Ellsworth American., 1869-10-28

County Temperance convention neiu ih
this city in August, remarked In a tri-
umphant way, that some pretended that
a constabulary law is contrary To the
genius and true spirit Of our theory OF
government &c. but said he, did we
not import from New York detectives
10 Mrret out the Bowdoinham bank rob-
bcrsf' This may have satisfied the
speakers mind. but there is no analogy
in the case named with that of con-
stabuiary law. Those detectives could
not move an inch TO detect and arrest
those who committed the robbery in
this state without first being armed with
power 80 10 net from the Executive of
the State. Maine Officer. cannot go in
to Massachusetts, and arrest a murderer.
"a much stranger case. without first OBJ
tanning permission. 80 reasoning by
analogy. no state constable from the
county Of Cumberland should be per-
mi,tcd to come To this county and ar
rest citizens Of the county. without first
without there being the most cogcnt
reasons fur the act. II there were no
sheriff. no Deputy Sheriff. nor any
Cnnstablc- in the several towns. then
the law Of necessity might be suifici-
cnt excuse for the foreign interference.
But while there i. no lack of executive
of,icer-. nor lack of will TO perform every
required service. then there can be no
reason for such an anomalous proceed
ing The theory of this government Is
To make each municipality n nearly
it. local concerns as IL i possible.
Hence the division OF coustic~. towns,
81 amI hence. sheriff. III counties. con
stables nt towns &c. elected by the pc"-
M III each municipality. The Cover
nor does not now even appoint tie
sheriff.. Int they srr elected by the
people u tho counties a. constable III.
elected by the towu-.
Another iallacy in regard tn intcmp-
crancr l. the idea. that some have. that
Il !, nf the same cla>- ot sins, or evils ns
theft robbery. murder g.. Intempcr-
sucr j. personal vice. or siu, like slut.
ionv something that belong, to the in-
every whcrr. has alway. been 80. aud
would h. - whcrr there j. no law
against 1t. lii> - per =. u j. de-
uuunccd in the decalo2uc. II i, an
injury and wrong against another.
Thcrc may bc personal habits that
amount Ia vices which The law cannot
withou, infringing upon private right,
take rogni-ancr al. We NAV eat too
much, We mas use poor quality and a
large amount ~ tobacco. we may not
keep good hour>. aud thereby injurc our
health, We may not bc 30 cleany in our
habits, or - choice in choosing our com
panions a. We should be. aud those cun-
nectrd with. or depending on u may III
rcctlv or indirectly suffer by all this.
b,u- no law will reach these eases. The
law Is not a panacea for all evils. IL
NAV regulate and restrain Ia n certain
mote temperance, but il will never
alone cure entirely the whole hu-
man family of iciou- personal habits.
Ii will never Danish intemperanc. from
the land. nor rennvatc man. moral ma
tur., nor hangc hi, appetit"~ aud tastes
II may in come instances deprive him
eradicate the desire for the .sratiiirA-
ton OF hi- tastes. /. il we'll to look
this matter full in the face. and under
stand a. first the weapons to be used in
dealing with iniempeance. But ,av~
some hopeful advocate for exclusive
law, did not agitation and the lprlna-
ton Of third partie, rid the country OF
slavery: le-, but again there j. no
analogy in the two cases. slavery was
creature nf law. The great Henry
Clay said that j. property which the law
makes property 20 it law created aud
upheld slavery, aud that against natur
al right, then repeal of all laws or 10
i-lativc acts upholding or regulating .la-
verv. would DESTROY the whole system.
This j. i work 10 be accomplished.
through political action Ii WA, not
a personal habit 10 lie corrected but
wrong legislation to be remedied.
Men Of all personal habits could engage
in this political work
We have not Indicated. or promul-
gated anv theory OF our own to do away
with intempcrancc. it has been our aim
exclusively in these remark. To point
out the fallarieS of some of those who
think the law will cure, alone, intem-
perance, and who reach this conclusion
by noting how slavery was dealt with
and eradicated from the land.