Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-03-05
COMMUNICATED.
QUIETUS OF Is TO 9

On Friday the 18th ult. in the Senate of
West Virginia in the resolution propo-
sing Constitutional amendment prohib-
iting the manufacturing and sale of al
cohOlic and malt liquors was Indefinitely
postponed, Notwithstanding seventeen
thousand signcrs in one body pctitioned
for its ingraftatiOn on our organic law.
Senators are public characters and their
public acts subject TO criticism, especial
~ by their Immediate constituents. SEM
ator Faulkner it is reported delivered a
speech OH Wednesday previous to the de-
feat of il, AGAINST the measure. MIR.
Faulkner is said to be a very influential
member of the Senate, which in the mat
ter in hand is very unfortunate. / have
not seen his speech in print, but the Spir-
it of Jefferson gives al approving para
graph eGitorially; quote few lines viz:
"He (Faulkner) began by correcting
what seems a general error, perhaps Il
vilful one. The opponents OF the prohlb-
itory amendments are not the enemies of
temperance" MIR. Faulkner thereby af-
firms that the thousands Of citizens OF w.
Virginia who have memoralized and
prayed for the prohibitory constitutional
enactment, together with tens of thou
sands of others whose bleeding hearts
tarob all over the State for such leSiSla-
ton are PERHAPS wlLFULLY IN ERROR.
If Mr.. Faulkner had lived and made the
speech he did in the whiskey age or fifty
years ago, it would have passed sage
counsel even without backing behind L >.
Senator Thurman, who like Mr.. Faulkner
re-echoes very STALE and cffcte arguments,
most likely manufactured in the first
place where the liquor is and by persons
tvtn in,
telling about "moral suasiOn," rs the
way TO cure the evils Of intemperancc.
Moral suaSion is well enough so far as it
reaches, but it is too short TO effect what
is desired, as the efforts of the last half
century has well demonstrated, and Mr..
Thurman and Mr.. Faulkner know that to
be SO; but still-houscs and drinking cell
lars have telling influence on elections
and mere politicians very much fear TO
offend them, especially il located in a
mere politicians district.
The old eXhumed argument current
some thirty years ago about moral suasion
and non legislation i'm the case of liquor
manufacturing and vending, helped 10
send many drinkers to their graves, and
many poor helpless women and children
to get their brains knocked out, but 1t
served nevertheless To seat many = fell
low in Legislative halls and put many an
i'll gotten dollar into the pockets Of drank
ard makers. The idea Of State licensing
its citizens, even indirectly, to commit
every crime known to the decalogue is
typical of the worst days of barbariSm,
and any man Of sense kpOws that manu-
featuring and selling intoxicating drink
is but the every day chronicle of murder,
rape, arson, burglary, dcfhlcation, insan-
ity, &C., &C., with all the millions of
money ii takes from the more yirtuous
and industrious 10 prosecute, support and
provide for the incarceration of the erim-
inal who has been made such by setting
the temptation before boys in the first
place. The argument Is non EST HoNI-
NUN. Talk about wilful error, Mr.. Scna-
tor in asking to correct the giant error Of
all ages and all countries by proposing rs
best that which you know has failed from
time immemorial. You do not hesitate to
pass dog law TO protect sheep husban-
dry; are dumb brutes better than the
human family You willingly and right
fully legislate for the life of sheep and
yet when the lives of men are in question
from both temporal and eternal distruc-
ton you cannot legislate for their protcc-
ton, for Mr. Thurman says he is willing
10 stand up for the license of dramarics.
When | reflect that Mr.. L. favored the
electoral commission" L for one am will
ling to admit that he is fallible mortal
and very mortal ut that, But the prohibit
tory constitutional amendment is indefi-
nitely postponed By Is to 8, which the
people asked for, except those pecuniarily
Interested who doubtless are the hackers
of the fifteen valliants who mock at the
cries Of human distress. Two years ago
the sages, doubtless some of the same, au-
thorized the people to vote on two expen-
sive and useless amendments TO the Con-
stitution which the people Of the State
did not ask for but which has greatly con-
tributed to litigation, multiplication Of
judgeships and legal fees. . Lord deliv-
er us from pocket patriotism and partial
legislation. HUMANITY.