The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-07-28
Declaration Of Principles and
Resolutions Adopted BY The
Prohibition Convention nG
jackson on the 9Oth Of
.Hufv

1. The right Of self protection is
inherent in all governments, aud
carries with it q great and noble duty.
No government can abandon the right
nor eyade the duty. "If it have
reason to believe that the enemy is
undermining its power and plotting in
anyway whatever, its destruction, the
obligation IS imperative, either to de-
strOy the enemy or efeotually battle
his designs. The principle here
enunciated applies with equal force to
the right and duty Of government TO
protect society against evils IS well
g enemies. "Henoe laws against
adullerated food, against the COM
munioation Of contagious diseases
by the establishment Of quarantine
restrictions, aud forbiddiDg the
sale Of common Yirulent poisons
Whatever, therefore, entails upon
aoc.atg disease and n.iserY, poverty
and Wretohedness, and is, in it's
nature, destructive to industry,
wealth, morals and reasons, often
making It's victims dangerous, always
Injurious 10 society, must be proper
subject of Legislative suppression.
The obligation of the commonwealth
"a protect society against itoannot
be otherwise than supreme.
I'd. All governments above barbar.
Ism, take the family Constitution
under their protection. They recog
.bizel and4aet upon the nEinciple Qlai
the pefpetuity Of governmet and the
progress OF christian civilization de-
pend very largely upon the purity
and indissolability Of the family Con
stitutiOn. Whenever, therefore, in
its very nature destructive Of that
Constitution, the intolera ble hane Of
thousands Of once happy homes, and
the fatal destroyer Of thousands
more, the State is bound to suppress
by wise legislation.
80. It's the clearly Acknowledged
duty Of every wise government to
exercise q Watchful care over the
sources Of wealth and poverty, and
seeking by wise legislation to encour
age and deYelnp the one, and to pre-.
vent and remove the other. Whatever,
therefore, saps national prosperity
and wealth, and entails Ioverty and
want, Is 3 legitimate subject of legis
lative enactment for its suppression.
4th. 1t is conceded by all that the
duty Of the Stqte to legislate far the
prevention and suppression Of crime
is imperative. Whatever, therefore,
is the cause Of three fourths Of the
crime of the country, as attested by
the judges Of England and America
for goo years, must be a legitimate
subject Of legislative prohibition
Recognizing, therefore, the fact,
that the manufacture and sale Of in
toxicat:ng liquors as a beverage, is
the prolific sources Of the evils enum.
erated-itself an evil Of such magni-
tude as to jeopardize the highest in
terests Of the State, filing it with
drunkenness aud crime, entailing pov.
erty and wretchedness, aud becoming
the intolerable curse Of thousands oil
homes throughout the land, and the
fatal destroyer Of thousands more,
this Convention feels constrained to
utter, with ell possible emphasis, th,
solemn conviction that the question
Of the prohibition Of the traffic /.
one toe State cannot longer evade
it cannot discharge its high and sol
emn duty Is q government, while 4
leave society prey to the most mer
eiless destroyer ever knoWu 90 mae
4 Therefore, n order TO accomplish
this result, be il
ResolUed, That the President o.
this Convention appoint an Execu-
tive Committee of fifteen, two fron
each Congressional District and thre,
from the State at large, Eve Of whom
shall constitute a quorum, and who's,
duty it shall be
First-To prepare aud submit &
the Legislature at its next session.
memorial setting forth the evil OF thl
liquor traflc in this State, and IN Ia,
name OF this Convention praying aus
demanding that an amendment 10 III,
Constitution prohibiting said trafll,
in this State, shall be passed and cub
mitted 70 the people for ratification
or rejection at the next succeeding
general election.
} SecOnd-TO facilitate and lurthel
the organisation Of Prohibition Club
J IN every county and town throughou
, the State, and disseminate aocuratl
and rellable inlormauon among thl
{ people aa to the evils Of the lQnol
J tranlc.
Third-To render such service n
/ may be deemed proper in the prepar
alton Of the constitutional amend
: meni above referred to, and such al
any committee Of The Legislaturl
charged slth The special duty maj
J request
F0urlh-To call any Conventions
State and county, which herealte
} may become necessary, either ior thl
nnrnoao of nrOmOtinr the ratification