The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-14
when The Wilmington DELL Methodist

Responsible for DIR. Babcock's Remarks,
etc. "
when The Wilmington DELI Methodist
Fniscopal conference reisscmblcd at Mid
d,c,own on Thursday morning last scnsa-
,;on was created by the remarks OF the
pcy DIR. Babcock, Of the National Tenn
ncrance Union. lie began by speaking Of
he good influence OF temperance literature
in forming public opinion. The forces OF
,be whiskcy-mon are being routed, and
only occasionally could they make an as
sani, upon the churches. Z" You had an
evidence Of this in your state last year, he
ssid "yhcn the whiskcy-mcn employed
senator Bayard 10 Kill the local-opfion bill
then pending before the Legislature"
Rev. Henry Colclazer sprang 10 ms feet
and demandcd the name Of DR.. Babcock's
informant. e.,,.
q, Washington, attorney for the liquor
men openIy boosted Of having employed
Air. Bayard 10 write personal letter to
Kill the bill.
nov T. l.. Houston eXcitcdly said he did
rot hclieyc this. aud thought such charges
Lv tempercncc men do the cause more
W "."P,
harm than good.
DT Babcock replied that II any one
doubts Mr.. BayaTd's position he should
"a that gentlcman's letter; but he did
~, ,hink llr. Bayard meant what he wrote.
IA therefore accused him Of being em-
ployed. Ill.
Il. ;mnroner 90 accuse Senator Bayard Of
selling himself.
Mir Babcock did not say 30.
NJ, Colclazcr. Yes, YOU did.
Mr. Houston continuing: | would
eooner believe in liayard'S honorable char
ac,cr n the Legislature asks for his
oninjon n 10 a law being constitutional, be
hs. right 10 give IT. and he did II hon
CITY and conscienii0usly. II is time this
SANDER had ceased.
DR.. RabcOck again disclaimed saying that
Senator Bayard sold himself.
Mr.. Colclazer said Senator Bayard was a
man ~ too much character 10 sell himself,
and the man who accused him only hurt
himself. He had his convictions on the
subject, and they were honest.
Rev. j. Il. Quigg said circumstances
we're much against Mr.. Bayard. He either
volunteered to write letter opposing local
onilop, or was paid for doing 80. II he
Xnlnnteered, he allied himself with the
Iiouor interest: il he~as paid, the meet
ipc knew his motive.
Gcy.J.E. Mowbray and j. L. Houston
w1rmly defended Senator Bayard, and DR..
Babcock modified his charge by saying that
he had the credit Of defeating local option
by hi. letter.
Mr.. Houston reiterated that there was 4
question OF constitutionality involved, ana
that the letter was written for the informa-
tion Of legislators on this point. He thought
the law that was finally passed by the Le-
gislaturc was q better one than the tenn
pcrance alliance had asked for. [Cries OF
"Nol" "N0!"1
The subject was then dropped. The letter
al Senator Bayard referred to, in which he
EXPRESSED the opinion that local-optiOn law,
are of very doubtful cOnstitutionality, was
private letter, and was not written to the
Legislature.
Mr.. Bayard's Letter.
The following is the letter referred TO-
and which was written to friend last ycaI
on the subject Of local option:
WASHINGTON, ID. G., March s, 1881.
MY Dear Sir,-I do not like TO intrudC
my opinions unaskcd for upon members OF
the Legislature.
agree with YOU in thinking "local-op
ton " laws Of very doubtful constitutions
ality, and positive ineXpediency.
AsI understand them. they submit laW
TO popular rOfc i'm local districts, and this
defeats the principle OF our government
which i representative in its character, anc
places the ,rhOie law-making power and dis
erection in the Legislature, and not in tho
people. i'm their mere numerical force anO
primary capacity.
II punishment Of criminals was To b'
adiudged and inflicted by "local option,
instead of through acts Of Legislature
executed by judges and. iurieS, il would
be held wholly at variance with our theoI!
oi government, and yet TO apply such
rule TO 20 widespread and daily a habit a
the use Of alcoholic or iermcnted bcyer
ages is in my judgment quite rs unsafe.
SO far rs my experience goes, well
regulated system OF licenses, whereby reYe
nue. is largely brought into the public trca
Sury, coupled with severe penalties 10
Illicit sale, has proved the most etiicfen
check upon the abuse Of the liquor traffic.
In many respects the question Is Sltlnp
iaGry one, aud laws attempting 70 establis
sumptuary regulations become inquisitorii
and impossible Of execution, so that in thos
communities in this country where the
waited the evils they were intended 10 pr,
vent, or have fallen into contempt IN
usclessnesS, and been repealed.
The statements | have seen OF the re;
condition Of those communities in whic
total prohibition has been attempted hay
impressed me very strongly in confirms
ton OF these views.
Personal influence and example and pr
nd la 10 nf orr
that intemperance In the use Of stimulan
Of all kinds is morbid physical fact, BOT
In cause aud effect, is, in my judgment, u
proper view 10 commence with. Statisti
abundsntly prove that the attempted SUI
preston by statutes OF the use OF alcohol
stimuants i accompanied by IN increa
in the use OF opldteS and that open drin
ing being stopped, secret drinking ensut
i do not believe any man has great
horror OF incompetence than j, and my a
probation OF It's dangers and evil efieC
grows with my experience OF human
fairs; but the grayer the evil the mo
essential to apply the right principle TO
cure, and for the reasons have stated n
many others | hope the experiment
"local option" viii not be tried by o
Legislature, but increased checks und
the license system be continued.
Yours sincerely, Il. +. BAYARD
Mr.. Bayard's Denial.
Mr.. Bayard says that he does not kn'
and never met Dr. Babcock that he ne'
received penny for political work; a
that since Babcock'S charges merely i'll
trate to what extremes temperance fanat
viii 90, he doesn't consider the mat
worth further attention.
Louis Schadc, editor Of the Washing
Sentinel. pronounees the statement Of