The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-25


At the meeting of the Mechanics Associ;,-
ton for lectures and debates, last evening,
the following question, laid on the table at a
prey,ous meeting, was discussed:
9esoired, That stringent enforcement of pro-
hibitory against the sale of intoxicating liquors
i the most successful mcthed by which intemper-
Mr.. Day opened the debate with general
remarks in regard to the Importance of the
question. He said the enforcement of the law
would lesson the quantity Of liquor sold and
consequently the amount of intemperance-
thought the enforcement of the law would
tend to bring up public sentiment to the sus-
tanning piont-sa;d it was commended at first
that the law could not be enforced, but when
the attempt was made In earnest by Neal Dow
the majority OF the people cquiesced-spoke
of the course pursued by the political parties,
that it had lessened the efficiency Of the law.
Mr.. Holden followed in the affirmative-said
he advocated the doctrine, at one time, that
moral means were sufficient TO overcome all
these evils, but he had lived to learn better
that some men need, and can only be restrain
ed, by the power of law, among which are
those, who, for gain, are putting the cup to
their neighbours lips-the violation of other
laws is followed by penalties and the people
sanction it, and why should it not be the case
in violation of the law against the sale Of
liquor.
Mr.. Patten re-aflirmed his former statement
said there was a want Of interest among the
people on the subject Of temperance-that
there is not interest enough among the people
to enforce the law-that the first work was to
arouse the people to the Importance OF this
great work, and unless that can be done the
officers are powerless in putting stop TO IL
quor selling by law-thought the clergymen
were not doing there duty fully-they ought
to sound the alarm when they see the deyasta-
ton Of intempcrance, and labor to save the
young from the terrible fate that awaits them.
Mr.. Barnes wished to know what class of
men are now engaged in the liquor traffic.
Thought they were men who could cot be in
fuenced by reason, or argument, or persua-
sion-prosecution should commence where
they commence making drunkards-at the
respectable hotel. Strange that men can see
their sons going into drunkards' graves, with
out making an effort to take the temptation
out Of their way; spoke of the necessity of
closing up the rum shops, as the only means
of saving many Of our own brave soldiers, who
escape the bullet TO fall by the bottle; a visit
to the families OF the drunkard would be
sufficient TO arouse any man of common sensi-
bility TO the Importance of closing up the
grog shops, as means OF saving wives and
Mr.. Walker thought Mr.. Patten had not
faith enough in the peoplc-that if strong
movement was made on the part of the au-
thorties to enforce the law, the people would
sustain them-that the temperance people are
not awake as they should be, while they are
right in sentment-more crime is caused by in
temperance than by all other causes, and the
rumseller is accessory to it-temperancc men
indirectly sustain beer shops by patronizins
them in various ways.
Mr.. Pingree said all admit that alcohol is a
necessary sanitary agent-that the fault is not
with the alcohol, but in the mind OF the man
who used it-human sympathy and human
wisdom are the instrumentalities TO be relied
upon In overcoming the evil.
Mr.. Coyle spoke of the interest he felt in
the question-he had seen intemperance in all
its phases-had seen his friends and associates
fall by it-did not think the evil could be over
come by law-had existed as far back as histo-
ry carries us-law is too much depended on,
and moral suasion neglected = did not think
there was any better way to save the drunk
ard than by moral suasion.
The debate was continued by Messrs. Fos-
ter, Beal and Coyle, and the question was de-
cided in the Affirmative.