The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-07-20
Temperance Column.
CoSDUcrED BY THE w. C. T. u.
Liberty and Law 60 Hand In Hand with Happi-
ness and alike Cry out for Prohibition.

. - - -
Liberty and Law 60 Hand In Hand with Happi-
ness and alike Cry out for Prohibition.
a man rowing q boat miles above Niaga.
ra Falls, is commanded to keep his boat
from gliding down the river. He says:
This command takes from me my liber.
E. 1 will be free and let the boat foa,
where it will"
He docs so, and presently the boat is in
tho currents leading to tho dreadful falls
below. The law of safety and selfprcserva.
tion he regarded as an infringement upon
his liberty. To be free he ceased to obey ;
now in the dreadful wh:rl and rush of
waters, where is his liberty Where
is his power to save himsslf? On he
rushes until the leap is taken down amid
the terrible waters that cover him forever.
To be allowed TO do this, is called liberty.
To restrain men from destruction,
is called, taking their liberty away. A
man is frce when his will is not controlled
by forces beyond his power to govern. To
be gov erned by the law of right, never sub
jects the will of man to force above his
will. 1t is claimed by some that prohibi.
tion is an Infringement upon the rights of
individuals, contraction of their liberties.
What contraction, pray. to save men
from ruin F? What right has man to
make drunkards, or to be drunkard ? A
right is privilege granted, which is Just
and equitable and conducive to the highest
good. If that which We claim as a right,
initiates against the good or happiness of
ourselves or others, We have no such right.
We have right to labor for the good of
others, but no right to labor for the i'll of
any one. No man has a right to do wrong,
nor to engage in that which is the ruin of
himself or Others
Freedom comes through the strict oh.
servance of law. Law presoribes the rule
of action, and right acting is freedom.
Let us test these statements by the facts
of our observation
A young man claims his freedom to take
his daily dram. Days, weeks and months
pass by. The daily dram has become fixed
hatit, and habit has made him confirmed
drinker. Self control is gone. He has en-
tered that dreadful current that sweeps down.
ward. He turns and makes few feeble eff
forts to regain lost manhood ; but the habit
beats him downward and he falls into the
gutter.
Poor slave to appetite Gone, because
he would be free TO take his dram
Such is the terrible end of the man who
claims his freedom to driuk-his freedom
to be drunkard. Surely libsiHyis not in
the way of .he druGkafd, nor freedom in
the path him who dies slave.
It men would be free, and free indeed, let
them know and do the truth the truth is
the law of God by which he gives happi.
moss to all men.
God alone is free, for he alone knows no
departure from law. Man trampIes law un.
der his feet, and from that moment ceases
to be free. Law perverted, and ceasing to
be law, would wreck the universe. Law
asserted and maintained, gives safety and
freedom.
Men may argue for liberty in the wron g,
but wrong doing brings its own slavery
They may boast oftheir freedom to drink
much or little, but such freedom will be
short-their glory will bring them shame !;
their end, eternal night.
Is it for the good of men that any one
advocates the right aud the liberty to man.
ufacture, to sell and to drink alcoholic
liquors If so, where is the good it
produces
May we ask where is the evil it produces /?
1t is atundantly manifest. Where is the
liberty it has ever given Rather, how
many ure its slaves, too low and menial to
be regarded as men ?
The law of life and liberty calls for the
Punishment Of alcohol, and for freedom from
its enslavipg power.
Could we but gather together all the
curses and woes of the liquor. traffic and ut
ter them in one inharmonious, universal
lamentation, heaven and earth would trem-
bic at the utterance, angels would weep, and
it would seem that even the devils would
feel pity. Yet men, lovers of money more
than right, ave the effrontery to look you
ia the face and say .--.--.---.. ,.-a
"Would you take our rights and liberties
from us? We pay our taxes. We.help to
support the government IF we did not
sell it somebody else would. We are not
reanonsihle ;f mon got drunk If man o;ua