The New York herald., 1867-05-24

augurs that the future will be equally 90. Is
gives the dat contradiction to al Miss Nancy
grumblers that afaict the community. and Il
would benefit society II some well wishers Of
II, its advocates Of truth and harmony. would
hastily dump all such old women in male attire
into the first propitious pond.
Rx.Gsvsrnsr Andrew and the Prshlsssssy
Lisuer Law in Massachusetts,.
Ex-Governor Andrew, In his recent argu-
ment before joint special committee of ths
General Court Of Massachusetts,, conclusively
disposed Of the two assumptions on which II
stringent prohibitory law Of that State y bassd.
namely, that alcoholic beverages ere esssa-
tally poisonous, and that the use and sale q
alcoholic beverages are essentially Immoral.
He adduced mass Of testimony from scientias,
literary and clerical authorities In support q
his argument But the main point Of the srsu-
ment Is, after all, the fact which tho ex-Goves-
nor stated, and to which be might wen have
given even greater prominenoe-the fAet thss
the prohibitory law 10 one Of those "groa
usurpations upon the liberty of privHte H1s"
described and denounced by John Stuart MN.
II Is violation Of the rights Of personal free
dom on which John Quincy Adams eloquently
insisted as essential to self-government-tA
foundation Of all political and social institu-
tions In the United States. IL Is renewed
attempt at the enforced conformity against
which the venerable and reverend DR.. With
ingtoa solemnly demonstrated by declaring -
Il never knew any good to come from such
legislation. have seen men exasperated by II,
but never reformed. So 1t has ever been, and
so II ever will be, until nature itself ID
changed" 1t is an absurd contradiction Of al
four Of the propositions in which Lord Wrot-
lesley has summed up the conclusions Of
reason and experience on the rationale Of gov
ernment and Legislation, particularly ths
fourth proposition-.'No attempt should be
made to reform the moral conduct Of society
by the enactments Of positive law-tha. ID, to
make men good and virtuous by act OF Parlia-
ment" 1t is q fragrant non seqsdtur 10 ~
Socratc query Of Milton, Why should No
affect rigor contrary to the manner Of God
and Of nature Z" It creates artificial offences
which engender habits of violating the laws,
and it is meddlesome legislation, ainterfering
unnecessarily in private actionsP and must
therefore be classed among the "chief causes
Of crime" enumerated by Mr.. Frederick HIN,
irhis valuable work on ssCrime il Amoaat
Causes and Remedies" In fne, il pracsssal
working daily illustratea the text Of Holy
WRIT" Whore the law is there doth sin maeh
more abound" ...-....-...t-...S @
Since Saturday last the prohbitory Law has
been enforced in Boston moro rgidly ehan
ever, tho bars Of oil the hotels having atleng0
been closed But as clubs, rs we'll as private
tables, are still exempt from the inquisitorial
rigors Of the law citizens Of all GLASSES have
organized themselves into clubs, which msst
everywhere, from the aristocratic hotel 10 ~
lowest corner groceries, and thus contrivs -
evade the law. The amount Of drunkenness =
said to be greater than ever, and liquor can -
obtained BY some means or otber by everybody
who wants It. Meanwhile, the House Of nsp-
resentatives are debating on the bin hvoFisg
licenses, and the people throughout The StaAs
are dividing into hostile faotionA An sEs
quarrellIng over the rum bottle. aud both siAas
pull away at IT, to. keep their spirits up BY
pouring spirits down-some openly and othsn
(their name Is legion) "on the sly." Aassacha-
sets ID reeling with excitement, and doubtlsn
ere long mono viii dispute her title 10, The -
tinction Of being the drunkenest e. well - ths
cfssiest State in the Union.
Such threatens to be the logical result Of ~
cid Puritanical doctrine that It is the absolute
social right Of every individual thas every
other individual shall act in every respsoe
exactly a. be ought, (or at least as the former
thinks he ought). and that whatsoever fails
thereof in the smallest particular violates my
social right and entities me to demand a IL
Legislature the removal Of the grievanoe.n
Mill Is right In saying that 90 monstrous pvin-
cple Is far more dangerous than any single
interference with. liberty; there Is no violation
Of liberty which it would not justify 1t -
knowledges no right to any freedom whatever,
except perhaps, to that Of holding opinions IN
secret, without ever disclosing them. Ex-
Governor Andrew protests against this "mon-
strous principle" and he even dares TO say %
Massachusetts,, Under the forms Of republi-
can legislation do not, iu the shortsighted ser-
vice Of morality without faith, seek to play
either the tyrant or the pedagogue." He fore
warns the party to which he has rendered such
signal services as to make it impossible TO ques-
ton bis fidelity to it :" You may yet nnd thas
after political corruption shall have subsidissd
the party leaders and demoralized the party.
dedicated by its name and consecrated by In
life TO republican liberty, II win reveal itssll
in all the hideous propo rtions Of the Devil,
though now wearing a shining robe" viii
this warning be heededi
Another Rsnias Excisessens. ~
Tho xwhola Eous~u f~rvvn