The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-03-08

he did not think there was any real d;m;nr
ton in the traffic. In reply to further ones
tions, MIR. Brewster said that he never believed
intoxcation could be driven ont of the ,vo,15
but that license law would have the effect to
promote temperance, good order and sobriety.
Rev. Il. Nj. Z. Wells was called. His duties
were chiefly among the poorer classes, and he
had always been strong temperance man,
and would make almost any sacrifice, even of
lire to stop the evils and ravages of intemper-
ance. His observation had convincrd him that
drunkenness was terribly on the increase
The poorer people frequently have liquors in
lafge quantities in their own houses, and it is
Seheraliy OF very poor and cheap quality,
anu 0iten produces delirium tremens. He
W. %houu De strongly in favor of the present law if
and Iheneved hd 1t could be effectually enforced,
If wn,,,d mI hoped that if license law was passed
| torv Iau Jesuit ha5l in more good than prohibi-
A.. is anes A. Bowles of the Cburcb of the
ADVENT had no doubt that ;ns 0nuron VI t 'n9
lnoleaseu oi late, and that II had a.I, ~
niornlzed !e the public mind. NJ tI;e,9 .,aet
nr, IL Jaw was enacted, and the nrohibt.
ers, 1t would bring with it a moral deal
check lntemperance. In reply 10 o,,n.e nee 10
Dr. Miner he said that he recognizeJ a,' py
scribable amount OF evil flowing from ~ iue- u
cesslve and lntemperate uses of liquors. Vet h
did not consider drunkenness a crime. or the ne
use of alcoholic liquors sin.
REV. rather Power, Catholic clergyman in
Worcester, was called. He claimed that
drunkenness was great evil, and that it was
ON the increase from the fact that the law is
such that many men break it for the sake ot
being obstinate. The present law he consider
ed despotc, one which took away certain rights
from the poor people. Hs believed that the
sale OF liquors should be regulated by license
law, and he was strongly in favor of it,
Rev. Thomas Shehan, Catholic clergyman
from Taunton, was called. Before the passage
of the Maine law he was very successful in his
labOrs for temperance, but the passage of that
law had decidedly weakened his moral iniiu-
ence.
Rev. Robert Brady of st. Mary's church
Boston, was called. He said that he believed
the only effective means to secure a temper
ance reform was through moral suasion
Rev. Lawrence Mcmahon, Catholic clergy
man from New Bedford, was called. He said
that so far as his observation had extended, the
prohibitory law had failed to check ntelnper-
ance "A temperance organization connected
with his church had done more for temper-
ance, he believed, than all the State constables
in Bristol county.
Rev. Father Doherty of Cambridge, said that
the result OF his own observation had been that
the amount OF drinking among his own people
had neither increased or diminished i'm conse-
quence OF legislation. He did not believe that
the benefits of the prohibitory law were what
Its friends cOntended, and he believed in the
expediency of license law.
ViiA " NiuSI, Speclitl ponce Offcer, stat
ed that MS duty was to investigate cases of in
temperance IN the city. He had found OPEN
extensive drunkenness among children and
general use of liquors in families. One year
carried into families.
Mr.. Theodore Voelckers of Boston, an archi-
tect, stated that he was a reformed drunkard,
and testified in favor of license law.
Alderman Gaffield Of Boston said that his
opinion OF the prohibitory law was that it was
| a M fxvlta III ~
however, that drunkenness had increased since
the enactment of the law, and that license
law ought to be tried.
Ex-Mayor Richardson ofCambrige. ex-may-
ors Lincoln and Wightman of Boston, and
Rev. DIR. Lothrop, Rev. DR.. Adams and Rev.
John Z. Todd of Boston, and Judge Henry f.
French and Hon. John c. Park were all strong
ly in favor of license law. Rev. DIR. Adams
was very decided in his opinion that prohibition
is failure, and that license law will promote
the cause OF temperance; and he said he be-
lieved that in his own denomination, the Or
thodox Congregational the weight of opinion
tended in the same direction 'ioa
We have extended this article quite as far
as is desirable, and the only purpose we have
had in giving the above extracts, is not TO en-
dorse their general tenor, or by them to sus.
tain any views of our own, but simply TO show
how good men, sincerely devoted to the cause
ofsobsiaty and good order, differ in their esti-
mates1of the means by which it is proposed
to promote the common veal. What the re-
suit ofth conflict of ideas in our sister State
is to be we do not feel competent to predict
we only hope that the best methods may be
secured, and in their adoption that the best
good of community may be promoted.
The Newburyport Herald, conservative, op-
posed to prohibition and in favor of license
has no doubts as to the final result Of the
struggle now agitating the people of the State
and in brief article referring to this matter,
helds the following emphatic Ian guage:
1t has not been doubtful from the first that
the temperance men would beat; and even il
they shonId lose this year, they would come
up In the next elections stronger than ever
The people OF Massachusetts, are as much de
termlned to Danish rum, as four years ago they
were to overthrow slavery; and there is little
dooDt That they will keep all the power of the
government in their hands to do IT, Next No
vember rum will in a great measure take the
place ofthe negro. Twenty-Five thousand tenn
perance voters already banded together to
that end, and they will double their number
making themselves q power that candidates
and parties will court. We would prefer good
Incense law, but the man is blind who does moi
see that we are not to have it, and no politician
VINO hopes TO succeed will ally himself to the
liquor party.