The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-02-21
PROHIBITION.

RcSoircd, That this grand division, regarding
PREDATORY LEGISLATION through our entire Iufis,
the temperance cause, would urge upon subordi-
nate divisions to take all legitimate means to
bring about this desirable result.
At n meeting OF the Grand Division OF the
Sons Of Temperance OF this District the above
resolution was adopted by avote OF % to IL. We
do not question the motives nor the sincere pur'
poses OF the gentlemen who voted for this rcso.
luton to promote the best interests of the TEN.
perance cause by securing the enactment of a
prohibitory law, and we are certain of one other
thing that we shall be regarded by many sincere
Temperance men as opposed TO the cause on ac-
count Of our opposition TO prohibitory legisla-
tion. We must however, risk the consequences,
and proceed to state briefly the reasons of our
opposition.
We may premise by saying that the statute
known as the Maine Law is wrong in principle,
and practically imperative in all communities
where II has been tried. We do not propose to-
day to discuss the principle OF the law. II Is
sufficient for our present purpose TO show that
the law never has, and never can, accomplish
what 10 claimed for II. In this country a law,
to operative, must be in accordance with public
sentiment, and must be sustained by the over
whclmiug voice OF the people, or It will not be
enforcedi but law which does not resolve the
sanction Of a very large majority of the people
IL dead letter on the statute-book, and instead
of promoting the ends for which 1t WAS enacted
is actually mischicvOus and promotve OF evil
The object which the temperance men have In
view when they seek prohibitive legislation II
the advancement OF the temperance cause. Doe,
the Maine Law do thisi Is Il an effective TEN
perancc fundamentally We answer emphati
caily, no This can be conclusively shown by al
array OF facts and figures, which, to the candle
mind, will be incontrovertible arguments NJ
strong as "proofs from holy writ"
We know what the advocates OF this policy In
communities where 1t has been tried will tel
you. They will affirm that there are no oper
bars and grogshopsi that large quantities Of
liquors are frequently seized and destroyed al
the law provides that n vigilant eye Is kept
upon all places where the article is sold contrary
to law, and that men are fined and imprisoned
for violation Of this statute. All this is true
But what thcni Is there no intemperancel
Look TO the court calendars and the dockets OF
crime; look to your prisons, your work-houses
alms-huuscs, and into the homes OF the drunk
ards and see the squalidness and poverty that
comes OF intempeTanccl Look TO the clut
rooms Of your young men where midnight carous
ais and debauchery rule the hour! Look &c
the supineness Of your temperance organiza
tlons, aud the almost entire suspension OF thos,
moral ihstrumcntalities BY which the temper
ance movement must be carried forward II car
ried forward at all. Ask any man who is In the
habit OF drinking or who desires alcoholic liquors
II he cannot get all he wants. He will give you
an Affirmative answer, and this single fact oil
itself settles the question of how much good the
Maine law accompllshcs in checking intcmper
ancc.
When you have converted n man from intern
pcrance you have saved soul from death ant
ruin. But when you have driven liquor-sellinl
Into secret places, as your prohibitory law does
you have saved nobody, but only placed thu
tempting fluid out OF the sight Of the community
where he who desires 1t will be sure to get II
and TO an extent that he would never dream o
using If 1t were exposed for sale openly. Al
who know anything of the habit Of using intoxi
eating liquors know that gathering OF men o
this sort in private will lead to more frcquen
potations than would be likely to be INDUCED II
were the thing to be done openly and before tn,
face of all men. II we must have liquor. selling
and in the present state Of public sentiment W,
must, then let 1t be open and under the whole
some restraints of law, but may heaven save thi
community from the secret grog shop, and GU
fathers and sons and citizens from the cover
places, the midnight club-rooms, and the reyel
and dCbauchcFics that never come to the Light o
day. All this will exist when we have a pro
hIbitory law. We say, then, to those engaged II
this noble work Of banishing intcmperance from
this community, move on in the way you ar
going, but AS you love the cause Of temperance
abjure prohibition. As q temperance instru
mentality 1t is delusion, cheat