The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-01-14
MI is Q elIane us.
The Liquor License Question |

MIR. EDIToR: This question has been
ventilated in recent number of The lFgis
However satisfactorily the subject may
have been disposed of by Temperance,
no doubt many of the readers OF The 1Egis
do not see eye to eye with him in this
matter. He asks, "Who shall use stimu-
lating, or when used to excess intoxicating
liquors y The answer to this, as given by
himself through inference, is, that all
classes have "moral right. That restric-
tions upon this article should stand upon
the same level with tobacco, opium, pork,
poultry, fish, &C."
This first proposition amounts simply to
TINS, Should there be any law, human or
divine, that does not fully harmonic with
the perverted tastes of fallen humanity
HAS any one class of our fellow citizens
received special authority to exercise con-
troll over the food and drink of another
class !" He takes the negative side of
this question. We are compelled to favor
the Affirmative. Such laws have been en-
acted, and the salutary effect is seen and
felt on all hands. The druggist has spe-
clal restrictions regulating the sale of his
poisons. The transactions of minors are
not legal.
The tavern keeper may not sell to chill
dren that which would soon blast the bright
life OF the innocent. And why may they
noti Because just and prudent legislation
prohi' its. And who shall say our law ma
kers had no right to frame laws of this
character
Reference is also made to the Vegetari-
ans of New England. They would "com-
pei others to observe the same diet that
they themselves use" The origin fthe sect
referred to was not SO much moral aues-
tion as a matter of necessity. They most
probably incapacitated themselves for
stronger diet by taking too often and too
largely OF the "needtul." The effort is
made to prove that "this is q subject over
which maiorities have no right to exercise
control" To attempt to prove PROPOSE
ton so absurd is to fail. And to New
England is ascribed the vain glory of Civ
ing birth to all the odious isms of the day.
Is not Free Love an odious ism 2 And did
it not originate in France? Where did
cremation first arise? 1t found its birth
upon foreign shore. But not only does
he give New England the honor of origi-
mating, but that they have uniformly PROV
ed practically imperative. Where did
abolitionism take its rise, and where find
its contamination Not all failures.
And, says Temperance, men near the
White House and those protesting great
piety," including therein Judges, lawyers,
jurymen and laymen." Men in position
have their price. 'Tis true, all men are
not immaculate, but men whose principles
are of this loose texture can be bought for
almost any price. While on the other
hand, men of higher motives and frmer
principles cannot be bought. In vain An
dire offers gold to the sturdy yeoman guard
of revolutionary times. Those times are
not gone forever, nor are all their royal off
spring dead. There are men who can only
be bought and bribed by death. Not till
that hour comes will they yield their in
tegrity or lay their honor down. But such
confess are not to found amongst the
whisky men of our country. st. Louis,
Chicago and other Western cities tell a
different tale.
But Temperance does not omit the scrip
tural argument for his kind of temperance.
He refers US to the Lords prayer. To
what part of that most comprehensive
prayer does lie refer 2 "Thy kingdom
come 2" No, his prayer is for King Alec.
hol to mount the throne. is it "give US
this day our daily bread ?" No, that can
not be the part, as 10 mention is made OF
the "needful." Lead US not into tempta-
tion ~ 1t cannot be this, for the way Of
drink is way of temptation, from its
bright entrance to its dark and dreadful
end.
But the people Of the county felt out.
ragged at the usurpation of their rights
The people of the county wonder how
many And many of them asserted that
the hotel keepers had a clear mora
right to disregard this prohibitory law
A clear moral right to do what To disre
gard law; to sell liquors, to pave the way
down to the second death, by drowning
mems consciousness and imbruing thei
hands in the life blood of father, wifi
or child. A strange kind of morality
this. 1t may be the morality of the bar
room but not of the pure homes of Hartford
county. 1t may be the morality of the pi
but not of the skies. 1t may harmonic,
with the depraved hearts of men, but no
with the high standard of the Bible
Those who are embittered against til,
laws of God are not the ones who ODE,
them, but those who habitually and fla
GRAVITY disobey. SO the opposers of th