Smyrna times., 1858-07-29
Restrictive or Prohibitorv Laws,

Which have created so much bad blood amonp
certain class OF people, it seems, is taking a
wider range. and embracing in its brawny arms
the principles of general trade Heretofore, as
an offensive statute, it had reference merely TO
the one article of spurious liquors, and if in its
Case acknowledged by every reasonable man
20 be an unmiligated curse upon society, rob.
blng and despoiling it of every element of GOOD
without returning any recompense) it should
raise giant of popular fury, witk stentoran
cry against imagined Invaded rights, turned
political coats inside out, &c &c, what should
we expect would be the result of prohibitory
measure so broad in its application as the recent
law in New Hampshire With the former.
there was only one interest al stake-that SIM
ply of a vti1ted and destructive appetite for
alcoholic drinks but in the latter, all the CHM.
nels of trade, leading to prosperity and happi-
ness are debarred, and yet this general restric-
tlon seems not TO create a breath of the ndg-
nation as that which merely interfered with one
single, really unnecessary object True, the |
cases are in spirit dferent-different in that
they are in different States (the latter really in.
volVing question of constitutonality), but
based on the same principle, with this distinc.
tIoa: the one originated from spirit of ava
rlcouSness or sel6shRess the other from the
high principles of neutrality-suspicious. good TO
our fellow men. Originating as they have.
from such antpodal points (and especially in
the one case from prohibition of States rather
than Individually, they are not to be considered
far mOmenf narallnl noCap W III |
intend to enter into the merits of the question
at all-Our object simply being TO show that
prohibitOry laws are not confined alone to TEN.
Perance purposes, as the following will exhibit:
New HAMPSHIRE PRoHIpIroRY LAVA
very stringent law has just gone into operation {
In New Hampshire. which forbids the sal in
that State, by inhabitants of any other State, Of
I" any goods" wares or merchandise whatever,
whole or by samples or otherwise, under PEN
atty of not less than fifty dollars nor more than U
two hundred dollars.
Persons who have been two years citizens of ,
the State, and have resided for one year preyl.
Gus to making the application, in some town in I
the State. may be licensed 10 make such sales C
by paying each year so for license, and ST |
to the clerk of the court of common pleas.
One half of the penalty for any vioIati Of :
this law goes to the infOrmer aud the other half
TO the use of the town IN which such violation II
has been committed C
The law cuts off merchants, manufactures T
mechanics and farmers, from other States from
selling any of their goods, manufactures, or .
products in New Hampshire. even by sample-- a
1t prevents merchants from sending, has been il
the case heretofore, their clerks among their f
customers with samples of any new and desi
rable goods received, and taking orders for the >.
same. 1t prevents butchers and bakers who IL
live over the line in othOr States, from market. )
ing their products. I
person who should take or send from Mas
sachusetts into New Hampshire, for sale, any
agricultural implements, or even couple OF y
boxes of strawberries, half dozen oranges,l :,
would be liable to prosecution under this law. :
drover from Maine cannot sell on OK, a cow
or a sheep he travels through the State, with
oct being liable to the penalty of the law, nor u
can the denizens of Kittery sell pair of chick b
eDs quart Ofbueberries in the ad accent city :.
of Portsmouth, without being placed in the :, -
same category. l.
The law is important from its reviving the il
question of how far prohibition Of trade and re- D.
strctOn of the rights of citizens of other States
can be carried. Maine is said to have law
equally stringent with that of New Hampshire. "
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