Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-29
TEMPERANCE SENSE.
Ex-senator Mcdonald. or Indiana, on
Temperance and Prohibition.


Temperance and Prohibition.
From His HamiltOR Ohio, Speech Of Monday
Last.
The subject of the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors as bever-
age has engaged the attention of the
people of this country for many years,
and the public mind is not likely to set
tie down upon any common conclusion
in regard to it. The evils Of intemper-
ance are admitted by all, and all admit,
likewise, that it is right to manufacture
for use and to use spirituous or intoXica-
ting liquors for some purposes, as medi-
cal, mechanical, chemical and wine for
sacramental purposes. think it may
also safely be said that there is no evil in
the moderate use of such liquor. There
may be some danger, but nothing
more. 1t would seem, therefore, that the
question that legitimately arises in re-
gard to their manufacture and sale were
social questions aud moral questions,
and that the law could not be called in
antil the point was reached, where the
evil arose-that is in its excessive use,
and that the proper field Of legislation
in regard 10 it was in such restrictions
upon the traffic as would tend to de-
stroy and eXtinguish the evils and leave
the field of morals to the reformer. L
have never believed much in the law as
a reformer. lG may strengthen refor-
nation which other forces have effect
ed, but that is all that can be looked for
from the law. | regret very much that
the sO-called refOrmers of the present
day have not been content with moral
agencies, but have appealed to the law
by demanding the application Of
the principle of prohibition. On
this question, wherever it has
been presented, the Democratic party,
as a party, has opposed it, and the Re-
publican party, as far as it could venture
without losing political power, has
favored it. AS a principle it is at war
with the principles of the Democratic
party. Wherever this measure has
been engrafted into the constitution OF
any State il has been under the patron
age and influence OF the Republican
party OF that State. 1t Is cardinal
principle of the Democratic party that
the natural liberty OF the citizen should
be restrained only so far as the well
being of society demands. The tOunda-
| ton upon which our system Of Govern
| mcnt rests is the capacity or man lot
self government, not that every man
IN a community possesses that capacity,
but that large majority, sufficient to
constitute the government power, do.
And, therefore, it is not con-
sistent with our system Of gev-
eminent to place all citizens under
guardianship because some might need
guardians. A government which seeks
to exercise such powers as are involved
in absolutely prohibiting all persons
from using in any form or in any guam
tity, as a beverage, intOxicants or arti-
cles, The excessive use of which may be
injurious, is despotic, whether its de-
crees are enforced by many or by few.
1t has entered the field of sumptuary
legislation, and there is no limit but the
will of a mere majority as to extent to
which it will carry its restrictions. You
may safely assume, therefore, that
wherever this question arises you will
find the Democratic party on the side
of civil liberty and opposed to prohibit
ton, while the Republican party almost
as certainly may be looked for on the
| other side of the question.