National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-28
TEMPERANCE AGITATION.
TUE DASHAwAYs IN THEIR ELEMENT.

Netcrns Abolitianist Gerrit Smith on
tho subiect-wbat Is the Province Of
Government
The heavy showers Of yesterday prevented all
projected outdoor meetings in behalf Of the
temperance movement; but the Dashaways were
not at all dashed by the storm, and held their
usual services at Temperance hall In the even
Ing, Mr.. A. Q. Constantine in the chair.
Mr.. Savage, the veteran, took his usual shy at
the Sunday organs Of iutemperance, and was
followed by Mr.. Maupln, who made an earnest
appeal to all temperance people to enter the
field Of hard work, and labor personally with
their nelghbors and friends, whom they see daily
going down TO the grave from strong drink. At
tending meetings was good, hut much might be
accomplished by personal effort, appealing d.
rectly to the moral sense Of the sufferer.
Mr.. Peck replied to the strictures Of q writer
in the Capital, who insists that wine-drnking is
4 saving ordinance Of religion, and that the tenn
perancc people are demoralIzIng the community
by their efforts at legal prohibition.
one or two unreclaimed devotees OF Bacchus
put their names to the pledges and received one
Of the Dashsway cards, and the meeting adj
journed.
GsRRIT SMITH ON TIE TEMPERANCE
QUESTION.
Gcrrit Smith has addressed long letter to the
| gentlemen who composed the recent Two-Statc
Temperance Convention at Albany" In which
he argues strongly against legislatlng for the
enforcement Of temperance, and protests against
| Y Governmental interference OF all Kinds. After
speaking Of the evils Of intcmperance, Mr.. Smith
| says:
Since, then, alcohol Is not necessary, nor to any
| extent useful as beverage, and since large
| share Of the people are much armed by II, and
| no small share ruined by II, how plain u Ia that
every one should feel bound TO abstain from II as
| a beverage. His personal safety Is very urgent
consideration TO this end. The contribution OF
his example to the safety OF others ne should
| feel to be another, u not, indeed, more urgent
that which every man owes to Inc cause Of tenn
perance. He should discharge thls uuty, anu 90
what he can TO persuade others to discharge Il.
Thus far there Is probably no Enlargement pc
tween us. But when add that this comprises his
| whole duty TO this great cause, you dissent from
me. You hold that ne ~ bound 70 enieay9r 70
draw Government into the AID OF u, while !, on
the contrary, hold that aovernment T. not %
identify itself with the temperance reform, moi
with any other moral reform. Civil government
is5 ne Vial % ali yauaoie tsS
mate sphere. Instead OF being allowed TO trenct
upon some n,ere sa rot ,me osn n1 on r.,
tector ~ them ALL IL must uphold, not alont
the rights OF the collective people, but the tighti
o. me W. as ann ~ n1a os ~
pleas and strongest ASSURANCES OF advancing INT
public good.
lne ptoNucco VI uo'etumeut VIZ In fv,'
being commensurate WIN tbat OF moral IN
nuence, The protectioh OF person anu propert!
v, as az aanl,, ~ vn,et wo,E sna Moui1 tna
AL might admit that " lts oniy wors. MOTE
! this Is not an unlimited protection, but protec
ton only from such evils as Government alon
can protect from, anu rs society Soulu not ,onl
continue 70 exist un,ess pro'ec.eu Iron; otne ,
and controllable eylls must remain 70 DC ueal
with by moral influence lnsteao Of governments
coercion. In many dwelling there y gambling
| and IN many dwelling there Is lewdness. Bu
, GOVqFnmpnt mIat not undertake TO purge tne1
Of these evils. Society could not, however, with
, stand the tides OF corruption, were oovernmen
TO allow ne we 70 mnIupy ~ pieasare paol,
gambling hells and public houses OF prostitution
! so, too, In many private house are aconoli
beverages. Nevertheless. Government must ne
T search ior them. sociey can mainta ~ Use
against this lamentable usage OF home-drinkihi
, But II Is threatened with utter obstruction 2
. saloons and. other dram.selllne places. Ne,
York reels under the lncessant blows Iroi
! her ten thousand licensed anu unncense
!, drunkard manufacturers. Any mAteiiai aduitlo
: 70 their number, or any occasion when shou,
IRE them win 2 fresh inspiIauon from hel
might serve 70 enguif me Guy W tne wiz way.
OF anarchy and rum New lork snggers uhdt
her load OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES dsets, y,
she stasgers far worse under her dramshop =,
moralizltion. Indeed, TINS loa,l o. uebts ~
come mainly from this demorahzatlon.
The friends OF temperance s!e contemplatln
= They viii fail to gather considerable part
. But they Will not need an independent pontic
u party, II they shall consent 10 connne lhelr y
. lltioal war 20 the diansnop; eau upon the e,
listing political parties, not In the alarming nan
OF Temperance, put ~ ,he g.let anu accepte
name OF protecuon-oi tnnt protecuon Wnicn
due from the Government 70 every man, woma
and child-to shut up the satanic dramshop, Won
. not DO In vain, II backed W. ny tne w
l. divided temperance most, Ine hepnpncann p ,s
in their quickness TO respond to this call. Tn,
y down would go the dram-shop, that Gibraltar
ntemperance, anu ne way DC w, tnns ppeParea Y,
!. peranoe, Eaectually, though but incidentally eng
WORKING LOT ,Ss o' n sn 9 pro
er VII GoyeLnmsh ,sm unsn 0pea ca, sne a WY
which the irenas OF ,eperae can snnIh rs
70 adopt this principle Of protection, then, BY
q that lust anu necessary, w mere DC no aei,
d IN organlhng an muepenuen. P asgL -ii,, u
e no Government. ,r,.,- 49,.
,e but you are i,npatiem, 70 ash mt: How aoo
Wnen .na 1o' ,hn snt n ~,
h dramselling, however severe Tue penhlues upt
IN both seller and ouyer Necessary 70 erect u
A. include IN dramse,iing , sueh sha OILY s u,
LIQUORS w'hp S hs f ine sr nsr.an al
~ property. IL, as some Juries nave found, 20
10 but dulls OF slupenes insteau u crallhR, tne
Is the Government Is my 70 ,nciuae ~ IN Us co !.
n demnation OF dramseling-ior, ~ such case, Y
dflnker OF " woulu Dut uamhge nlnseli, anu
be an occasion OF danger 70 otnsss. 10 eve
prosecution let Jury decide wnether .he mau
wish could i've 70 see inc ILiehds OF vi
perance cease from their long and vain practl
OF asking Government LOT SO nuch hs 10
G. nothing. All That GoIernment mas the right
do for their cause, or THAT they nave heeu 70 ha
r done Tor u by government is 70 smut up y
re dram-shops; anu even tnis inucn u can Iegl
s. mately do, not as aiming 70 heip tempeIane
IA but only as the official protector OF person ~
4. property. ! am happy 10 believe tnat tne Va
majority OF the teInpefanee inen nave Decor
u. sick OF 'ncehse laws. M, hat vsn DC ihnoeen,
y, sold inc aoyernnent snouia suner 70 oe if ~
~ SOLD, ana What cahhot pe innooentiy sou Su
81 eminent should not suner 70 be sold ~ Az.
r large share OF the temperance men sui clinR
u the fancy Of local option laws. IL ~, no
y ever, wild fancy. GIVING Town Permissi
" 70 decide Tor user wnetner ioad snAii
=. built mere or tnsIe may Oe W
! well. But 70 leave y 70 decide wiener perlul
y forgery, tnelf, or that great iountalh-hehu
Y, crimes the uram-shop shail OF sinai not pc
~ lowed within It's limits, Is poln wiz anu wicke
The civil damage law, which tue mass OF tel
oI pefance men make themselves hoaIse WI
~ praislng, reaches the very climax OF aDsuidll
70 Nothing can DO more absuru than licensing
~ man TO sell Intoxicating liquors, anu then pu
IL ishing him ior the perfectly natural iesults
prohibltion. IL swelling lust now. But "aosoiu
prohibition" absolute Ioily, a. Is every ON
IT. vain and utterly lmpracucable thing
tic ia great blessing, ASIDE from us ueclsiye !
nd vantage 20 the cause OF temperance, Woulu
70 friends OF temperance confer upon tneil couh,
~ and upon mankind ny uniting ny tnis time 10
II. | sist with al tue power OF tnelr votes on
re- duty ot Government 10 ptotect person anu prs
| erty. But lar greater blessing tnah thls wot
come OF u. u would DC VIDE step toward
eS ground that TINS IS the only l9y OF governing