Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-16

turc.
Ma. PKss,pESr.--Partisl and experiment
nj legislation are both dangerous ono
leaves door open for law breaking with
impunity, while in the other We have TWEEN
ty failures to enc success.
The subject under debate, as FAR IS cur
own State is concerned, proves the positive
usslsssness Of partial legislation, ana .he
total failure Of Tie experimental lcgisianoh
initiated by the prohibitionists wherever y
has been tried, proves how utterly uae'ess
it 10 in removing these eviis "hieh We -
A. In LOGIC. IL is laid down a. en- axiom
~, the disputauts Who difsr must know
= hare they agree. Both parties in this house
do agree on one point, which is that the
law, % at present constituted, 10 farce and
. failure that il cannot and does not pre-
vent the sale Of any class Of alcoholic IL
quors SO long - il permits the sale Of wine
and beer. This being granted, it must DO
the duty Of this Legislature to remove .
Law acknowledged on oil hands TO BE- use
less while 10 10 partial and troublesome
profitable only to spies and informers, but
having no influence for good upon the cit
liens Of the State, being in fact. when not q
means Of personal spite or official plumber,
a dead letter upon the statute book.
The only point OF Differences is IS to
what shall take its place, both parties be-
ing agreed upon its removal. Shall we en-
force moro rigid prohbitory law by 70.
pealing the vine and beer clause. or snail
We repeal the present anomalous law FOR
prohibiting the sale Of ali alcoholic bever-
ages one should be done There ought 10
be no dodging both parties should face
the music. and il you gentlemen are right,
and your convictions are sincere, no lear Of
Tho consequences should deter you from
forcing upon the people that which in your
,ud gment will be beneficial for them. Nc
flirting with coy public on account Of low
srinR clouds on the Republican horizon
should frixhtsn you from Jour duties. II 4
prohibitory law 10 right. 1t 10 SO whsths
enc Democratic o. Republican party 90 int
power at the ne 1t presidential election.
But, on the othsr hand, il IL BE- PROVED
that . prohibitsry Law 10 tyvannical, arbitra
ry, imperative aud impossible Of execution
that it 10 merely trying over again in GU
| > ate an experiment which has always r.
suited in failure and disgrace that il j
against the first principles Of the Declare
ton Of Independence. and diametrically op
posed TO the freedom which oil look for II
. republic that il 10 removing from tn
human mind the greatest gift bestowed b.
the Creator-that is, free ~iH, God havin
made us free agents for his own wise an
bsutfcsnt purposes, and giving 70 no cliqu
Of Legislators . right TO veto his decisions
4 eli this b true, and think | can prov
that it is 90, then the only alternative is !
enact wise and judicious license law Whc
No know from experience, and learn fror
other countries, 10 the only possible meani
| aud the only righteous means Of miti atm
What may be an evil.
Il 10 almost useless 70 occupy your tim
with Arguments to further prove what b.
oil sound statesmen and domestic econt
mists 10 admitted to be true-that We hav
neither the power nor the right TO thus CT
cree mankind into . seeming compliAnc
With certain rules Of life which We choose I
lay down for our own guidance, while it
quite a. certain that we have the right I
lcgislats 80 as TO reduce the evils these hal
it's may produce to their minimum. WIS
should we think Of law doing away wit
sur present penal code a. inefficient in pre-
|
the whole human race TO perpetual impril
onments Yet this isjust what you conteu
plate doing. because some abuse one
Gods best best gifts to man, you would d,
pfivc all OF the pleasure and benefits RI
sultng from . moderate use Of them, thu
declaring by act Of legislation that God Al
mighty has placed certain elements in tn
laboratory Of the world which would hav
been better omitted.
We know that all the interests OF mar
kind require certain regulations. Therefor
consider that license Law regulating tn
sale and consumption Of ardent spirits an
especially framed to secure the sale Of
pure article is necessity and blessing bu
beyond this NO have no right TO 70, an
no man would be acting consistently, VIII
would argue against the right Of one sect
burn another for . difference Of religion
opinions, who would argue that he has
right to suppress the opportunities OF an
mans INDUCING taste in opposition to hii
In my opinion, = license law may be 3
drawn up IN TO prove the most efficient ten
pcrancs law in existence, while . prohibi
DRY law can only produce that kind OF un
farmity which consists Of pubic hypocris
and secret indulgence
.. Let law be enacted which will secur
the right TO saloon keeper only durln
good behavior, and while retailing . gent
Inc article. Let it make any one giving |
quor to any one already drunk, sponsibl
for any evil that man may cause. Let
strictly prohibit the sale of intoxicatin
drinks to children and known inobriats.
and let 1t pay TO the corporate bsdy . suif
1 1nv IN
strict guardianship. The effect Of law lik
this would be to placs the trade in the hand
Of more responsible parties and close up tn
disrsputable shanties which experience ha
proved will always exist under q partial o
entire prohbitory Law but, remember, Mr.
President. while We admit the convenienc,
and policy Of lcvying . tax upon saloon
keepers, We most smphatically deny tn
crim'nality OF the calling, but we are willinl
to meet the sincere temperance men OF
common ground, and allow that they hay
| some plausible reasons on their side. b,
submitting to fair and reasonable impos
on the LIQUOR dealers traffic, which woult
fully cover oil the expenses entailed upo,
the State, BY the evils il must, We sdmi,
at times occasion, but which are not miti
gated By . prohibitory law.
Prehibitery laws have been tried. and
what has the trial proved That they arc
stupid because they attempt to do what
cannot be done : to make water run up hill
to force men to break their eggs At the lit.
tie end, to improve on nature and make yir.
tue compulsory. Sumptuary laws have al.
ways proven failures. Laws eannet b. car.
risd out which say what man shall eat.
and what he shall drink. Prohibitory laws
are vicious laws because they are dead let
ter laws-they are anti-sspublicau, they ere
morally and legally wrong. They declare
selling liquor criminal, but make no crime
Of drinking il. The appstitss Of men should
% corrected. The liquor-ssllsr 10 the pro
duct Of the liquer-drinkes. lfthess vas no
demand there should b. no supply.
Again these laws psvalyxs the aim Of ref.
ermation; they do mot reform men: thev
create opposition, disturbances, broils In
communities, but have never yet reformed !
soul. The only true ten psrancs reform i,
moral not legal.
You must understand, Mr. President. that
there is point beyond which it is danger
Gus to go. The God OF Liberty has said -
Thus far and no further shalt thou 70. and
when oppression becomes unsnd ursale the
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