Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-02-09

to amend the c0nstitution. Before tina
amendment can even be submitted to tn,
people it must receive the affirmative vote o.
two-thirds Of each branch of the legislature
present and voting. What reasons are ther,
for such action, for an amendment of the con
stitution forever prohibiting the manufactur,
and sale of Intoxicating liquors? 1 answer
that question by the simple statement tha
prohibition is the well settled policy of the
State. Every gentleman who has spoken or
the floor of the House ON this question ha.
recognized that as a subsisting fact. BY ad'
ding these clauses to the constitution we make
no innovation We simply make the constitu
ton conform to the well settled policy of the
State, and it is upon this ground give it my
support. He contended that the great major
ity of the people demand it. Opposed to the
vast munger of petitions one single remon-
STRANGE had come up. Satisfied of this. was
not the duty of the legislature plain? The
objections to the resolve might be grouped
under three heads. First. The objection OF
those who do not believe in prohibition. No
argument was necessary to coufute any ar.
gument based upon this ground. Second
The claim that it would be engrafting or
the constitution the penal code. OF those
who urged this objection he would ask il
they would not deem it a duty to provide all
safeguards in their power against the con
tingency of any future legislature passing a
law to license men to commit murder, arson,
and other crimes? Any law which would
permit the free sale of intoxicating
liquors would. in the Judgment OF
the friends of the measure, be SC
dangerous to society that they could not hes
itate to use any lawful means to prevent the
happening of such an event. The same rea-
l.ol Al al. L.
that no necessity existed for it. 1t had been
said that future legislatures corld not be
bound to enact prohibitory laws. But they
could be prevented from enacting laws op
posed to this principle, and however the other
point might be decided, members would have
the satisfaction of knowing that they had done
their duty. Such were his views on the sub
ject They were not the views Of an extreme
radical temperance man, but he claimed they
expressed the opinion of the vast majority OF
the true temperance men and women of the
State, who believed that everything that was
worth doing was worth doing well.
Mr.. Meader of Waterville said he came
here with the expectation of voting for the
proposed amendment. and his amendment was
cffered so as to make it possible for him to
support the measure. He moved that when
the question be taken it be by yeas and nays
Mr.. Moore of Thomaston said il he was
correct in his understanding of the amend
ment and of its application. he was opposed
to it, because it created an inconsistency. 1t
would allow the sale of intoxicating liquors
and not their manufacture here. The gentle
man from Rockland Mr.. Hall has seen fit
to attack the democratic party This was
chronic with him. He could say that he was
not afflicted by those attacks, and he never
bol .h.. 81, L,l
been He had been creditably informed that
that gentleman Mr. HALL opposed the
proposition to amend the constitution in con-
vention at Portland because he saw no
necessity for it. But as lawyer and as
legislator he buries his Judgment and STILES
his conscience, snaps the party whip ana
votes for the proposition. The speaker said
the gentleman from Paris had perhaps OBJ
served that there had not been entire harmony
between the two welded parties referred to,
although they mad sentiments IN common,
tie cautioned that gentleman Mr.. wilson
against a wedding until the courtship had
been longer Hasty weddings are always TO DE
regretted He had heard it said that the child
produced by the union o, the other two was
mule lie again warned the gentleman from
Paris against union until more mature CON
slderation. But perhaps that gentleman might
think that the other SIDE to which the repub-
lican party Is joined Is so weak and feeble that
the stronger OF the two Will hold the power,
and the weaker Will be crushed 1t had been
suggested to him by member OF his party
that 1t would be policy to make the proposed
SUBMISSION unanimous; but his answer was
that he should come here as legislator
sworn to do his duty, to execute the laws un.
der the constitution: If he came he would
vote upon the question as his Judgment dlc-
tated.
Mr.. Hall of Rockland replied to the last
speaker. but said he would not reply in kind.
The attack was so small that it required no
answer. He again reiterated his position
that he voted against the resolve when it came
before the last legislature because he did not
think it was proper to submit the question.
Since then he bad changed his mind from
the fact that the voice of the people is now
behind it. The republican party is bound
to respond to the voice of the people when
such an appeal is mvde. For this reason he
was in favor of the submission and of allow
ing them to pass upon it. The gentleman
from Bath had shown that 43 900 of them had
spoken. He also claimed that 49, 900 of them
had snOkpn fhrou oh the hallOt hOY This WA