The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-09-03
WHY NOT RELY ON MORAL suAsroN |

In communication we received
the other day, a prominent clergy
man after abiding to the tendency
everywhere manifested by temper
ance men to invoke the aid ofthe law
to carry out the reform, puts the fol-
lowing; "Why not rely on moral
suasiong Why seek to make men
moral by legislative enactment p
In reply we say, We do not seek to
make men moral by legislation
We only by legislation, seek to re-
move that which makes them immor-
al, Just as theft and murder are
sought to be prevented by statute.
1t is not a law saying that man
shall not drink that temperance men
seek; they only desire law that
says no man shall open place for
the mandatory Of drunkards and the
propagation of drunkenness, misery,
disease, and crime. Such we know
to be the nature Of every liquor-store
opened in the Fourteenth Ward in
this city, where for years our CHURCH
was located. Just what law has al
ready done with lotteries, immoral
books, and gambling is what we ask
law to do with the drink-traffic.
The law does not say no man shall
read an immoral book or gamble; but
the the law says no man shall sell inn
moral books or pictures, nor open a
gambling-house. Why not such law
with regard to alcoholic liquors p
Are the evils resulting to the health
and morals of the community not
much greater from the liquor traffic
than gamblinga Rev. j. Clay, late
Chaplain Of Preston Jail, says: Il
have never conyersed with single
person who attributed his ruin to go
ing to the gambling-table; but have
conversed with fifteen thousand pris-
oners who have declared that the en-
ticement Of the beer-house has been
their ruin"
Why not rely on moral suasion
Pray, what is the prohibitory law but
moral suasion legalized 7 1t is the
will Of the sovereign people. Moral
suasion is yet to be used with all who
can be reached. But moral suasion
alone can not remove the evil; il has
been tried for nearly half century,
and the evil still continues. Law
must be be evoked. And why not I
/ Iou do not rely on moral suasion in
regard to lotteries and gambling
I houses. Why not license them, and
regulate them, aud derive revenue
1 from them And il, after every pre-
caution, there are still evils in regard
10 tllem, why not endeavor to check
those evils by appeals TO the consci-
ences and reason Of the men engag-
ed in keeping lottery and gambling
houseY
Moral suasion has done much for
the world, and il has done much for
1.-THE canse of temperance. But NOR
al suasion has ie limits. 1t is too
feeble to combat the drunkards' APP
petite when excited by temptation.
1 While temptation tracks his steps on
every hand and drunken companions
are ready TO drag him on, i is q hard,
and, in large majority Of cases, inn
possible for an incorporate man "a
keep the pledge he has taken.
Then there i class Of inen--un-
principled mcn--so actuated by SCI
iishness, that viii sell till the law
eompels them tostop. Anxious neigh
bors may reason with them; wives,
in rage and tears. MAY inlplore tbemi
aud still they will seA. AZ long az
money can be made BY the traffic
there are men who would build their
groggery in the crater Of volcanoi
they would sell rum amid the heay.
ings Of an earthquake; aud. a. the
argnkard sters down the bank, and