The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-03-13


sorrow and lamentation througout the civil
lied world This is out one instance. though
a signal one, in which alcohol Smites and desc
la:es those who abstain from its use. There
can be no security for the sober, " hlle crunk-
ards are manufactured by process OF Ia"'ano
! permitted to prowl by night and by day
There is no safety for any ore In society,
male or female, old or young, rich or poor,
where intoxicating liquors are sold as OeF-
erage Whether at home or abroad, fulng
or walking lying down or sitting up, the lie,
property and happiness of every human pc
! ing, is endangered by the continuance OF TINS
horrible traffic. We ask to be protected Irom
this state of things We believe it is IN your
power TO protect us by the passage OF Il law
/ forbidding the sale of such beverages, ana we
/ feel that we bave a right to claim this much
at your hands. 1t was for such protection as
this that our Government was organized
it is for this that we pay our taxes and bear
the public burdens.
We know that there are persons who pre-
tend to doubt your constitutional power to
Danish such an outrage on all that man holds
dear. Where, then, do you get the power
TO stop locOmotion-to arrest mans right
to travel, because he is affected with certain
ailments The State has established a quar-
rantine on the Delaware river, at which they
forcibly detain all vessels having on board
persons laboring under contagious or infec-
tious diseases. Is not the right to establish
such an institution derived from the law of
Iselt-defence2 And will not the principle
authorize society to protect itself from the
consequences of a business more dreadful
and blghting than the whole catalogue of
the worst distempers that ever rayagcd the
world If we may not invoke the power Of
the law for the suppression of this appalling
and destructive business, then is the ConStt-
tuition a nulity, and civil government sham
! We know it is contended that taYerns are
necessary for the public accommodation. and
that they cannot be kept without the privilege
ofseling liquor. We grant that public houses
are needed, but deny that more are necessary
than caa live by supplying the real wants OF
the public. Are we bound to foster base
appUtltes and depraved habits, in order to
Secuf5 sufficient number of taverns. As we'll
might it be argued that we are bound TO take
medicine when we are not sick, in order that
the public be accommodated with physicians
and apolhecarles when wanted. That the
present number of tavernS could not be sup
ported if confined to the useful part of their
business, is quite probable. Granting this,
1t follows that at this time there are more
public good require. And what else does it
show? Why clearly that the whole excess
over and above what is really required for the
public accommodation, which, for aught we
know may be one-half of the whole number
owe their existence to a traffic which neither
| promotes nor seeks to promote the public
good-a traffic which is not only waste Of
all the money it involves, but which is the
source OF nearly all the poverty, crime and
suffering thu, exists IN the State. The Uublic
want taverns, and must and will support so
| many and such as are needed, but they do
not want dram-seling tayerns. Better thou
sand times would it be TO have none at all,
! than to have such us produce iniRitely more
evil than good
/ We are aware that the vender pleads pow
erty as an excuse for continuing the traffic =
Hesays he must sell liquor to support his family.
| This we deny. We do not belle, es that Prov
idence has SO ordered things that men cannot
live without preying upon each other. Ninety
! nine out of a hundred of our people live
/ without the privilege, and think 1T no hard
/ ship. As we'll might we have everlasting
| war among the nations Of the earth, for the
mere purpose Of giving steady employment
! and high wages to officers and soldiers, or as
well might The makers Of idols in heather
/
because it would spoil their trade. But if
those engaged in the liquor business cannot
support themselves and their families by some
honest and useful vocation, then we say let
the public support them. We would much
rather be taxed to maintain them than the
paupers and criminals which they are con-
stantly throwing upon the public. We are
willing to bear all necessary burdens, but we
are tired OF sustaining the oppressive load
which IS heaped upon US by a legalized vice.
We are also aware that it is cOntended that
prohibitary law could not be enforced. This
we do not believe. We are confident that it
would be more easy to enforce such a law
than to prevent a violation of our present
license laws The sale Of strong drinks can
be prohibited and banished, but it cannot be
regu5ated so long as it is approved by law
We look upon the legalized traffic as the parent
of the illegal traffic, and we doubt not that so
long as the former is permitted, the latter
I will prevail in spite of the most stringent en-
actments to the contrary. Give US the law,
and will see that is executed If after
its adoption men are found ready to violate
tive shall not De surprised, nor shall we regard
that as reason for Its repeal. The laws
against fraud, theft and counterfelting, are
! frequently broken, yet no ore thinks of max
ing such lntraction pretext for their repeal
or an excuse for licensing the crimes which
they are intended to prevent If liquor is
| sold as beverage, wish it to be sold
| contrary to lar. We think the effect of such
sale under the ban of law, is much less per-
nicious than it otherwise would be- We
maintain that our laws should be on the side
Of virtue and morality, whether they can be
enforced or not, as it is better that men who
will do wrong should act in the face of the
law, than that the law should be made to
sanction their wrong doing.
We hope you will see the justice and urgent
necessity of granting the act we solicit, and
we are confident that its fruits will be such
that your names and deeds will be held III
grateful remembrance by a happy and i'm
! proving posterity.
Signed by order of the Grand Lodge, and
on behalf OF seven thousand members of the
Order OF Good Templars in the State.