The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-02-18

I
main body of the temperance army. We
wonder that he is not afraid to so recklessly
invade the enemy's lines:
Moral Accountability of the Public for the
Rum Traffic.
North EAST, February 9th, 1871.
In our last we mentioned our once quiet
village, &C., we would here remark, at the
commencement of the war we had five
grog shops, and the nuisance became so
intolerable that the good people of the
town petitioned the Legslature-which
fortunately was Republican-to enact a
law permitting the voters of our borough
to hold an election, the first Monday in
April, of each and every year, to decide by
ballot whether there should or should not
be Intoxicating liquors sold within its
limits. The result was no liquor, by almost
an unanimous vote; consequently quiet
was restored, in place of almost daily
brawls that occurred while rum was King.
This state of quiet continued about three
years, which was very annoying to some of
our Democratic friends. for Democracy with
out rum is dead as James says, being alone),
who, as soon as they received the benefit
of Swann's Democratic and Conservative
Legislature, petitioned for repeal of the
law; and they, in their wisdom, soon discov-
cred it to be an unconstitutional act,
repealed the law and granted two grog
shops right in the face of an election, the
result of which was, for rum, I vote; against
rum, 81 votes. Such intolerablc Legislation
was seldom ever practiced on any commu-
nifty; and now the influence of rum is so
great that it's almost impossible to get a
correct verdict from 4 jury on an inquest
where death has occurred from the influence
of rum. One is afraid he will lose the sale
of board; another pound of coffee, or
yard of muslin; another lest he lOoses job
of undertaking; another, perhaps, would
offend n visator: and if a politician or
pastor, perhaps injure his popularity. We
men have far more sympathy for the rum
seller than they have for the men who get
intoxicated. If they would reverse the
case and sympathize with the unfortunate
victims of rum, and treat the rum seller as
a common enemy of mankind, and let him
seek his level with the sots he manufactures,
he would then be brought to realize his
own position in society. The law requires
two respectable freehold citizens of the
place to sign petition for a tavern license
to sell rum, and we cannot see how any
man who has any claim for responsibility
can do so, when the absence of their names
would prevent the sale Of ardent spirits in
our midst.
The rum seller is generally man of
subtle destinations, and with deceitful
tongue is able to deceive portion of all
classes of men. For instance, we know of
several official members of church who
signed petitions for the granting of license
for the sale of rum in our midst. And
those petitions were signed by women,
which thing one would think almost in
credible. Paul says, " For this cause God
shall send them strong delusions, that they
should believe lie, that they might all be
damned who believe not the truth, but
have pleasure in unrighteousness; and
such is the bewitching deceptiveness of the
rum seller, that as Paul says, "Speaking
lies is hypocricy, that they can decoy the
professed christian professor beware of
oh 10 nj
warns us, 'Then, therefore, let us not
sleep as do others; but let us watch and be
SOBER The only way to subdue intem-
perancc is to have no sympathy for the
rum seller, who is running the youth of our
villages, towns and cities. We believe the
Scripture will Justify us in saying, that any
man who rents the rum seller a house, or
sells him 4 pound of coffee, yard of mus
lin. board, bushel of wheat, a cord of
wood, Il ton of hay, or any other article, is
as guilty of the destruction of our youth as
the man that sells them the rum. The
same inspired apostle tells us, in speaking
of the wicked, not to keep company with
such one IIabakuk says, "Wo unto him
that giveth his neighbour drink, that put
test thy bottle to him and makest him
drunken thou art filled with shame for
glory, and shameful spewing shall be on thy
glory Solomon says, :" Wine is a mocker,
and strong drink is raging; and whosoever
is deceived thereby is not wise" Neither
is he wise who aids the rum seller to estab-
fish his business.