Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-09-01
Traffic In LIQUORS.

the county to witness tho number of the citi
zsus os Cooace, who ure annually dragged tc
| Grecnyillo, charged with petty violations oI
rance or disregard of tho law? 1t is true
the statutory regulations governing the distil
latiou, removal aud sale of spirituous liquors
are severe and oppressive to our people, who,
being accustomed to convert their corn into
whiskey and pork, find themselves too poor to
run still which would justify the expenses
under the present law. Under this view,
many regard these regulatio 's unjust and feel
themselves at liberty to avoid them. How.
ever this he, they are the law aud should be
observed by all good citizens. They should
be observed, first becuse they are the law of
the land, whether good or bad, just or unjust.
No citizen is justhablc in violating law be,
cause it operates oppressivcly on his rarticu
lar section. Were this reason true, there is
hardly statute iu South Carolina but in some
sections would bcoome nugstory Whatever
is law, unless plainly unconstitutional, should
be obeyed by every good citizen, until its
evils, if any, arc remcdicd by the p.oper au,
thorties. 1t has been well said, "a bad law,
we'll administered, is better than u good law,
badly administered" Tho proper course is
to obey the law, and 10 the meantime, seek its
repeal, if radically wrong. We do not, how.
ever, think the law any too stringent. What
ever curtaiIs the making, sale aud use Of
spisituous liquors, cannot but provo beneficial
in the eud to the community. Besides, us 4
revenue must be raised, what is so proper an
article of taxation as that Which not only is
not beneficial to uny one, but is i'll truth
real curse to every community.
In the next place, the law should be obey.
cd for the sake Of the individual himselt.-
The disregard or wilful violation of any exs
thug regulation, unless punished, is apt to pro.
duce degree of recklcssncss, which will end
in ruin, perhaps nfauiy to the party. These
offences do not belong to that class termed
infamous, or bud in themselves, but are mere
ly acts, which being otherwise lawful, are
prohibited, under certain restrictions, by tos
tive statutes.
In the next place, the law should bc hey
cd because obedcucc to it is true ccuno. :
y person may for season profit by uaA &
or dcaliny in contraband whiskey, but IN the
end Justice will overtakc him, aud ms lawful
aud uul4wluI gains, not to sly hls liberty, Will
be lost. Whom can IL man trust? Ii your
particular friend does not belray you directly,
lie will tell his friend where he can get some
good whlskey, and 80 the matter goes, until
you find yourself cntangIed in the meshcs OF
the law. If no one breathos the matter,
whiskcy, who is noisy fellow, will speak for
himself. The mau who violates the aw nev
or has an easy conscience and quiet night S
rest. lie is like the wicked who flee when
no uan pursueth. He is constantly anxious
and uacasy. The profit is u trlle, coup pared
to the risk. let our citizeIs be careful in
the future; an0 iut i,oU to~""so bv .~.,nirAI
to cmisratc, either as principals or witnesses,
annually, to GrcenyilIe.
Doubtless, some have violated the law from
ignorance of its requirements, and without
any criminal intent. The law is 50 stringent
that we cun give our readers no safer counsel
than to handle or buy no liquors except from
regularly liceuscd dealers. Section 81 (ast
clnuse) OF the Act Of July 2Ulh. 1868, en-
| acts, That any person who shall remove or
shall aid or auet i'll the removal Of any dis
titled spirits on which the tax has not boen
paid to u place otLcr than the dist!lery ware.
house provided by law, or who shall conceal or
aid in tho conccalment of any spirits so re
moved, or who shall remove or aid and abct
iu tho removal of any distilled spirits from,
nuy distillcry ware house, or other ware house
for distilled spirits authorized by law, in any
manner othor than is provided by law, Or who
shall conceal OF aid in the conceulmcnt of anv
spirits SO removed, shall be liable to penal,
ty of double the tax imposed on such distil
cd spirits sc removed or concealed. and shall,
on conviction be ined not less than two hun
lars, and imprisoned not less than three mouths
nor more than three years" Section 25 OF
the same act, enacts III substance, that when
ever any cask Of distilled spirits, on which the
tax has been paid, is to be removed from the
ware house, the gauger, in the presence os
the store. keeper shall place upon the head
thereof, stamp, son which shall be engraved
the number of proof gallons contained in said
oask on which the tax has been paid and
which shall be signed by tho collector Of the
district, store keeper and gaugcr, and which
shall state the serial number of the cask, the
name Of the person by whom the tax was
paid, and tho person to whom and tho place
where it is to be delivered" Tho nauo of
the distller shall also be cut or b,epncds On
each cask. A book shall also be kept, in
which record of these facts shall bo enter
ed, Tho Law also requires the claimunt of
spirits siezed under suspicious circumstances,