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


How long, or in other words, how muct
longer, will the Legislature of this en-
Ightened State permit such monstrouS
anomalies, such iniquitous enactments, tc
disfgure our laws, and shed blight ana
mildcw upon suffering people!
Is 1t not a strange and shameful thing
that vice should be eustalled and upheld
by statute that governmental sanction
should be given to that which Is the prln-
cipal insticator of crime, and which causes
adaily and hourly nfraction of lawsT WE
raise legal mounds around each iudivid-
ual, for the security of person and prop
erty, and then, as if for the very purpose
of defeating their object, we license that
which causes them to be rent asunder.
We pull down with one hand what we
build up with the other. Protective laws
are of no avail while that is encouraged
by law which never fails to secure their
violation. OF what use are laws against
assaults. blows, theft, robberles, and mur-
der. while we commission men to deal out
that which makes ruffianism, thieves, rob
bers and murdorers What sense or rea-
son is there in such legislation All the
purposes of good government and well
organized judiciary, are defeated by the
Iiquor traffic and SO long as this traffic
is sustained and not forbidden by law, SO
long shall we feel that we are deprived of
the legal projection to person and prop
erty which the people have right to
claim of their rulers, and which it is the
first duty of all governments to afford
What would be thought Of a Legisla-
ture that should construct system of
wise and wholesome laws fer a people,
and then cap the climax by the addition
of statute the direct and necessary effect
of which would be to insure the nul,ifca-
tion of the whole previous code Their
wisdom might be!ikened to that of man
who should build Gue house for him
self aud family, and then cause a creVice
to be opened under the caves, sufficiently
large to allow the first blast of wind to
unroof it, and expose its wretched inmates
to the pe!ting of every after storm that
might chance to beat npon them. Our
legislators, whatever may have been their
motives, committed an act of equal folly
when they framed our present license
laws and we shall be in he condition OF
q family inhabiting a roofeSs house, or a
community without a government, until
we obtain that first and most necessary
provision for our satety-a law prohibit
Ing the liquor traffic. Our whole criminal
code is splendid cheat, and our judiciary
a solemn mockery.
We say this because we know we are
dealing with matter in which the inno-
cent are forever doomed to suffer with the
guilty, and we would call your special
attention to the fact that the innocent are
the greatest sufferers. The most fright
full accidents and casualties are constantly
happening from intoxication, horses are
driven by persons inhamed by liquor
through town and country, at the top of
their speed, endangering the lives and
property Of all in their way fire Is care
lessly handled by drunken men, and ex
tensive confa9rations are the consequence.
We have no security against such dlsas
ters SO long as the law remains as it is
We cannot enter stage coach, railroad
= car, steamboat, or packet ship, without
putting our lives in jeopardy from the
besOtted heedlessness Of drivers, engineers
pilots and captains. How many steamer.
loaded with human beings have beer
blown to atoms how many ships freighteC
with untold wealth have been founderec
in the ocean how many cities laid il
ashes, through the direct and indirec
agency of alcohol?
Ia the eloquent language of one of ouI
navy officers "Couid the wave that ha,
been the winding sheet of the sailor speak
could the lonely shore reveal the secrets
of its frequent mounds, there would bt
voice on the ocean, and bones on It's
strand. to tell tale Of death more wild
and dark than any that ever yet knelIed
Its terrors through the most tragic dream
His not the tempest casting tho proud
ship a naked hulk on the deep, not
the rock strewn with fragments of its
perished strength, that has wrought this
scoue of desolaton and filled SO many
hearts with unavailing sorrow-it is that
emp insduous poison mingled and mixed
and still placed to his lips by the Gov
ernment Yes, by the Government p
If those who indulge in debasing beverages
were the only sufferers, we might be disposed
TO regard their degradation and misery as a
righteous retribution, and submit to witness
their just Affections n silence; but society is
so constituted that no human being can fall
from responsibility and usefulness without
dragging down with him a greater or less
number of guitless victims and all these to-
gether with the erring one, are constantly ex-
citing our pity and compassion. We cannot
be happy and cheerful while they are so sad
and miserable But If we could become cal
lous and indifferent to the woes Of all such,
we who abstain from the drunkards potations
are nof, ourselves, secure from his constant