The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-04-28
Shem!d q state Prohibit The Sale 9!
Intoxicating Liquors.

|
author merely intended to provoke dis
cusson Of the subject by taking the po-
si!ion that he did, and thus bring it
prominently before the public at this
particular time, with view to rr cc!,.
ing thought, and accomplishi cd,
| which prefer to believe, or wLethe, the
views therein expressed were his real
convictions, am not prepared to say.
But be that as it may, since he has furn-
ished the grounds upon which his opin-
ions are based, desire to test them and
see il they will not crumble beneath the
| Weiyhf Of the arguments that exist in
favor of prohibitory laws.
When some unexpected calamity or
evil is about tc belall people, then it
may be true that in the effort to subycrt
it good judgment will not be exercised,
by reason of too much zeal, or acting on
the impulse Of the moment At this late
| day, il looking for remedy for the evils
that exist in our State, by reason CT the
liquor traffic, we need not apprehend any
| danger in that direction.
There is zeal, great zedt being shown
81 this time on the subject, and my earn
est desire is that it will never abate till
1t has swept triumphantly over the re-
| motest bounds of our Commonwealth
This zeal is not blind. Neither was it
born OF moment. 1t has shining in it's
face, in full midday splendor, tho light
OF years of experience as guide. 1t is
no new question. We are not called upon
TO rout All enemy that has just invaded
| the camp. For centuries his missiles Of
death have been flying thick and fast
over the field, spreading CONSERVATION,
terror and carnage in its path. TO ami
hilatc him the tongue and pen Of the
most gifted Of our philanthropists in the
past have been vigorously employed the
religious, and large part Of the secular
press Of our State have exerted their
mighty power to mould and shape public
opinion against it; the church, the clergy,
Christian men and women of all demon.
inations, by entreaty, by exhortaton and
personal effort have thrown, in n great
degree, into one channel their influence,
80 that by its power the last vestige Of
this cvi! might be swept from existence
| Upon our statute books are stringent laws,
enacted by our Legislature, with the hope
to suppress it to some extent. But what
has been the result? Has the number of
bar-roons in our State decreased? Is
there less drunkenness, pauperism and
crime in the State now than formerly? :?
| Mol The contrary is undoubtedly true.
Then, what is to be done? This adver-
sary is not passive, waiting TO be at
lacked: he Is active, subtle, insdiOus and
increasingly attacking every scheme of
improvement and plan Of reformation.
General bcnevolence, social self-intercst,
enlightened patriotism and Christian
civilization all protest against the con-
tinunnce of system which is Mt war with
every true interest of the State. Could
VIC. personify this civilization appealing
| TO her fricnds-the friends of invention,
of intellect, of justice, and rcligion-we
should depict her standing in the midst
OF all tho wreck and ruin which strong
drink mas wrought from the beginning Of
time, and Is she points to the veil which
hides the future from all eyes but one,
we should behold her pleading that srch
wreck and ruin should not embarr;.ss
| and impede her IN her progress through
the years to come. Let lis learn wisdom
from the futile efforts of the past, and
making stepping stones of our failures
let US rise to higher plane of activity,
and as last resort demand Of ou. Leg
islnture the passage of law prohibiting
the sale of liquors as beverage in South
Carolina
maintain that such a laO does not
transcend the true object and aim of govern.
nicnt, nor does il vioiate the right Of prop.
erty.
The paramount object of government
is to promote the public good of the
people of State. Al means to be used
are legitimate, except those expressly
forbidden by the Federal Constitution.
Restraining or prohibitory laws are not
enacted to infringe upon the use of Ger.
tain rights entirely, but it is the abuse of
them, and the consequent evil that fol.
lows the abuse, that calls for the :lter.
ference of-government.
If any trade, employment, or use of
property, that ID within itself right and
useful, becoros indirectly detrimental 10
the life, health, prosperity or order of
people, it is by the Common Law de-
clared nuisance. Tho government
then, in order to promote the public well
fare, must assume tho right of sacrificing
private Interests to suppress it.
Are private rights, then, subordinate
to the interests of the public7 If 50,
then the argument Of my friend is an
swered. l might say that the best evil
dence of what is within the object and
aim of civil government is what has
been done by it, especially when tho act,
as in the case under consideration, has
been so declared by the highest Court
known to our law.
Private rights may be, ant nave been,
from time immemOrial, sacrificed in this
State for public good.
If it be asked OH what grounds gov
ernmcnt is justified by prohibiting man
employing his capital in the sale of
liquor, it would suffice to simply answer,
that government may put down whatever
Is dangerous to society. "Sai1s popui
suprema ier."
But to meet the argument full, is
Justified upon principles fundamof,ta tai to
all social and governmental organizations.
In entering into society every individual
surrenders certain Of his natural rights
such as the vindication of his wrongs.
the protection of life and property-in
consideration that society will insure 10
him the peaceable enjoyment of his un-
surrendered rights, and indemnity for nil
wrongs done to him. Que right surren-
dered is the privilege of doing anything,
though personally beneficial, or pursuing
any occupation the natural or probable
result of which are, or are likely to be,
injurious to other members of society:
and the right to sell liquor must be class.
ed with this, for our friend says in the
latter portion of his article that the
liquor.seller is the cause Of "innumerablo
miseries," and that it is "a calling which
is yearly filling hell with thousands of
yictimsO II 10 it,etiffad fuvtL ~. H., ,,:.t..-