The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-04-28
THE AMENDED LIQUOR LAW.

THE AMENDED LIQUOR LAW.
The amendment to the liquor law, passed
last winter, is Il ridiculous mass of legisla-
tive folly, fanaticism and illegality One OF
two propositions must be true regarding this
extraordinary enactment-either the pro-
hibitonists have gone stark staring mad and
the controlling portion Of the radical party
has resolved to give them rope until they
hang themselves--or else we are underpoine
a revolution in the form Of our own State
government an ignoring or ovcrtllrning of
the old metes and bounds Take for instance
the second section Of the amendment
| In all cases where now by any of the provisions
OF said chapter or amy acts additional thereto or
amendaory thereof an officer is authorized TO seize
Intoxicating liquors or the vessels containing them,
by virtue OF Il warrant therefor, he may seize the
same without Il warrant, and keep them in some
safe place for reasonable time until he can pro-
cure such warrant.
This in terms gives IN officer authority TO
sieze anything that he may fancy or feign is
intoxicating liquor, and do anything he may
choose, with it--for the section is so loosely
worded as to mean anything the officer may
choose to have it regarding the disposition
of siezed liquors. Our fathers who framed
the Constitution of Maine had some old fash
toned notions about the rights of property,
the sanc1ity of the domicilc, and the powers
Of officers, which have worked we'll in prac-
tice heretofore. but which these liquor
fanatics are cndnavoring to ignore The fifth
section of the Bill of Rights declares that
1.-The people shall I've secure in their persons
houses papers and possessions from al unrcaSon-
able searches and seizures and no warrant to
search any place, or seize any person or thing shall
issue without special designation of the place to
be searched. and the person thing to be seized
nor without probable cause. supported hy oath or
atirmation."
And yet these fanatics propose to have the
officials, under prohibition guidance, make
prizes OF any mans cider or vinegar barrel
and hurry it off without the least shadow or
form OF law. This clause OF the enactment
cannot stand an appeal to the Supreme
Court. in Il test of its conformity to the Con-
stitution
There is another clause in the new law.
which for briliancy will rank fully with the
above. 1t is this
If any municipal officer of any city, TOWN or
plantation, after being furnished with :, written no
ice OF Il violation of any provisions of said chaDer
or acts additional thereto amendatorv thereof
signed by two persons competent to be witnesses
IN civil suits, and containing the names and resi-
dences Of the witnesses to prove such offence viii
fully neglects or refuses to institute proceedings
therefor, he shall be liable to A fine of not less than
twenty not more than fifty dollars to he recovered
by. indictment. The oath required of any such off
Ger to the complaint may be in substance that from
a written notice signed by two persons competent
to be witnesses in civil suits he believes the com
plant by him signed to be true.
That, is. if any two vagabonds see fit to
give information to the Mayor of Belfast that
liquor has been sold, the Mayor is required
to swear that he believes it, no matter what
the character of the intormants may be. If
he knows them to be notorious liars. and
won't swear that he believes them. he is to
be fined fifty dollars He must either perlurc
himself or pay the fine, This remarkable
law makes further provision
Only one person shall be required to make, sign
and swear to a complaint for Il warrant of search
and seizure, instead of three rs now provided in
section fourteen of chapter thrtythree of the pub
lie laws of eighteen hundred and tftv-eght
How convenient. If this lone person.
has an enemy on whom he desires to fasten
the charge of having liquors, he can 90 it
alone on his complaint. Aud if he don't
want to burn his fingers in a matter of per-
jury, he can Join with another like unto him.
self. and by 4 simple statement on paper.
oblige any municipal officer to do his false
swearing for him, or pay fifty dollars.
VIII the people of Maine never see the end
of this miserable NONSENSE
The plan tor Scandinavian immigration is
progressing Mr. Thomas, the State Commits
sloner, will soon leave for northern Europe.
and will return in August with a large num-
Der, who will be landed at Halifax. and
thence proceed by rail to Aroostook. The
state gives them settling lands
THAT NAUTICAL GHOST. A letter from
Gloucester states that the story which we
copied recently, concerning the appearance
OF ghosts on board fishing vessel, is hoax.
1t was originally gotten up to frighten away
from the vessel an Objectionable man, and
having served that purpose. it got into the
papers, with its proportions fearfullv en-
larged. The vessel is now at sea, catching
fish, untroubled by any supernatural visitors.
The zeal of the Bangor police in the pur-
suit of liquor is terrible to behold. kee of
printers ink was seized last week, because