Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1857-06-13
RICHMOND WING.
From fAs Lordos Tunes. Xsy 20.
rgr TEMPERANCE QUESTION

rae TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
The M.lre I'crr I've has been . signal failure In the
province from which 70 derives lie name In Maine, Il
We are rightly informed the ensct~cnt 70 Get az defiance
"a hupd-sd -sy. and psrrous ~ho not dispo-
ssd h.bta.l drults cannot brig themselves to
submit system OF Temperance By statute. The prohi-
bition indeed appears In great 10 work its
o~n feat. Men vn not cultivate the moral virtues
through fear OF fne and not the
virtue u temperance. Nov, not about TO sing the
praises Of drunkenness recommend the bottle
the grand panacea Tor all human ills. We could cay
many ne things abou, tho evils which result from habit
ua utempersnce any profcssei lecturer from Msine
we're Il worth while weary readers with stale
ism. Joald persuade the people Of ihs country,
TO abstain altogether from fermented ieuors bat TO
ens themselves within those reasonable limits which
and experience point out suitable In such matter
90 are well cha, the Of the country would
diminished In iuHns degree. vast amount moreover
Of misery and degradation. which is brought al
under the cognr.nce ofthe criminal Is also be
,rbuted to the pernicious influence Of drink" We
all agreed the facts far habiu. ihsobtiey IL
concerned but at this point We part company With
the apostles OF the Msse Liquor Lss. In the moist
emat. which lot Is cast and artificial habits
Of life undoubtedly are fully believe that an artificial
sauous II used in moderation, 90 far IRON being pro-
ducnve Of evil 10 Of positive advantage TO the consu
ton Almost every pdividasl In these Isands, per-
hsps the agricultural isor-r leads highly artificial
i.tence u Is the thing with the artisan, the
chanc and the manufacturing operative With the over
worked barister, or merchant or author In the one
nearly the whole OF mans waking hours spent
In heated aud anwholesome atmosphere, labor Of
uaceasng and monoonous kind. In the other thee
Perpstra strain upon the brain. perpetual wear and
OF nervous When the time for relaxa
tion arrives the whose o' is to i've like hermit
and ~ork like horse ID capable of the ton which
would refresh the energies of the savage He sits down
meal with craving for food rather than with
wholesome hunger. aud the food before him is rich
aud lar The
will fee glasses of cold water supply that stimulous
wnch the lahgud stomach absolutely rvruire TO euable
lt TO rorm its task The Maine Liquor Law enthus-
asts may talk they will about the delights Of tie pure
fountain; OF thVse Who believe that glass
Of good sherry other wholesome wIne tar IRON be-
ing injurious In the described will rather a
cordial aud restore the adsd energies OF exhausted
Now, when We claim this privilege fur ourselves. We
have wish 20 associate from that OF
poorer iellowsupj-cts who may be engaged in the
operations OF handcraf What the glass Of sherry
the ked brain aboer Is the glass Of
she mechanic artisan. II all Exeter.hz or all the
platforms in Maine rise pioHs indignation
startling expression Of opinion, would stll say
that the poor Is the worse but much the better
for his gsss OF beer Ho~ever translucent may DO tie
aqueous theories OF the pssans OF total abstinence, the
ex,erence OF manki is sgainst them. The human
broedy by their practice nainain the principle that In
snother they will havs stimulating drink Of
kind IL i fal-e position, however, that
the decision ~ n4nkind therefore is for drunkenness
e. things. should be guide.
sA0 ~ a. 60 1nOrnouS majority OF the Inhabitants
OF these Islands lake Of iern"ntd liquors, but
~ small minority h4bitual dunkaids. Of the $780,
600 persons, whom Ws rough calculation
represent the adult male population Of Great Bitain
and Ireland, how many hubitusl dtuukards-hor
many drunk 10 th Of any given twenty
fur hours Are therefore TO be told that because
few ~eak depTaved people deliberately choose make
oes-tr OF q emstves aud 10 bring iuin upon all about
thrm the reasonable liberty OF the grest bulk of their Eel
lowsuh i TO be restrain nv restrictive sumptuary
Law To enforce temperanceY We can assure the Hon.
Neal DoW OF Portland United States who lecture us
At Exeter hall this day that he wasting his abour
his eloquence in England. We know, well he can
Sell that DRUNKENNESS here, IA all other civilized
countreena fruitful source OF crime We cannot hos
compare our oar any other country with nuti,
oil water irnkeis-or rather with nation which 10
arh ai stimulusrnd tor the simple that such
Community exsts, ever has existed in the annals OF
IhS Wofd This world Is Of some standing in the uni
r-fee, and toe inference would pretty clear
ON As matter uf atstract speculation il might b.
inquire what vices and would mos, prevail
among nat on OF pure waterdnkers unless influences
lar more potent than their hSbua beverage work
among them. But the State OF Maine will not sup
ply us with The OF nsttutng any such comparison
Let t not be supposed that underrate Tor q moment
she evils which arise from drunkenness We merely pro-
est as lar our duhkaTd> concerned agsnst efforts
to rviorm them at the cost OF the teper Indulgence
the whole sober population The Maine Liquor Law men
occupy pretty nearly IN the temperance o son the same
pDeion as the Peace Society have douv for some time
past upon that o Our objection in either case is
that these enthusiasts positively do HARM inasnuch a.
they combat great aud acknowlvdg evil With napprt-
pirate weapons. Let VA By oil do what We can for
the reformation Of our drunkard; let apply all whole
some nueices OF religion OF education, of orderly homes
of social dec cies and Of see<peet which serve 10
guftd those who 70 after frUiu furfi an
evil We know perfectly well what the nature OF IL l.
and what It's extent end how be deal; with The
Maine q1of Law, boSeVer, is not weapon which will