St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-07-31
ST. cSohnsburp Galedonian.
Acknowledgment Traffic.

! he judiciary Committee. to whom
was referred Il large number of peti-
tionS from churches and religious bod
les us well us from imdi\ idualS from
different States, pray ing for the appoint
mcnt of IL commission to inquire and
report as to the results of the traffic in
alcoholic liquors in connection with
crime. pauprrism the public health, the
moral. social, and intellectual well-bc-
in. of the people secondly, concerning
prohihitory legislation in Maine, MaSSa-
chuScttS, and other States of the Union {:
and, thirdly, to recommend what ad
ditional legislation, If any, would Ice
beneficial on the part of Congress to
suppress in the sphere of national an
thority the traffic in alcoholic liquors,
have given such consideration to the
subject az seemed proper, not only by
its intrinsic gravity and Importance, but
also from the high character and great
number of the petitioners. Upon and
H. the result OF this consideration. the
committee herewith report Il bill in
substantial conformity to the prayers
of the petitioners. and recommend its
passage.
The committee ais" beg leave to
submit, i'll the form of IL report. a short
statement of the REASONS which have
induced their recommendation.
And, first, II Is proper to inquire
whether Congress has ANY proper i'll
risdiction to authorize such iuvcStiga
ton. Investigations, under the author
ity of Congress, whether by il committee
consisting of its own members on 10y IA
commission composed of other persons,
are usually made into the conduct of
some officer or department of the Gov
eminent, or are of Il general nature,
with II view to furnish proper informa
ton to aid and guide future legislation.
The jurisdiction here must he sup
ported. if at all, upon the Latter of these
grounds. 1t was not claimed before the
committee by the gentlemen who ap-
pcarcd on behalf of these petitions that
Congress possesses the power to rcgu-
late oI prohibit the traffic in intoNica-
ting liquors within the States. We
understand them to c"ncede that such
power and jurisdiction rest solely in
the State legislatures.
But they do claim that, within the
District of Columbia and within all the
Territories under the jurisdiction of the
National Government outside the limits
vi 'Nistlt'S- piISltSS 'i'h'~ pos
seSS full and ample power to regulate
and restrain or prohibit the traffic. As
II question of jurisdiction. the commit
tee do not see how this claim can he
denied on doubted.
Whether it will ever Ice thought adj
yiSihlc or cNpcdicni fnr Congress to
exercise such power. il Is not necessary
now to determine. The fact that the
District of Columbia and each of the
organized Territories have u local le@iS-
lation of their own, who also have
power to create such legislation. if II
sufficiently strong local sentiment can
bc created in its favor, will, of COURSE
he Il consideration of weight when the
question arises. The results of this in
guiry may largely affect the Judgment
of Congress rs To whether they ought
to exercise their Legislative jurisdiction
over this subject within the limits
where they coni,SSrdly have the power
But, If the facts ;ISrertaimrd and report
ed 10y this commission shall not induce
Congress To leg iSlatc, they may have
such an important and controlling in
tlucnce upon the public sentiment ;und
Judgment within the national domain
outside the States us to induce restrain
ing and preventive Legislation against
intcmprrlncc 10y the local legislatures.
These quasi governments are legally
considered aS but agencies and imStru-
mentalitieS of the General Government:
and if improved Legislation 10y them
shall result from the information thus
gained, it may property he regarded rs
of national benefit
lh,. n.,IInp nnm .l.riN,.S vary l.,r,,..
revenue 10y the taxation of the manu-
facturcr, the importer, and the seller of
Intoxicating liquors. Can it he said
that our national laws on this subject
may not property and c"nStituti"nally
he affected hN the consideration wheth
cr the subject matter of all those laws
he Il benefit and blessing To the nation
and all the people thereof, 50 that its
manufacture, sale, and Use ought to he
encouraged in all lawful WAYS. or
whether. on the other hand. il is an evil
demon, every way hurttul +" the nation
and people. and which should he re
strained and circImSrIihrd in every
constitutional mode
The committee believe that the re
suits of this commission MAY Justly and
c"nSIiiutionally affect national lcgiSli-
tion upon this subject. and that inchIcHt-
al p'oiecfioH may thus he afforded to the
cause of temperance and sohrictN.
So, too. II the information thus oh
tanned, covering Il broader field clothed
with Il robe of more official authoIitN
commanding more respect. and less
liable to challenge or contradiction than
the individual efforts and statements of
private phIlanthIopiStS have hitherto
attained. shall have the effect t" pro-
duce better State laws. OF the better
enforcement of State laws for the re-
straint of the sale and use of intoNica-
ting liquors, il is Il consideration not to
he lost sight of Though this is not .
perhaps, u sufficient ground to uphold
the jurisdiction. yet if the jurisdiction
is clear on other grounds, it furnishes
additional reasons for its exercise
With this short statement of the com
mittce as to the jurisdiction of Congress.
is il cNpcdicnt to order this commission
and inquiry ?
That the evils of intemperlnre are
enormous. and that the increasing" use
of Intoxicating drinks is one of the
dangers which seriously threaten our
national prosperity as we'll rs national
reputation, are facts which are very
generally conceded. Every good citizen
will give his countenancc and aid to
any measure which will limit and re
strain these evils
For Il considerable number of Years
the general opinion of those most inter
estcd t" break up and suppress the Use
of Intoxicating" drinks has been that
the onl Y sure and etfcctlIal mode WAS
10y prohibiting their manufacture and
sale, and thus cut of the means of sup
ply of those disposed to drink. In