The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-18

every which way" and after deliberate con-
sidcration hate concluded that Mr.. L. in be-
ing indignant with us made mistake, and
that Governor Wells is the one upon which
his wrath should be showered, for his whole
sale implication on the character of innhold-
ers, by surprising that they would consent
to be made liquor sellers at all. Only think
of it-Gov. Wells proposes that good and
respectable innholders, keepers of first class
Houses, like him Of the Biddeford House,
should arm themselves with the toddy sticks,
and like good and conscientious parents
deal out the liquor to the children Guests
who gather round the decanters and learn
their lessons of family government from those
who, Governor Wells says, stands towards
travellers and guests in the interesting re-
lation " of heads of families" We are not
surprized that there should be irritation Mt
this suggestion of Judge Wells, and especial.
ly with the keeper Of the Biddeiord House
whom nobody supposcs would be guilty of
furnishing liquors on any principle, much
less on that suggested by Governor Wells, by
virtue of his standing in relation to his
guests us head of family-but we are
surprized that he should be angered with us
for showing by familiar illustration the
complete absurdity of the Governors notions,
and this too in the most innocent manner
imaginable. Why, we are as much opposed
to compelling him to use the toddy sticks for
travellers and guests, Us he can be, and we
hope before he will be driven to the business,
by the blarney of Governor Wells about
heads of families and all that sort of
stuff, he will say, "tavern keeping go to
thunder, / wont even to please Judge Wells
be made liquor seller" But to stop this
badinGge we felt compelled to have little
fun out of this matter. Mine host of the
Biddeford House, so long as he is class
leader in the rum meetings, and is even
now seeking promotion from the bishop,
should not object to his opponents drawing
their illustrations of the absurdity of the
notions his friends entertain from familiar
scenes. Governor Wells idea of licenses
does not suit us at all. We are democratic
in our notions. If Rum selling is just and
proper, everybody should have right to
engage in the business - on the contrary, il
it Is a public pest, as we believe it to be-,
" the parent of many sorrows, vices and
crimes as Governor Wells says intemper-
ancc is, nobody should be allowed to sell it
as beverage. We want no singing out in
tho business. From the respectable houses
which sell, the worst influences proceed
They are infinitely more to be dreaded than
the low GROCERIES, where the filth and squar-
lor of the confirmed inebrate is perpetually
teaching by. its contrasts the lesson of sobrie-
ty. 1t is in the respectable Hotels that the
appetite of our young men for liquors. form
ed, and where they are gradually prepared
to graduate with all the honors of the class,
to become the future frequenters of the low
groggrics. r.E.
Those who do not agree with us in our views
of Gov. Wells position, must not complain il
in the arguments we use to combat it, we avail
ourselves of every honest means to make it
as nauseous in the stomachs of the people
AS 1t n IN our own. We want no mOnopo-
ly in the conscience soaring, society destroy
ing, death dealing, business Of selling rum.
If it must be done, let it be done openly,
give every man n chance to make money out
of it, and let there be efforts to so raise the
standard of public sentiment against it, as
to stamp with public censurc every one who
engages in it. We want no license law, al
lowing innholders and several Others in each
town to sell it as beverage, thus giving to
the business sanction Of responsibility, To-
gal though it be. We abhor and detest the
very thought that law should be made to
sustain business which is at war with the
best interests of society, and the perpetual
and prolific cause of human woe, ignorance,
degradation, and crime. We might say
more on this subject, but we have not space.
While VIC regret that anything we have
an III bos yiyen ofIanse though not DESIGNED