Smyrna times., 1856-01-16
10 the Voters of Delaware,


monwealth, | conceive that no one ouestior is
ol sach vital Importance as this, "Shall the
principle OF the prohibition of the sale of in
toxicating drinks as beverage, embodied in an
Act passed by the Legislature of the State at
Its last session, be susta ned 2" AS 4 citizen of
the Stale, Interested in all that appertans to
the welfare and happiness of the people, l am
deeply anxious that the voters of Delaware
should sustain and uphold the principle of LEGAL
Prohibition. That a strong combination of
men influenced by the desire Of gain from the
sale OF liquors, and others by the desire of
party triumph and political promotion. are ar
raylng themselves against the law, is a fact
widely and generally known-that eyerv infn-
ence that can be made to tell against the lav
10 oelng brought into requisti0n is as general.
~ known. 1t remains to be seen, nv fellow
citizens, whether these influences shall Drev,iI
lmpelled by sense of duty, venture TO appeal
to you to consider we'll the deep responsibilitv
that rests upon you individually, relative to this
matter. The law is now on your statute book
II Kept there and properly sustained. no one in
his sober senses believes that it will fail IN Nh,
stop, in great measure, to the drinking cns.
toms which have to so great an extent prevail
ed In our midst. If this law is now swept from
the statute-bsok and the rum influence is mar
mltted again to run riot over the PROSTATE in.
terests of our State, we shall he in a cond;,ior
depiorabie and hopeless in the extreme. That
there is a large majority of the voters of Della
ware in favor Of Prohibition, I verify bel;evo
1t all who are favorable will bu, do tbn;r d,,r
aud speak and act out rheir sentiments on n,
subject.
IL is subJcctin which all the citizens of the
State who value the happiness of the ueonIe
ana HS true prosperity as above individual
prosperity, at the expense and ruin Of tbosa in.
lereSts' nave a common interest. The real
question at issue is, shall we have virtuous
Intelligent and law-abiding community or shall
we have IN the future as we have had in ,bo
past community disturbed by drunkenness
rlotS anu bfawls. Shall the voters of Delaware
IN the future be men who Conscious Of ,ba d,u
nty OF freemen, go to the polls as freenon -
vote their own sentiments, or shall tho, h., -.
too many OF them lave been in the mast tlo
oeSoued victims OF ntemperance-cooped nm
for days before an election by those who vo,ed
them, as if they had no will of their owr .rd
then rnn-Soaked, till every faculty and feeling
except their raging thirst for aIcoholic s,;,n,'
iahtS were dead within, marched up to the polls
and voted by those who had the control of
them. Who for moment can reflect nnor ,bo
dllercnce between a sober and drunsar nao
pie! Who can follow out in his rct,cc,;on. -.
private happiness and public prosperity ,b,,
results from order and sobriety, and thcn ,l;nL
OF all the misery that results to individuals .,
families and to the community, from habits of
drunkenness, and hesitate on which s;do of 81;
greatquestion he will array himself And who
can array himself against law prohibiting the
sale OF intoxicating drinks, in view of All n.
eVi's oi the past without feeling that his cours,
Is IN opposition 10 the happiness Of tho roon,,,
and the prosperity of the State! Nv fifth IN
the honesty OF heart aud the purity of inten-
ton OF the large body of the voters of Do,.
ware Is too strong to suppose that thev can h..
induced so TO array themselves. | conceive
all that is necessary is to get them to think e,r
themselves on this subject. If you do that. |
nave no Tears Tor the result. know You are
ready to exc!aim,
This ls my own, my native land"
and all that will promote the dignity and olorv
o.
o' my State shall have my cordial and zenIors
suPPort-all that is adverse to her ;n,oros,,
shall receive the seal of my earnest coudenna
''0"' NEsrOR.