West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-03-09

was very rich from the result OF MS
traffic in rum. But he had com
mitted the crime when drunk. The
iury acquitted him. Whydid they
acouit him? Because he was drunk
when he did it. Then who was to
blame for the murder2 | say 1t
was the whisky. Then who gave
him the whisky? The State made
the law that furnished him the ia
cilities for. getting it. Then the
State is certainly a party to this
crime ofmurder, and if to this, then
to every murder that is caused by
drunkenness. Who compose the
State? The people. Now, Sir, L
do not wish to be party to any
murder, and we hear the cry OF
10000 of our citizens saying they
do not want to be a party to muir
ders. Senators, will you deny them
their prayer? You may, l dare
not. | will hear their request and
grant it,
| will quote you some law
on this proposition. | read from
the bill of rights in the Constitu-
ton Of West Virginia;
"All power is vested Inland conse-
quently derived from the people.
Magistrates (Senators) are their
trustees and servants, andat all times
ampnable to them"
Yes, says some Senator These
people do not know what they
want. well, may be they will find
out what they want,)
The following is from the reports
of the Supreme Court ofthe United
States in celebrated liquor cause.
Hon. Justice Grier said at is not
necessary to array the appalling
statistics of misery, pauperlsm and
crime, which have their origin IN
the use and abuse of ardent spirits.
The police power which is exclu-
sively in the State, is competent to
the correction of these great evils,
and all measures Of restraint, or
prohibition, necessary to effect that
purpose, are within the scope of
that authority; and if loss Of rev.
enue should occur to the United
States from a diminished consump-
ton of ardent spirits, she VIII be a
gamer thousand-foldi in the health,
wealth and happiness of her peo-
pie. 9th How. 1922
Now, Sir, | challenge the Sena-
tor to produce the shadow of an ar
gument or the slightest reason why
this Senate should not grant the re-
quest of these petitioners.
Are the rights Of any man to be
invaded, and is there fear of any in
furious results? We are not asked
to make this law we are only asked
to put it in such shape that the
people may say whether they want
such law. It is the people who
enact prohibition if any is en-
acted.
Now, Sir, let me turn to a little
matter that the Senator from
Berkeley, knows of from his own
observation: | have reference to
the riot or mob they had at Martins
burg some three years ago. He can
not deny that if there had been no
spirituous liquors there, there
would have been no riot. And that
little affair cost this State over ten
thousand dollars. This cannot be
denied by any Senator on this floor.
The State would be the gamer to
pass a prohibitory law, burn up all
the stills in the State and pay for
them. Then, Sir, riots, mobs, Red
Men and Ku Klux would cease for
ever in this State; and the State
would be the gamer, thousand
fold by this consumation.
Mr.. President, here is an adver-
tisement of a saloon keeper which
| cut from one of the city papers. 1t
commences thus:
To tickle your palate, imbibe the
woundrous delights of Crystalized
Rock and Rye, just imported from
Bordeaux. the last, best and most
triumphant result of French inge-
nuity. Transportation is pleas
ure to look at, pleasure to drink
and pleasure in its after effects.
1t is made of pure rock candy and
Hermedidge's renowned whisky dis
| i