Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1856-01-18
For the osrord Democrat.
Message Of Gov. Wells on the Liquor
Law,

Law.
The regulation Of the sale Of intoxicating
liquors will claim the early attention ~ the
legislature The laws upon that snbi"ct
have undergone frequent changes, and with
the light Of experience, new one may be
framed. which will suit the wants OF the
community. The liability 10 abuse and cx-
Co.'S In the consumption OF such liquors,
calls upon society % restrain the sale ~ Tar
a. i consistent with the liberty ofthe citizen.
Intcmpcrncc isa great evil, the parrnt oi
many sorruws, vices and crimes, and every
legitimate aud proper means should BE- used
tn prevent IT, But the true foundation Of
TEMPERANCE must bc laid in education Fines
aud hnrri.onmcnt tcrrify and restrain 10
some extent, but they rarely reform. Every
man capable Of managing hls affairs has the
right ~ determine fur himself what shall be-
eaten az drank IN his own house. and any
attempt hy law IN control him In the cNrr,
cisc Of it, cannot 10 justified. But when
ono undertakes 10 act upon society, by s'll-
ing lipuor. the law can properly prescribe
rules fOr his government, he then makes
. himseli amcnaho 20 the will Of others. So-
cicty, in the employment Of a proper discrc-
ton, may protect itscli.
In the above paragraph from The Mc'sasr
Of Gov. Wells, there Is such minsllns u
the two practices, selling aal drinking, as
10 lead 10 the belief that the Governor did
not perceive the distinction between them,
as carefully made by an who have occupied
the position Of temperance men, in this
State Tor year, past. We have never sought
to &c rc-truin mon. much loss 20 4" rsioru "
them in rcgird 10 what they may " eat and
drink" ly fines and imprisonment "
From the beginning, our legislation has had
reference e. the traffic rs branch ofhu'i.
mes. directly calculated 70 encourage drink
ing. and thus burden society with the uu-
.paaknhls evils of intcmporncc Our mp.
peal, have ever been 90 the drinker, 30
for,ako the cup. 81 ou would b" happy,
IRE. beloved and honorrl ior'r,s the cup
r. tho seller, abandon thc traffic, % full Of
evil n ,9rir'y. aud b" man, worthy the
respect and c.tccm of thr community in
which you live. This Is all We ask Of YOU.
But the reply has bccn, ~, r-,R oR and
you may step uGy1u CON-" Therefore, as
Legislators, We have said, You shall not
,,Hm1rrp,na ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS"
1 - hr, therefore. As the above extract
goes 10 implicatc the Temperance party "
IN, folly of attempting 70 restrain men By
legislation, Boz q. ,anqc and driglHr," 10 IT,
hl.c, AMI shows that the Governor 8, either
grossly un,u,, or uuplrl5nrbly Ignorant.
But what :, The position Ut the Governor
respecting he traffic. " The regulations VI
thc .alr Vt intoxicating liquors will claim
the car'y attention u the legislature. -
" when one undertake. 20 act upon society
by .rllinr liquors, the law can properly pre-
scribe rule. or his government be- then
make. hims''nmcnahl, IN the will oro,hrr,
Society, in che employment of proper do
-rsli1u, may rrl'srtit'rlr 90
Her 6, mas D" sem that ,hc Governor
admit. that Doe traffic i,a proper subject of
legislation bnt u not s' clear whether
Zoo would pa'1 th'' means OF restraint "
necessary, % tho principle Of Prohibition.
n rather 90 D. inferred from his language
That h' does NOT aIm't iH' rish'o' 'n' STAT,
90 prohibit The liability 20 ahasc and
excess IN ''' e'h''"P''n '' '"'' "i"'''
calls upon ''''''y 10 restrain Tho ''', - '''
a' Is consistent WIN ''' "''''y OF Tue '',''
f'n. N"A' '''' 'N' Governor mean ny
Che " liberty "i '"' ''i'''n docs N' moan
Alright which ''' principle "' pr'h'.'h'H
would r7-a..' Evidently h' does. Hot Ne
AK him ii che liberty ct 'h' c''''.n To- r'I"-
ton % che 'ah'' o. branch OF business
goes my farther Than The nights o' 'a' exc
posed 70 be rr''e''''lTom ,''a'n''',' '','',
and II the ''suT''y OF the individual anu ''
the community "'mahd lr'"'.'''lu 30 ~.
'r''t % Che manufacture ana sale ol 'n'''''
eai'rS drinks Is n'' '.'' most ''n''u'',''i'
the true doctrine on that 'a'''F Ini''l'
sac Governor >l' ''.'''Y '.'y '.''' :.
'I' Out ''' expression j. l"''''''-'" VIC
"'mlt'Nm'n' 'i @ P'f.' "'.''''.'' We
ask our ''r! cautious Governor '' '''' N''''
OF legislation WHO" ~, experience '' ''''''
had found necessary ''F t'e I''''''''" ''
society is mot To D' regarded a. "''l'n '''
hound'oi a" Tror'rd'''F'''' y" no.
q milk and water system oi legislation
is '' '' ''' '''' anu WIN. VIZ wa ''''
VIII NOT r''''' must ~ '.'1''.' ''''