The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-11-03

ard mas Pharmaceutical as Unwise and
Inexpedient II not Unconstitutional.
The present generation-hoating, as 1t were
upon summer sea-appears to have become Cd
livious to forgetful of the am0unt OF pioou ane
treasure expended by our sturdy fore-Iathers IL
the establisfme and maintenance Of the i'm
perishable principles so indelibly stamped upon
tinn Of InSe9endence The political equality
and freedom of all men, as regards tneir std.us ~
the body polite. and IN their reias,ons mi.m
is as essential and absolute under the constitu-
ton of the United States as are the zen Com
mandments' in the scheme of rational relleion
The citizens of Hartford county are slowly, but
We fear, surely drifting away from one OF me me
caramel TH Tbe right Of every man to the
food and drink of his choice. The political free
dom which we now enjoy may be likenen 10 our
Ter is perhaps little interested or concerned SO
far as his personal convenences are 1eopardized,
as any otherindividual in the results of the crime
which in the name of religion and law Is about
10 be perpetrated upon the people OF Har nhrd
county. We refer of course TO tne nisicaIie :;
the proposed enactment except the pleasure of
those short-sghted citizens who favor prompt
ton There will be no option on the part or the
minority should the prohibitory scheme be car
ried. While others, who should speak, are re-
manning silent and thus allowing the untninkl i
geniously set for them, the writer, without any
motive except that of warning the innocent that
which our government is founded is thus under
the engaging and plausible plea of temperance,
about to be violated. Where one stone IS loosenea
and taken from the foundation wall, how easy IT
becomes to remove Others Sumptuary laws,
even If permissible under our form of govern
never be fully enforced These are not subjects
for political enactment and therefore 40 noe CONE
under the rules established by the FOUNDERS OF tne
government in which the will of the majority
constitutes the 'law." u,
The agitation of the temperance question has
had its epidemic seasons for centuries, perhaps
ever since the creation of man, as we have reason
to believe that intoxicating drinks were co-eVal
with his birth yet the 0DSet b os
yet been realized. On the other hand, the eVil
they deprecate and unwisely attempt througn
legal enactment, to exercise control winch is
only permissible through and attanabe by NOR
al suasion. is daily increasing and widening not
withstanding the acknowledged march oil ciVili-
cation and education. -.
The too free use of strong drink is ruinous alike
TO mental and physical health; but even IN these
cases the mans free agency must be conceded
His friend or neighbor may ADVISE MN OF the
danger of his course, and warn him OF tne new
table results of gross ntemperance. but he has no
right of command in the premises. Some ndi-
viduals habitualy inJure themselves by the Gut
tonous use of meats and vegetaoles-tn;e1lir Ves
are made miserable. their temper lrasclDle ana
constantly vented with painful results upon tnelr
innocent wives and children. As in the other
case kind friend or number OF frends may al,
wise temperance for the good of the individual
and for the good of his family but this is the ex-
tent of his and their authority me eye S M
meats are exceedingly injurious TO the health OF
his fellow-man. He may preach the doctrine with
all the fervor and eloquence of Demosthenes, but
there his mission ends; he can not appeal TO the
enactments of "majorities." The Jews and many
others are firmly convinced of the injurious et-
fccts physical and spiritual, resulting from the
use of the flesh of swine. Suppose Tor moment
that in district Of our county, there were one
hundred and ninety nine votes, and OF that num-
her one hundred happened to be Jews, and that
the latter class should bring up the questlon OF
the unfitness of pork and bacon Tor human 1000,
and with great show of fairness, would propose
putting the question to a vote, asserting their
Willingness to abide by the decision of the ma
iorty." of course the majority OF one would take
from the ninety-nine Christians the chief article
of their daily food, without entailing any priva-
ton whatever upon the hundred Jews what the
Jews would do in this case is exactly what the
total abstinence" people of this county are try
Ing To enact upon the question of stimulating
drinks, even to the mild form OF wine, beer ana
cider Gwen prohibited from buying or selling and
consequently from drinking the pure juice of the
innocent applet The majority OF those who IA
vor such enactments is constituted OF individuals
who do not enjoy the use of such drinks, and are
consequently suffering no deprivation them
selves and of those who are ignorant of, or in
different to the demorazing results of such leg
islatiou and have no respect for the natural APP
petites and opposing sentiments OF that large
class of their fellow-men whom the Constitution
Of the United States recognizes as free ana equal,
especially in all matters relating to food and re-
The would-bc reforners gloss their injustice
with the plausible pretext of improving the health
and the morals of their poor, weak countrymep,
who, although compelled to labor, and pay taxes
to the government, are unable to Judge for them
selves in matters of natural appetite. me tee
totaler blandly says in most sympathetic tones:
my friend, you are a poor, helpless mortal IN
moral affairs; it is true that you can labor, and
we will sec that you do, but you are untitled for
taking proper care of yourself according to our
standard. Your appetite for stimulating liquors
has a demoralizing effect upon you: we have de-
cded that il is improper for you to make use OF
them, yet we do not plainly tell you that you
shall not have stimulus, but we make show OF
giving you an option in the ma We ca wn ao wS
to keep stock in our cellars, and use as much as
we wish, but for you, my dear fellow, with only
Il few dimes to spare at the end Of your weeks
labor for a little pleasurabe Notification, you
must abstain. Such indulgencies are not proper
for you; your few dimes can not take you to the
distant market, and as we are provided for at
home and have placed the temptation beyond
your reach, we take great credit to ourselves for
having effected such glorious reformation IN
Having been so successful in removing this
evil through the aid of the law or the land, we
shall soon appeal to the same authority Tor cor
recting others, such as the use OF tobacco swear
ing, lying, &C., which ofenses tho church has
proved impotent to abrogate."
If we can enforce Temperance by law, why
may we not apply to the courts for the enforce
ment of morality2 and thus have presented, as re-
Gently predicted by distinguished Divine OF this
county, the painful spectacle OF 1.-The Churches
at the Polls" for purposes that must inevitably
result in the decentralization and debasement OF
men. For we all know that sumptuary laws are
not respected, and are not observed when 1T is
possible to evade them; and men VINO crave
liquor consider it no harm to resort to any trick
or strategy, or lie to violate a prohibitory law,
thus suffering greater moral injury in the estima
ton of good men, than would result from the I'M
restrained use of strong drink. But we are told
that great deal of crime is committed through
the influence of intoxicating drinks. 1t is true
en- men, and it is widely published by their condi-
ton, but 1t is well known that the greatest crmi-
great bank robbers, assassins like Guteau, etc.,
are all strictly temperate men. Their iniquity
could not be accomplished by an intoxicated man.
court of law in extenuation of crime. And the
courts are the only proper tribunals for the pun,
10 talk after all these centuries of experience,
about removing the causes of ofense-"removing
temptation" The whole scheme of salvation is
ments are predicated upon it, not upon its remov-
al, but upon mans ability to resist It. Bhus
through temptation was incurred Original SIN,
move stumbling block that the Deity, for wise
reasons, purposely placed in our way; All such
efforts Of course can have but one result-falure.
Stimulating liquors have been used in all ages of
mankind, and have been manufactured from
multiplicity of substances in all countries of the
earth, and while mans nervous system remains
ms it has been, and is, the appetite for stimulus
will remain, and will be gratifed in some form
other.
We are told that Christ converted water into
wine, and had not wine been desirable drink
for His people this act and example would never
have been let before men.
We commend temperance in its true sense
The proper use of any article of food or drink
constitutes temperance. There is no temperance
In total abstinence. Good and evil must still be
kept before men, and to him who resists the evil,
the reward belongs. If not endowed with the
power of resistance, the individual no longer re-
mains free agent, and hence can not be held
morally responsible for his acts.
The advocates of Temperance" rely chiefly
not upon arguments and reason-but upon their
ability for placing their spiritual adversares in
what they attempt to make appear the odiouS and
Infamous position of defending the drunkard =
And hence 1t Is that many of the best men of our
county, who diler with them, hesitate for want
Of courage to place themselves In opposition to
these would-be moral teachers for fear Of incur
ing their bugaboo odium. Many voters may be
should speak, into the belief that silence "gives
consent, and thus, to their lasting regret and to
the scandal of the law-making power, their rights
and liberties may be frittered away.
The politicians and Office seekers are afraid to
speak, for they see the Temperance" rod held IN
terTo1eD over their heads, yet they should be