Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-03-04
dhe 6rse press,
BURLINGTON
FRIDAY MORNING MARCH 4. 1864.
Objections Answered.
BURLINGTON

We haNc reau idiely eOulc uDlccIlOns 10 Nne
Prohibitory Law. Let US look at them
First. The law was passed by majority
Of one, and adopted by small majority be-
fore the people. True,-and in ten years it
has so vindIcated itself that in the last legis-
lature, bill for its repeal only secured a
reading, by declaration on the part of the
intrcducer that he would take personal ofiense,
End resign and 20 home if his bill was snub-
bed in that style. In no year since It's pas
sage could the repeal of the law have been
lObbyed or bought though the legislature, OF
have secured over third of the popular
vote.
Second. 1t Is not adapted to the d" moral
sense " of the people We think it ts,-and
that the q" moral sense of the people calls
for its enforcement, not repeal. Is it the
moral sense of the people that is calling for
free rum?
Third. 1t induces host of 80 irresponsible
men and women, Sc 70 engage IN the Illicit sals
This argument will hold as goodfor the licen-
sing Of faro banks and houses Of i'll fame, in or
der that more reputable persons may engage
/ in those branches Of business. But license
law will not lessen much the number Of ille-
gal sellers. Witness the city ofN. v. under
whose license system, called very stringent.
there are Sol licensed sellers, and over eiqbt
thousand unlicensed grog-shops. These figures
were reported by the Grand Jury of the
Court of General Sessions. in that city. with
in a week
Fourth The attempts to enforce the law
by leagues and secret societies result in quar-
relling and contention among neighbors. OF
course " no rogue t 'er felt the halter draw.
with good opinion OF the law " or Of his
neighbors who support and enforce it-be it
what it may. But how about the evil which
the law combats? Is infemDerdnoe no source
of quarrelling and contention? Docs the
free sale Of liquor conduce to the d" peace and
good feeling OF society? On which side lies
the balance?
Fifth. Town agents abuse their trust.
Let such be turned out, then, and their
places supplied with better men.
&Ith The law denies the hard working
man his glass Of whiskey, while the rich
men can keep his store Of liquors in his
house. True, the proper operation of the
law keeps drink from the poor man, keeps
too his body from Jail, and his family from
the poor house. A license law will lessen
not a drop the stores Of the rich drInker, but
Will give the poor drunkard his groS and
tend to bring all, rich and poor,to common
level Of indulgence. Is this result to be
labored for by good men ? FIVE cannot save
every man, shall we save none
!SereHth 1t " drives our respectable hotel
keepers into law breaking" All, Is it
any thing but the enormous profits OF bar
that "a drives these respectable law break
ers2 50 too the profits Of counterfeiting
drive" the counterfeiter into his unlawful
trade That a good hotel cannot be kept
and make money without bar, and he all
the more respectable for its absence. is sheer
nonsense.
Eighth. The law encourages d" pirate
drinking" We deny it, as general tact,
or in any sense other than that in which the
W a-iinst theft nav be said O. enclIrtSe
private stealing. The man who drinks now
in private but would prefer to drink at pub
lie bar. will drink none the lees, when pub
lie bars are legalized The removal Of the
open bar removes temptation and ruin from
thousands This is too plain for argument.
In fine " Let it be sold at the open bar, in
broad daylight, so that the honest, decent
citizen can have his natural rights respect
ed. and if he wants glass Of liquor he can
have it in manly way.'-says the organ OF
licensed selling. Not 50, say We. The sale
and use of intoxicating liquors for any pur-
nose not now authorized by law is demoral-
ling. degrading the fruitful source OF
misery and crime. Let us repress 1t as much
as nosslble. five cannot utterly prevent 1t,
Lot If he driven into dens and dark places.
Let 1t still be unlawful and disgraoeiul. Let
the .. honest decent citizen" find his honor
and decency in control, not In indulgence Of
his lowest appetites Let it be more manly
N decline than to drink. Heaven toreiend
the dav when it shall be otherwise in this
/ community.