Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-02-23
r PUBLISHED DAILY & TRI-WEEKLY B
EDGAR SNOWDEN.
THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY %
As what is called ''local option" or the sub

As what is called 'locsl cp:ion," or the sub
mission to the voter5 Of particular district the
question whether lio,lses to sell liqu,r shall be
grated 10 that district. is being agi:ssed in
Virginia. it may not be aniss to state, brisfg,
our views upon the subject, AID 10 deirg 3D.,
let US FRS sny that We regret haVleg to lake
ground 10 opposition 10 Tba. appearl, at fret
sight, noyenen. 10 the interest OF morality.
Ws,c we convinced that it was really sucb, cur
opposition you'd bs materially lsss;aed, II not
sntirey sbascd. We say esssned, because
there ore grave otiectloua even to the sccon-
plishment Of O great good by The mears Ere
posed. The R,nan hs:otisu, Salius. 10
speaking of the atrocities Of S. Via. SAY that they
bad ell presidents good men Dded tbe
,x.cuioa f robbers aud aosDGonsd Wretches
without dls regard 70 the legal forms. aid soon
afterwards fluid tkCusaivo) coatemoet,
thou ii Innocent, 10 tho same mAtner. Now,
10 then. man b:couc fsmiliariz,d With do.
pr urls from great principles by measures
apparently c,Iculsted to effec! some great
publ, good. and it is precisely when such
measures arc proposed that the wise mea shou d
study their probable GOES leaces.
L, firm CT government like ours, where
the msj,riy hss, ordinarily, ths right 10 rule,
that right is apt to ba pushed too for, for which
ressou our forefsthtrJ surrounded il with re-
s.fic:iocs calculated 10 pre5er7o lie i5eiv dusl
rights Of the private ciliz;n. For example,
tho msj,ri,y may thirk i. necessary to worship
God in certain m.cpef, nd may even believe
that tho salvation Of every man depends upon
his doioz 81; ths. would cer:si6l3 furnish O
strong ground for eadsavoring to compel e7t-g-
boty 10 90 worship? yet tut fundamental liw
torbids the slightes: Interference with tho rights
Cf conscience. even indirectly. end protects he
iLdivi6u,l in the right to worship 10 sa2 Esr-
ucr. or even DOT 10 worship q. oil. Would sty
ous DO abridge that tight?
Now. apply this to the sale cf iiq11r. Thcus-
ands of MN d;;nk moderately and give nc
trouble 10 aryb,5y: tua;r.d5. perhaps. drink
to txo,se, dissipae sci moa, 5. oou mi: OIL nes
and reducs their families to poverty. Cut of
all the liquor" ssys tho local opiolist {; il
other words. because o few men abuse thsil
right to take dick. oil men must be deprived
of that right. Tho rule, if carried 10 lis logical
cousc q leIces, would reach mip9 other ttiaes
besides I:qaor drinking, aad tbs law3 tf LIclr-
gus would be mild COMPARED With The ty,snpy
We would Iiv3 under. Thss!rs suio SUMO men
therefore we Eu,t hsvs 20 moro theatres balls
arc sometimes Objectionable. therefore bebo6y
must dance; tobacco osn be proved to b IL
furious. therefore nobody must sntk, CT oGtw.
and 80 Oh, ad iylaituns. Tao blue laws would
b. revived and made moro Stringent, for the
worst elements of Nav England pprianism
would God resurrection. Olos establish the
principle that the use ia to b. prohibited b.
Gus, of the abuse. and taaro is % telling to
what that principle may lead. aad YET il is Ibe
vsry basis of this local opion movement.
81 much for the obj solioa TO III, rrinepls
We reserve our reasons for believing tbas the
policy proposed is 10. god, oven Wero the
principle sound one.