The Ottawa free trader., 1882-09-02
Yorneas ON rrohibltion.

Senator Vorhees, of Indiana, IN 6 splen
did opening speech Of the campaign IL
that state at Terre Haute on Monday even
Ing, after going over the issues between tn
parties generally, defined his position Of
DO prohibition question, stating that whil'
tShero might be no objection to letting thu
people vote on submitting constitutions
smendment, when submitted, he shoule
vote against its adoption, being opposed L
the policy of prohibition; and he gave hi.
reasons for taking such ground in the fol
lowing eloquent and forcible language
In making laws to govern the people il
is the part Of wisdom TO recognize human
nature as it Is and as 1t has been in all
ages, rather than to erect different stand
ard from that created by the Almighty
As far as my reading extends | find tha,
every people on the globe have believed
themselves capable and entitled to determ
Inc what they would eat, drink, and wear
hNman nature. To deny them is 10 place
man on the level with enslaved ANIMALS,
whom you feed and shelter according TO
reason why prohibition, so called, never
prohibits. The instinct OF government
| is strong in every mans heart, and he at
once revol,s against such an intrusion
upon his right of private judgment and
seltcontrol. Twenty.elght years ago l
was just entering upon the affairs of life,
and the party opposed to the Democracy
at that time was a mongrel composed OF
prohibition AMI Knownothlngism in about
equal parts witnessed the temporary
triumph and the speedy death OF this com.
bination party. The attempt to enforce
the Maine law, as 1t was then called, IN In
diana in 1854 was a miserable and demor-
alizing farce Nothing Is worse in its eff
fecis on the public morals than law which
Is dead letter-a law which 1t is the
sworn duty of courts and jurIes to enforce,
and which they will not enforce. This
was the case In Indiana IN 1854, and will
be again If prohibition is adopted. 1t is
the case now to greater or less extent in
every state where prohibition nomlnallv
prevails. Hypocricy, fraud, contempt of
law, with all their kindred evils, always
accompany such a state of things. The
daily laborer may be deprived OF his beer,
but the man who is able will send to Ken.
tusky for his whisky, which, under this
amendment, he can keep and drink to his
hearts content so he does not keep it for
sale. The adoption OF this amendment Will
not keep drop Of whisky, or brandy, or
foreign costly wines out of the state which
any one wants to bring here to drink. 1t
will simply stop the manufacture for sale,
and close up the vineyards and breweries
which Jefferson and every other phllsso-
phic mind regarded as great mltigations of
the evils of lntemperance. would be will
ling to leave this question to any intelligent
person who has Travelled In the different
countries Of Europe. When the Hon.
Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts, was Vice
President of the United States, he made
an extensive tour abroad. He was at that
time one of the most prominent and earnest
advocates of the temperance cause in this
er any other country. Upon his return,
in conversation with me- he SAID he did
BOT see an intoxicated person after crossing
the English channel, although he saw the
French and the Germans drinking their
native wine and beer every day as we drink
coffee, tea, or water He was convinced,
rs | am, that the danger is from the strong
liquors, aud not from the light beverages
which every civilized people have used
from the days of Abraham, and including
he founders of the Christian religion, to
the present time. He who succeeds best
IN substituting the use of malt liquors and
native wines for whisky and brandy
amongst the laboring classes, and all others,
will rank as statesman and phllanthro-