Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-04-15
Law AND LIQUOR.


Legislation has become one of the in
dustries of this country. Laws, scarcely
less than corn and cotton, are staple
product. In their making-and un-
making-we employ thirty-eight large
deliberative assemblies a considerable
part of every year. We look for the
annual product of statutes with nearly
the same exigence. and quite as much
certainty, of expectation as we do for
the annual crop of wheat or potatoes.
The fact is we have cultivated a sort
of dependence upon legislation which
in some respects has been carried to ex-
tremes. 1t is the cure-aIl of society, the
standard elixir for the ills of the body
polite. For all the disorders of the So
cial or political corporality we consult
the law-makers quite as habitually
as we do our physicians in reference to
the arrangements of the physical one.
When trade is dull and times are hard
we say the laws are bad we must leg
islate prosperity. When some moral
ulcer fastens itself on the social system
the cry is to apply the legislative scalPel.
When some upas growth eXhales its
poison in the political or social atmos
phere we look Immediately to legal re
straint for its suppression. And when
any great reform is to be undertaken,
nine chances to ten we will make the
lobby our base of operations instead Of
the public forum.
We believe this last has been particu-
larly and too much the case with the
temperance reform. Not that laws have
not aided it or been efficient instrument
talities in its favor, but that we have cul
tivated too great reliance upon them
The enforcing power of all legislation is
public opinion. Without that to vitalizs
and inform it, every law, however string
ent, relating to social questions. will be
practically nullity. OF this temperance
Legislation affords striking illustration
When Chief Justice Marshall rendered
his decision making valid the treaty o.
the United States with the Cherokees
President Jackson tauntingly said, "noW
Marshall has made his decision, let him
enforce it r Just so have the friends o
temperance been tauHted in reference tc
the laws against dram-seIling. Wher
that traffic has been outlawed its friend.
have confidently and scofingly rested il
the feebleness or pliableness of public
opinion. And the main point we now
wish to present is, that this very feeble.
ness and inefeetiveness of temperance
sentiment and the consequent immunity
of those who violate temperance laws is
owing to the fact that public opinion has
been relieved of its responsibility il
the matter. That responsibility has
been in large measure taken from the
people and placed upon the shoulders oi
judges, juries, lawyers and llaw-makers,
We would have it it thrown back npon
the people and remain there. We would
hold public sentiment directly response
bic for this traffic, assured that this
would be tbs most efficient way to create
public sentiment against if, We would
not have it said when dram-seiling es-
capes arraignment and punishment that
/ the judges, juries, lawyers and law
makers aFe to blame. We would have
that responsibility rest directly upon the
shoulders of the voters, and nowhere
else.
We are therefore in favor of commit
! ting the entire control Of this traffic into