The national Republican., 1867-11-12
SUMPTUARY LAWS.


seeming epcroachments upon what they deem
their natural rights II has go long been an ad
mitted fact that mans house Is his castle, that
he alone is to be the judge of what he shall es'
aud drink, that the Anglo Saxon race look with
suspicion upon all attempts to abridge their
natural rights in respect to their choice Of food
and beverages. Hence we may account Tor the
general uprising among tho people against the
prohibitory liquor laws. They have believed
those statutes sumptuary in their nature, and
therefore have been exceedingly restivo under
the operation of these enactments Take, for
instance, in illustration Of our statement, the
conduct Of the people Of Massachusetts, There
is not, probably, any State in the Union where
there are more religious men, more temperance
men, and even teetotallers, according to the pop.
ulstion than in the Bay State; and yet three
fourths Of her legal voters have. in the recent
election, gone against the prohibitory liquor
Law. 1t will not do to como to the conclusion
that because the people of that Commonwealth
have decided against the prohibitory statute,
that therefore they are in favor Of free rum and
the increase and spread of intemperance.
We know the people Of Massachusetts,, and we
exist in this land. 1t is not that they are in
favor Of intemperarce and liquor selling that
they have gone against the prohibitory law but
that they are unwilling to see the essential
principles Of personal liberty stricken down even
in defense of what may seem to Je a moral
reformation. In their maintenance Of the car
dinal principles Of natural right they have shown
their understanding and appreciation Of the doc
trine Of human freedom and their determination
to defend the right, which is truly commenda-
BILE. If there is such a thing as natural right,
and that there is no man at this late day will
sttempt to deny, then these rights indeieasible
and sacred in their nature, are not to be voted
down in town meetings nor set aside in State or
national Legislatures. law that proscribes
the chosen food or tie drinks Of q community Is
4 sumptuary law, and when it is attempted to
enact or to enforce such q statute an inroad Is
made upon the domain Of natural right which
free people Is bound to oppose or even to resist.
1t will not do to say that the sale of intoxicating
liquors is a mischievous traffic and that much
evil is occasioned by it, and therefore we will
prohibit 1t entirely because in the first place, this
sort Of reasoning Is not sound. 1t Is doctIine
that leads directly to the suppression OF the sale
Of every article Of food or drink that might be
judged injurious.
There are many articles Of food and drink that
are said to bs injurious. Tea and coffee among
tho beverages in general use; tobacco among
the luxuries, and pork among the meats, are es'
tsemed by many to be detrimental to health.
Science, indeed, may establish the fact that
these articles Of food and drink, with others
that might be named, are detrimental to human
health and happinessi but will the people, can
the people consistently tolerate that kind Of
legislation which Is intended to suppress entire
ly the sale Of these commodities How long
would the people tolerate such sumPtuary leSis-
lation'
But It may be said that the use Of intoxicat-
log liquors as beverages are never useful, but
always injurious. 60 it may be said OF these
other articles Of drink aud food named above;
only, perhaps, not to SO great and alarming an
extent, If we are to have sumptuary laws,
wher. shall they begin, and where end? But
It may be irquired-would ysu have free trade
in Tum We answer most emphstically-no
In our Etxt we will foreshadow our views upon
this subject.