The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-05-17
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.

Tdb R6UkVobU AAbuOA0"4'
We insist that We now have . stringent
INV revy stringent -isfsnssiy ~, and ifthc
amendments should fail, the sanls law No
now have will remain to us; law more
stringent. more severe in its penalties, prob
alLy, than any similar statute to be found
in the Union. We trust. therefore, what
ever may no the fate Of tho amendments,
that the law will not bc gwen up or cas-,
ABIDE NJ worthless, but let II be wisely, frm-
" mnd imputiaiiy enforced, and if the peo-
ple win na bear such enforcement their
remedy is i'm sending men To the Legisia-
tirc who will modify 'r repeal L.. The
existing law may bs improved by the ndop'
ton Ut the proposed amendments; we say
may I've, Cor those amendments cover new
anil un,rod ground, and therefore, until
tried, must be regarded as somewhat sx-
reriinental.
ss -
d win be seen that the present law
which will remain intact even should the
amendments no rvjeetrd provides a fine Tor
the frsi conviction, an increased one for the
second. and ~ long q term OF imDrison.
n,cnl ~ any body yet demands for the third
and all subsequent convictions. How muny
liquor sellers who have already bcen con-
yic,e,I not only the first hut the second and
tl,irl time, still defy the law, and yct tor
such persons the proposed amendments
have no additional terrOrs. u seems tn Us
thai Our present law Is severe, and " en-.
torcci efficiently might do N much 40 tnis
orn do tn wipe out social evil; 10 not en-.
enforced II is no fault OF the law, and we
sec nothing IN the proposed amendments to
simplify its enforcement or to make tins
work any less difficult than il now Is. Per.
haps increased and intensified penalties for
the first and second ohenses may add to
the efficiency Of the law, and II 80 all friends
al go,sl orier should wish well TO the
.a,no,rlments; but rs We have said, this re-
sui, il involved as yet in an experiment.
The certainty rather than the seventy OF a
pc,,al,y ~ what gives IL the most effect;
may there not b. room Tor fear TINT the more
s.vcrc the penalty the less likely will ju.
rors bc to conyici, and the less resolu,ely
win executive officers perform their duty 7
Portland Press.
The question to b decided 10 not uhetAer
in,smperanos 10 Q great evil. and rumsclliug .
crime against humanity. nor that the neceesa-
~ r,-suits Of Oh this 70 81 the most damaging
Mud, not q oil, but IL 10 what will best sab
serve tie cause Of temperance. We see that
one political party In the state oil Do srrsyed
against Q change We knou enough VI the
p,St to sndsrstand that with Ito party machine:
n AMI The catch words. that did such good
.yr,;cs In 1855 thai d vim vote solid against .
change. OF What u moro likely star Away nom
the polls <sd then charge the Republicaa par.
~, 20 in 1855, With being party 10 hvot VI
sbriJxing The liberties Of the people. sod In
favor of lhrusting their fellow citisens into
pri&,n because Of the selling OF giass OF Oh
der. We look % asd - nsrshauts selling to-
b,sco AMI opium. too articles that are osoom.
luz more ffseiy used than svsf before, and
which are running vhols armies Of csr fellow
beiays, and 10 do not - much ~ ask for Law
r,o.Iai,ao liz sale, while We demand that the
Yea Ter of ale, cider, vine and rum b impris-
ons-l. BIT Ne do not care ~ say anything
against msassrs which its frisnla may even
think promotivs Of the cause Ut tsopsrsnce,
arl siil only say this, that the Temperance
ps,,pIe have not yet done vork enough 10 Get
the people 10 sanction Q Law Of the severity Vt
the une "a DO voted On In June. We may say
miro In this direotion.--that the present Law
u % stringent that 10 cannot, or Is not, put
into execution eli over the state. We cannot
forget the "D,w, Peek and Weaver" contest
In 1885, asd hov the Temperance people we're
belly b-sieu, and the Temperance cause re-
tAriei instead Of its gaining On advance. We
far such result In the coming summer. We
none s-sinst u. and then the cry viii b rsug
all over the stats that . minority have passed
upon sal male operative moot unjust Law aud
ther~E,rs 10 must be repealed and the party
victim. on u put down. We lear that the tenn
perance people vill b sally disappointed At
the result AMI that the Temperance cause viii
have . p,li,iosi party acting solidiy against
H. EiiswertA Amsrsess.
n in n common claim Of latter day legis
la,nn that the mere unkering Of = law can
curu al.uses under il; and the silliest Of all
assumptions arc found In the present
Case.
A law has s,oo,l twelve years and even
takes Il, cider and beer ~ unlawful things
10 ulcratc; and the only possible fault
that gal reformers find with the law %
tia, the people think il little to severe (;
and Yet, with this i,ll ssnso upon them
seek To attach To the law penalties that
make Il morally certain that il won't DO cx.
semsd at oil .f.
n No r.aIly true friend Of temperance, il
temperance be anything more sscred than
an election ssplurge" can 80 anything
tl,at promises permanent good in this
scheme Of making the laws moro inopers-
,,ve thsn thsy ars now. wehopc. ut least,
,hss common eeused men gill not play The
byUocr;ts in thia business that has Got to
In 'ms, soSpsw hess, md the ssonsr tho bet.
tor. Let the people book u the fac's and
the necessities and proprieties OF the ooca-
-. - L. ,.,b.t nr,,sienra md faithful.