Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-03-01

O08 ASAtSAt ABe
.Msssrs. I,difors For fear Of . mis-
apprehension e % my views On the sub
jeet. propose % say few words in re-
ply 10 the ebsersstions Of G on my ar
ticle ca Iseat option. Published in the
BeAcoR Of the 18th uIt. G asks. "what
~ heal option - and then proceeds TO
give his definition Of it-aThat il - in
directly prohibiting the poor from enc
joying the same privileges a IT,. ofths
rich man." With all due Difference to
the superior wisdom and comprehension
Of G. must dissent from his definition.
Local option is nothing more nor less
than the right Of the people TO decide
whether or not licenses shall be issued
for any person TO sell whisEey in Tie
county, except Coz medscalpuFposes. As
every person has the right to vote upon
Il, the poor ~ well as the rich, and the
poor man being in the majority, il the
law be distasteful 10 him he can vote
local opsica down. Nor can see why
this law, If sanctioned BY the people,
would effect agy more the rights of the
poor man than those Of the rich. He
would have the same right to send
to the city and get whiskey as his more
afiiuent neighbor, and even though he
could not buy it IN as large quantities,
the difference in price in the city and
country would more than pay the freight
and expenses, and be would GET purer
and better article. I trust il will not be
thought from what I have written that
/ would characterize the moderate use
Of wines and other spirituous liquors Is
either crime or offence against the
law. Temperance. in my opinion, does
not necessarily include the idea OF total
abstinence. The moderate use Of any
thing cannotbe acknowledgements,
though I believe that alcohol or wine,
used ever so moderately, unless it be as
a medicine, is injurious TO the system.
G says quote Prof. ". r. Smith. which
authority, - (he) admits as the high
est" Wen, I quoted Prof. Smith as
saying that "alcohol was the great enc
nay of man and vicegefent Wrthe devil,
and any man who would exterminate
alcohol would be the greatest benefac-
tor Of the human race since the days Of
Jesus Christ" II be accepts this au-
thority as the highest, Of course he adj
mits the views OF the Prof. to be cor
rect. What motive then can he have
for advocating the general use and sale
Of a beverage which upon the authority
Of Prof. Smith he admits to be "the great
enemy Of man and vicegerent Of The
devili" But The most pleasant infor-
nation G gives me is that | have seven
hundred names now al Annapolis as the
advocates Of local option. G has taken
more trouble TO inform hlmselfupon this
subject than have, for / have neither
held communication with any Of the
friends Of nor have signed any memo
rial ia favor of local option. and arm
therefore thankful to G for the encour-
aging information. Courage then, We
friends Of Temperance, 7O1 names to
commence the campaign with is GER
tainly a good beginning. Il may be
confidently presumed there are q great
many friends ei the measure who have
not yet signed those memorials. @
seems to console himself with the de-
lusive hope that when the decisive con-
test comes of our ranks win be broken,
and tells MS TO look out for rout. De-
lude yourself not with this fond antici-
patton G. Our ranks are a. whole as
the marble, founded as the rocks, rs
broad and general as the casing air."
Whatever others may do. We win stand
BY our colors, we will not deser, our
cause. With serried column we viii
meet you in free fight, and il we go
down We will do so with our colors Hy-
ing, and no stain Of dishonor shall soil
the escutcheon Of our cause.