The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-01-21

in cash, STIMULATING to pay the balance at
stated intervals the funds to be derived
from the legitimate business of the hotel
the greater part of the proceeds arising, of
course, from the sales over the bar. Sud-
denly, by blunder in legislation, his le-
Ultimate business is destroyed, and, to
that extent, his prospects gre ruined
| What respectable man is there in the coun-
ty that can be found willing to defend
such legislation over his own name q
None. Such defence would be incom-
patable with the first principles of hon
esty.
Without protesting to know what the
lao is on this subject we affirm that JUS
tice demands that this man should be paid
for his losses. Not wishing to violate even
the semblance of law, or to become involv-
ed in vexatious law suits, this gentleman
sold not cents worth of liquor after the
date of "prohibition," and has in con-
sequence suffered heavy damage through
this illegal legislation. He should sue the
State, or the county, for the damage he
has sustained, and, if there he any justice
in the land he would certainly receive COM
pensation.
Suppose for moment that, through a
similar error in legislation on the subject
Of dry goods, no license for their sale
could be granted and all the stores should
be closed. Then we should hear such d
howl that our courts would be compelled
to listen to it, and the way would soon be
opened for the procurement of licenses
In the present instance the prtjudices of a
few "tetotalers' are allowed by their "La
mes, SWELL Wells" and pooh, pooh's, to
trample down, for the time being, but only
for the time being, mark GEL the rights of
the people. Maryland is not yet prepared
to become New Englandised; and God
grant that she never may be prepared for
the advent of such fanaticism!
If maiorities are allowed to rule in mat
tiers peculiar to the "natural appetite" of
man, and, by so doing, prohibit the use of
liquors, what would be thought of the
proposition, where the majority were in
favor Of its use, if it should see proper to
exercise its authority and compel the minor
ity to drink the liquors, nolens volens p
Then might some protesting be heard 1t
is said to be "a bad rule that will not
work both ways" and, in more home
ly phrase, "what's sauce for the goose is
sauce for the gander |" But it seems puer-
lie in us pigmies to undertake to control
the human appetite at this late day, in
the use of an article that has been indulg-
ed in, so far as history and tradition teach
es, since the origin Of mankind; an arti-
Gle, too, which is so frequently referred to
and commended in the Holy Scriptures,
to say nothing of the practices of the pro-
fame.
Throughout tue Bible we find constant
a. 81 - ~
for the production Divine. Wine appears
to have been as freely used by the people
in the days when the Scriptures were writ
ten as at the present time, in proportion to
the population. 1t is repeatedly referred
to by the inspired writers; its moderate
(temperate) use commended, and immod-
crate (intemperate) use very properly con-
demned-just as is done by all right
thinking men of to-day.
One Of the first miracles performed by
Christ was that Of turning water into wine,
(St. John, C. ~ Now, it is not to be sup
posed for moment that Christ would have
converted so harmless drink as water into
wine, if the latter was really such curse
to mankind rs our latter-day temperance
saints would have us believe
In another part Of the Scriptures we
read He the Lord causeth the grass to
grow for the cattle, and herb for the SER
vice of men: that he may bring forth food
out of the earth and acins that maketh
glad the heart of man."-Psalm CIV, V.
II, Is.
Again give strong drink to him that
is ready to perish, and wine unto those
that be Of heavy hearts Let him drink,
and forget his poverty, and remember his
misery no more" PrGgerbs, xxx, 6, Z.
"IIo, eve. man that thirsteth, come We
to the waters, and he that hath no money
come We, buy and eat; yea, come, buy aoine
withoW money, and cidout rice."-Isaiah,
w., /.
How different from the treatment of the
poor at the present day Instead of Civ
ing them wine without money, and with
out price, they do not permit them to en-
Joy its comforts Gin this county, even when
they offer their money
We ale again enjoined Il. Timothy, v.23)
"Dfink 70 longer water, but use a little
wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine Of
ten infrmities."
1t will be seen that the Bible, our high
est authority in morals, does not, in any
part, condemn the proper use of wine; but
on the contrary frequently commcnds it,
OF course it condemns its abuse, as all SEN
sible men have done in all ages. The
"higher law" of the present day cannot
extinguish that natural appetite" in man
for stimulants; that taste that has existed
in all ages since mans creation the taste
that he was created with and for which
Christ performed II special miracle for lis
qualification. (St. John ii.)
The great error into which many of our
would-be rei0rmers fall, is that of not be-
ing able to distinguish the difference be-
tween use and abuse.
No one pretends to deny that much crime
and wretchedness results from the intern
perate use of spirituous liquors. This one
fact is the foundation for all the hue and
cry about temperance" (total absti-
nence).
The law, however, does not accept the
plea of drunkenness as any eXtcnuation for
the preparation of crime. A drunken
man is punished the same as he that is So
| Der for the offence committed. That far
and no farther can the law go.
There are thousands of men who make
daily use of wine or other stimulating Ii
quors, and who are at the same time good
useful and faithful citizens. The criminal
law cannot touch them; they are temperate
men; they attend to their own business
and allow others the same privilege. Are
these exemplary citizens to be punished,
by robbing them of their accustomed slim
uants, because there are II few Anticipated
men in the country, men who can not par
take without making fools of themselves
and doing injury to Others Such pro-
position is preposterous! You might as
we'll say that because pork or fish disor-
ders the stomachs of few individuals,
therefore thousands of others who suffer
no such unpleasant results, shall be denied
their use That kind of reasoning will
not satisfy men Of ordinary intelligence.
If ia true that there are plenty of en-.