Decorah-posten., 1882-06-21
SpIOsning paa Waabe | Go. 80.
Ybtidfelphia.
Sound Arguments.

FELLOW CITIZENS: The principal point
which you vii lhave to decide in your vote
On the 9th inst. is not whether a restraint
shall be placed upon the vice intern
perance, but whether for the purpose OF
establishing such restraints you are will
ing to submit to a serious encroachment
upon your personal liberty.
During the discussion of the amend.
ment this subject has not received the at.
tention which its importance demands,
but trust that you will give it careful
consideration before making your decis.
ion.
Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No
81, says: at is of great importance in q
a republic, not only to guard society
against the oppression OF its rulers, but to
guard n part of society against the in
justice of the other part. Justice is the
end of government, it is the end of civil
society. 1t ever has been and ever will
be pursued until it be obtained, or liberty
be lost in the pursuit. In a society under
the forms of which a stronger faction can
unite and Cypress the weaker anarchy
may as truly be said to reign as in a state
of nature when the weaker is not protected
against the violence of the stronger. II
ever the liberties of America are destroyed
it will be by the exercise of unlimited
power by the majority which may urge
the minority to desperation and anarchy
| and civil wal be the result"
The doctrine that politically speaking q
majority has the right to do as it pleases
is simply impious and infamous, what
safe guard has the individual against the
worst form of tyranny. VIII any one
claim that even ninetenths of the voters OF
Iowa have right of their own %volition
without just cause to deprive a citizen OF
life, liberty, property, wife or children!
claim that the majority of mankind
have sanctioned certain great principles
of justice and morality, and that in our
own country usage has established that
each individual shall have the fullest
personal liberty which is consistent with
equal liberty to others.
The people of Iowa then are simply to
be considered in the light Of ajury, en-
powdered to represent society, at large and
to apply this general law of liberty and
justice, and it is absurbed to claim that
they can 60 beyond the authority under
which they act.
What then is meant by personal liberty?
Not certainly the right of the citizen to
interfere with others. But the right to be
free from all control in his food, drink
clothing, style of living, amusements, stud
les, opinions, and in all domestic affairs, in
short every thing which is necessary to
'the pursuit of happiness
/ claim that all such rights as have
remain in the individual from the founda-
tion Of the government until the present,
should continue undisturbed.
There are two powerful reasons why
the amendment should be rejected. First
If a man is not fit to decide what he
shall eat, drink or wear, how can he be
competent to share in the government of
others. S~econdly-If this first step is
taken, and the barrier of freedom broken
sion will stop here. May not the intense
morality CD which dictates this measure
lead to the prescription of tobacco, tea,
cofee-to regulation of food, dress, style of
living, amusements, education of children
observation of Sabbath, attendance at
church, etc. etc, until domestic privacy
and personal liberty are destroyed?
But the prohibitionists may assert that
these dangers are only imaginary and that
a majority will not likely to do wrong.
A majority may be considered as a being
whose interests and opinions are opposed
to those of another being which we style
a minority, and as one man possessing alb
solute power may Cypress his opponents
why may o a majority be guilty of the
same wrong. Do men change their char
acters by combining together, and does
consciousness as numerical strength make
them any more regardful of the rights of
the weaker party?