrow or suppression, than at anv
former time. We hear it from all quarters-
In New Castle county the law is strongly and
hrm rooted IN the hearts of The people. True,
there are many who oppose it whose constant
SFgament Is, that the people will drink in
sFi,e OF the law-that this and that temperance
ma wIl. drlak when they can get chance
and that they are set of hypocrites." Rum
s'iiers growl about their rights being taken
from them, and rant about church and state
religion and temperance" and many other
lily things, but 1t is Of no use. The law IS
doing good and they know it. Look at the
q 'ietness which has prevailed in our town,
and about the little country stores whose main
Alock formerly consisted of liquor, and see if
fhere daS not been change in the last wear
Is there one 1.-THE of the drunkenness, disorders
and crime as in former years! Why. il would
really seem that rum was the root of all evil {"
Look to this and that occasion of disorderlv
conduct, this and that commitment Of crime
thus and that estlmable person-father, brother
or Trend, he may be-as he is hurried alono
through all the miSeries and horrors of the
drunkard's life down to the drunkard's vrave
and eternity, and is it not appalling Say, is
1t not enough, after soloaan reflection. TO mako
ihe friends OF the law stand firm TO tie cause.
though the despiSers Of morality and the poli.
tIcIan may point the finger of Gerision at them
iIow' we are led to ask, can any man profess
ing 10 love good order and deeencv. correc,
morals ahd the doctrines of Christ, be oppose
10 ab"iiahlng the sale of intoxicating drinks!-
IL The use Of liquor as beverage does moi
make them more moral, more respectful. roora
prosperous and better citizens, We ask aoaiu
how can they! But we are DEPRESSING from
'he SUBJECT. In New Castle county, as we be-
lore said' the law is being vigorously enforced.
ana there are but several places in the whole
county where liquor is sold openly, and these
mostly with long list Of ba lis entered apains,
them for their appearance at court. The ,nost
of the low shops do not sell at all, or, if they
d"' IN such secret manner as to have little or
no th ct upon society. In Kent we hear GOOD
HeWs from all quarters-not so good, however,
E5 To like (Or we had rather hear there was
not drop sold only by the licensed agent. but
taxing all things into consideration, about what
might have been expected. There is not a
single hotel in the county, to our KNOWLEDGE
Keeping al open bar. Some, it is avowed, sell
secretly; but, IT they do, it is in such dimiDu.
tive quantities as to produce effects nearly or
quite invisible. There are few shanties goat
tered about; in which liquor is sold, but msa-
sures are being taken to have these sales SUD.
pressed. The traffickers at these places will
ana before many months, that their day of "se
cnrI'y has run out since the cry Of uncon.
no longer shields them. Every
h'ne7t man will testify that the peace a nd seen
~ ii s1c!ety Is much better now that at anv
former time. Recently, in Milford, we had a
with a leading member Of the
Democratic party, who expressed it as his opn
ION that, in his town and vicinity there was not
The one hundredth part of the mischief arising
Isam rum now as before the passage of the law
that It was the duty Of every good citizen to
sustain IL, and he could not see how anv partv
Gould array itself against it. At Lewes we
net with Judge Layton and DR.. Hall, who in 1
ormed ns that the respect for the law was in.
,reasing every day. In some cases, as in other C
'arts of the State, the law was violated. but the
ale of liquor was nearly suppressed and a v
marked difference was observable in the condi. 8
ion Of society. These two gentlemen have s
'een laboring zealously more than twenty years b
or The triumph Of the temperance cause, and
ave been useful in their "day and generation. ii
udge Layton is canvassing the county and in 81
ends addEessing every neighborhood where he oI
an gee an audience. The Judge who has ta-
en- the lead in this noble cause, is not alone
lere are several other able men giving the O'
luse much labor and jpfIence-inany influ- &C
ltaI men of the eonaiy are resolved TO uphold o'
e law. regardless of politics. Judge Layton
med several prominent pemoerets. who have Sc
10 The highest offices in ths gift Of tho cOun- la