Smyrna times., 1858-01-14
Original article.
Written for The Smyrna Times
III E Z A NJ HOLY RS.
BY NJ. TUCKERMAN.


Man will take anything you like except
warning. Who ever heard of a half.drowned
skater dreading the ice! The oftener it breaks
under him, the thinner the sheet he loves to
cut his epaph upon. And, in great measure,
t is even with the ncbriate,-although he
has now been worsted by the habtual use of
the most poisonous liqaor, and warned of the
consequences by frequent attacks Of delirium
fremens, onward he goes in his downward
course seemingly without thought or remorse of
conscience for his rad career of life. Nor has
he had much chance for refOrma ton in consid.
erutiOn ofthe numerous mptutions with which
he is surrounded at every move he makes
through the ordinary course of his daily av2ca-
lion. The liquor seller is one who ever has
a ready smile and willing hand TO welcome
the weak and seduce the strong within the pre-
cincts of his iniqnty.
Now, what chance will there be for society
to grow any wiser o: better upon this subject
until we put ourselves under the protection of
temperance Hlrrass ssed we will be, no doubt
by tricks and contrlvaGces,--o nsulted,
provoked. by tae unruly spirit of faction. The
well-dlsPosed had gained a victory in the pas
sage Of the Prohrbitory Law. IL was by no
means perfect, and many of its provisions might
have been wisely improved other parts ought
to have been corrected, while other portions
might have been revised entirely. The subse-
quent Legislature which met at the capital
bod hy fhoir uSfit
marked by degree Of talents, wisdom aRd cool
Judgment, whose foresight would have enabled
them to correct those evils. Did they do it
No. Without going into anything like an
analysis of the law, they repealed 1t in toto,
without giving anything like substitute. They
talked of the independent spirit of their con-
stituents, and the glory of resisting the prohi-
bitory law but while they rallied at the slavery
of temperance men, their own selfaggrandize-
ment was the object in view,--and their whole
history OF legislation will be known by their
acts.
The substantial liberties of community in
volve much more than either the bare protec
tion of persons and chattles or the ample exer-
q
thought aud of speech which may be almost de-
stroyed in some communities that are the loud
est in their boasting of freedom. There is
llberty-moral and intellectual--the true glory
| Of people, which consists in a nd demands the
unstraned expansion of all our faculties, the
exercise of all talents, and the spontaneous ex-
preston of all diversities of taste and all forms
of ofindivduality. But this high liberty of mind,
forfeited in the very struggle of parties to Sc
cure power and curtail political liberty, must
assuredy be faithfully guarded by whatever
cherishes distinctiveness of character, and it
must certainly be endangered by whatever
course of legislation that goes to break down
individuality. Thus giving an unbridled scope
to the sale of liquor throughout an entire COM
munity or State, and would show on the part of
Ieg gqsIators something like disposition to i'm
pose uniform system Ofdrinking upon the
| whole. r..
We are not governed by public opinion
We exist and can only prove our individuality
as State in the compact of the federal Union,
by the laws of government under which we
live; and if we enact laws for the sale of rum,
u would be not only unfair but equally Gngen-
erous II we did not give to all, who think pro-
per- the right to enter the business instead of
placing it in the hands Of monopolizing few
to reap harvest of rich rewards without regard
to,ths degradation or ruin of then, customers.
This system was once tried, aud did not bring