New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-03
TO THE FRIENDS OF TEMPERANCE IN THE STATE
Aytsu

OF NEW.1Okh.
At q meeting of the State Temperance COMMITTEES
of one from each Congressional District, recently
held at Saratoga, the following resolutions were
unanimously adopted:
Resored That earnestly urge the temperance voters
OF the State sacred duty that they owe the 10
tho nomination OF delegates pledged TO vote for such
men only as will carry out the wishes OF the majority Of
ResoIred That win demand OF the next Legislature
law which will enable the majority Of tho legal voters
OF any town city, village ward to prohibit the sale Of
intoxicating liquors or beverages therein.
the penalties for violation OF the present Excise law
will demand Of the next Legislature such increase OF
the penalties as will tend TO prohibit the sale and manu-
facture Of intoxicating beverages in the State.
The undersigned were appointed Committee to
prepare and publish address to the voters of the
State setting forth the object to be sought and urge
their hearty cooperation in seouringit.
That the sale and use of intoxicating liquors rs o
beverage is the fruitful source of large proportion
of the misery and crime in the country, shall not
attempt to prove but simply accept the fact and
seek for remedy Experience shows that the at
tempt to regulate this traffic by license system has
everywhere proved failure. If it is Legitimate
and honest trade i. should be open and free to al1
if it is contraband trade, perDcious and destrac-
tive in its effects, then no system OF protection OF
attempted regulation can Justify ii or make it right
The OILY eectua and full remedy for this evil is the
prohibition of the liquor traffic. The ultimate end
to be sought is its entire suppression under the in
uence of such legislation will SECURE this result.
To make such legislation powerful and effective,
it must be the outgrowth OF an abiding
conviction in the public mind that selling
liquor is crime. and that its authors must
be regarded as criminals and punished as such.
Is there such q deep and abiding conviction
upon the true nature and magnitude of this evil as
justify the enactment and enforcement OF general
prohibition the policy Of the State That IS right,
have doubt; that 1t is the ultimate end to DO
reached, have doubt; and that the people, when
awake to the inqulties Of the traffic, will sustain prohi
btion equally satisfied Prohbitory legislation,
as the fruit Of mere political organizations, either
through pressure upon those already in existence By
the creation Of would failure except
the people gave 1t efficiency by the force OF popular
verdict and by the enforcement Of adequate penalties
for violating such law.
We therefore commend to your judgment the wisdom
Of tho policy suggested by the State Committee. Where
local prohibition is desired by majority Of the legal
voters insist that the majority may be allowed to try It.
Where the majority Of given locality are welded to the
present usages of quorsellinR and drinking let Ne
enforce all the penalties in the present law, and apply
the means Of education until they and appreciate tina
fruits of prohibition elsewhere, when they will surely
adopt it,
1t hoped that Legislators Of any party profession
will readily concede to the people Of given locality tho
right to control this matter for Themselves To
in each Assembly District TO carefully canvass the
voters therein who favor this policy aud SEQ to 1t that
they attend the primary meetings Of their respective par
for the selection Of candidates for the Senate and
Assembly IT, through the influence Of corrupt caucus
system they are defeated and their votes cannot be
made to tell favoraby to the through existing par
ties we urge them organize for themselves and do the
best they can
It's exceedingly desirable 70 secure the nomination
and election Of honest the next Legsaturemen
who will only spurn with contempt all pro1ered
brides from rings and factions but who Will take COM
prehensve views OF the real necessities Of the state nos
alone upon questions but upon all the great issues in
which the welfare OF the whole people is Involved To
secure this should be selected for Official positions
anecedents and personal relations at home ente
them to public confidence We know that such men
often unwilling to enter the field In scramble for the
SURFACES OF the people, but when sought out and urged
to occupy such positions they ought readily to make
whatever sacrifices necessary for the public good.
It is in this way alone that uncorruptbe
legislators who will value the welfare OF the people
rather than personal promotion or emOlument
Our demands upon the next LegslatureIwil be direct
simple and perfectly in harmony with the genius
OF our free institutions that it does Lot to that
they will be denied by whatever party may be in the
ceRdant. II they should prohbitionists will DO admoH
shed that having exhausted all appeals to present pO
itioal organizations for relief they must organize for
themselves and having done ALL to stand" in the faith
fu discharge their individual trusts until enght
ened public judgment shall ultimately sanction their acts
and cOnsummate their victory.
, ]. + I: 5 HalT; Committee.
JOHN ODONSELL,)