The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-04-18
Massachusetts, State Rights and
Whiskey.

" AA''1~oJs
We will not try The patience Of our rea-
ders by actually relating the old story about
the LAWYER and the Farmer" "four Ok
and my Bull" &c, but if we did not make
some allusion to it in the very beginning OF
our article, we might be suspected Of ash!y
attempt to pass it off under thin disguise
as an entirely original tale. i
Massachusetts, the land Of "isms," OF
Utopias, higher laws and superhuman NOR
altv: the home of Sumner and Phillips;
the shining light Of loyalty and love for the
Union; tile mother of Beast Butler and
Banks; the State that did more to get up
the revolution Of l776 and to put down
that of 1861, than all the other States put
together, including the loyal niggers, has
got herself into six" And for what
Why about ayhiskey! and State Rights /!
We knew man once who maintained that
whiskey and true religion was all that any
person required and he seemed to have
enough of the latter when we'll soaked with
the former; but just think, of the equanlm-
nifty of the sdncttna sanctoa'una OF Puritan
dom and Radicalism being disturbed by the
conjunction Of whiskey and State Rights
The attempt to put to- practical tests the
theories Of Massachusetts politicians, hav-
inc driven the General Government to the
very verge Of bankruptcy, that Goyernment.
has been obliged, in order to raise money,
to tax everything. It taxes every descrip,,
tiop of business that is usually considered
legitimate, and failing by this means to
raise revenue enough, it has made legiti-
mate some forms of trade which individu
al States have forbidden. In SO doing it
has only put in practice the avowed theo-
ries Of Radical, New England pseudostates-
men.
So long as it confines its,aggressions on
the rights of States to heather lands, such
as the white portion Of the late Confeder-
acy, Puritan patriots look quietly on with
gentle smile of encouragement and an oc-
casional rapturous "encore." But no soon
err does o Radical -begotten law interfere
with the enactments of Radical State than
the Radical crew exclaim in horror of ag-
erosion and injustice, and fly to the dam
nable heresey Of State Rights for defense
/ The Massachusetts case in point is this
Massachusetts prohibits the sale Of liquor
within her boundaries. And IN this, by
the way, she is right The weak heads anc
loose morality of her people, judging from
the specimens she puts forward as her re
representatives., will never be able Ito stane
whiskey. The United States being fol
} reasons we have stated, hard up for money
grants licenses to sell liquor. Some un
educated people in the goldfish State, proba
bly, refugees from the South, believing tha
. Sumner, Wlson,s& Co, were honest, ant
) expressed the real sentiment OF their Stat'
: when they proclaimed so loudly the su
premacy Of Federal to every State Gov
ernment, bought one of these licenses ant
set up liquor shop in Taunton. Tn
4 State constables, chosen OF course for thel
sobriety, morality, patriotism, and genera
puritanical excellence, seized the forbidden
; huidg. The United States Marshal, repre-
5 tsenting according to the radical creed
higher law and paramount sovereignty, re
seized them and restored them to the shop
keepers. Hiac ile lccrynaR. Massachu
setts won't stand it. Her paragon, Charlie
] Sumner (immortalized as our readers ma
remember, by Preston Brookes OF sout
: Carolna) is to be called home to settle tn
: difficulty. Congress will either adjonr
4 during his absence, or will occupy itself j
preparing a law for the regulation of lh
0 southwest wind.
e Waiting the arrival Of Charles, the 70
/ lowing argument is put forward by tn
0 States rights party at home: ;,
e "The power of raising means for its oW
support being essential to every goyernmer
It could not be denied to either of the partit
f. in such controversy. The field is nece
e sarily one of joint occupation and jurisd
if zion; and from the nature of the cases, r
lie lance must be placed on the discretion al
n forbearance of both governments to ayol
ID measures which may be mutually embara
30 sing or oppressiye to their common citizen
Under this Interpretation of rights, ar
State clearly has the power as to her oW
/ citizens, if her own policy allows it, to ia
"a any pursuit SO heavily as to drive it out
existence" a5q7
This has the true stamp of Massach
y setts whp-the-devil-round-the stump logl
~ The United States is right Certainl
e Massachusetts is right. OF course. The
ie y, can be no controversy between parties
nv remarkable for discretion and forhearane
10 The people are common citizens OF bot
.Undee this interpretation ofrights 1T
IS no Interpretation of rights OF all Mass
OF chusetts clearly has the power to 40 as s.
pleases. >.
be Suppose Alabama. stif her own poll
n allows IT.. chooses to pass a law forbiddi
We the carrying of arms to the ignorant al
X vicious class other population Twill, Mass
d. chusetts back her against that Radical re
ed eral higher law, the internal Freedmen
lie Bureau. ;,
he Suppose South Carolina, "if her poll
"a alIowes it," chooses to punish certa
%. crimes by stripes, will Massachusetts pl
to test against the interference OF Federal
he nv officers with her 'rights'
he oh, no! Massachusetts, is right, and t
u United States. is right; but Federal supren
lie cy was never intended to apply North
ds the Potomac and Ohio.
er After half a century passed III unscl
ne puious efforts to overthrowtt 1.-THE Fede
as a. Union ofindependent sovereign States, p
d. paratory to upsetting it into central &c
ls, ernment, a despotisnl, it is curious to S
ID how the Puritans writhe when their o.
M principles are practically applied to the
er, selves It is retr.butive justice, and
on GENES in most fitting form to the wo1
"a be models of decency and morality, il
ne pitiful quarrel about few barrels Of lila
A Nothing either in the tyranny OF
IL Massachusetts laws nor in the inconsist'
es cy Of the Massachusetts government in +
tiy present case, gives US the least surpri
it But weconfess to a little astonishment
an reading the following remarks on the TAI
all ton liquor case in the columns of the
as Y. Times, a paper which we have heretof'
dy considered .eminently anti Stat
Dry Rights: p.''. lsa s,s .ai a1f rs,