The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-05-04
SERMON on ras LIQUOR QUESTION.

| SnhnlON ON Ida LiSOVSs VcSSiISN
Rev. T. L. Elliott recently deliv-
cred sermon on the liquor question
before the people of Portland from
which we extract the following:
Wherefore is there price in the hands Of . fool
to get wisdom seeing he hath no hsazt in h?- Prev
| II, 1S.-Text.
Briefly stated, my proposition is,
that the people are now summoned
to a contest, representing law and
order, as against an organized rebel
lion Of over a hundred men, repre-
senting two-thirds OF guild or trade
in intoxicating drink. who have de-
liberately set themselves to defy or
obstruct the law making power, and
so doing have forced an issue away
from any special question, such as of
temperance and intemperance, coed
or bad policy, and are warring against
government itself. This and this
only now faces us. These men have
refused the avenues open to free
people. They refuse to fight their
battle under the laws, which might
he done, by protest, by endeavoring
to change those laws through agita-
ton and by an appeal to the people
at the ballot. They have gone ou,
from under law, defying it, and so
doing they antsgonize not merely a
temperance sentiment, not only those
who believe in high license, but they
antagonize every law-abid,ng citi-
zen, so that even a man who might
disbelirve in high license, or ques-
tIon the wisdom or practical value of
the late Legislation, would be forced
to say: @This action wars against
our very existence as society and
government. 1t ia not so much tenn
perance defying, as law defying, and
society must rise in its might and
stamp that spirit SO fine that the
very dust of it will scatter and be
lost"
Suppose, for the sake of argument,
that a law is hurting somebody.
Does that make it less a law? Sup
pose again, for the sake of argument,
that it is infringing personal liberty
(whatever that may mean), does
that justify insurrec,ion ? Does that
justify rebellion against law as first
step? Does that justify a man to
bolt all legal remedies, all appeal to
argument all effort to change ma
jorities and statutes, and land him
self among law defiers If he thinks
his cause is just, is law-breaking the
way to vindicate it? Granting that
a mans personal liberty whatever
thai may mean) is infriDged, is his
remedy to break law, and in so do
ing attack iedhanded the foundation
of all liberty and order +? could
argue this miserable fallacy of "per--
sonal liberty" into latters, but what
has it or can it have to do with the
issue forced upon us when a law is
deied ? Will you argue with thief
as to whether laws of property are
right or wrong. or the statutes defn-
ing his crime are more or less just :?
Does thieving become defensible and
orderly if the law is stringent and
infringes the personal liberty" Of
thieves ard receivers of stolen goods?
No rogue e'er fel. the halter draw
With good opinions of the law,
For itoppresses him, torsooth, and
intringes his personal liberty" but
Go we respect his argument when he
is lawbreaker, law defer !?
But, perhaps, these citizens, drink
sellers, think their rebellion acquires
dignity by beng "organized," pub
fishing cards to the public, entering a
show of Justification, through legal
technicalities and the laws delays.
The anlmus OF antagonism is all the
more dangerous for being now
sheathed. and all the more defiant
for being "organized."
a POOR peddler of soap and tooth
picks the law can fasten on with
ease if he has no license, but hun
dred liquor sellers, fortified by the
constituents of dissipation, the law
cannot easily reach, either seriatim,
or together.
Let us spend moment upon their
delusive cry of personal liberty"
Liberty of the person to do what ?
"Pursue a certain craft, the selling
of liquor by the glass-an innocent
vocation, supporting families, and
the personal liberty of others to buy
the same, without limit" The plea
Of personal liberty. breaks with its
own weight of absurdity; with the
weight of the admission every liquor
seller makes when he takes out a Ii
eense at any piice, and it has been
br,.Lo, opoo and for oil hv tho eu-