Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28
A Reply 20 the Rev. r. NJ. Edwards

poser.
AReply 20 the Rev. r. NJ. Edwards.
No. III.
Rer. +. ". Edwards :
In our last we fixed on your follow
ers the Interior purpose Of total absti-
nence enforced by law. We did not
ccnfne our principles to the present
bill, which had not passed at the time.
When you insinuate that we favor mp-
restrained liquor traffic you attribute
to us purposes and views unsustained
by anything in our resolutions. Liquor
license itself is a restraint, and pro-
perly used by government up to any
point of fair regulation, but never to a
point amounting directly or indirectly
to prohibition) it is legitimate.
You assent to our proposition that
there is no right in the majority to ig-
more the rights of the minority, and that
the contrary would be tyranny. Yet
elsewhere you deny it when you ask il
there would be any tyranny, or wrong,
or violation of rights, when rise ma.
iority decides this question. Who are
to Judge of this wisdom a.? You beg the
entire issue in this discussion by as
Stunning that wisdom resides wholly
with your party; that the traffic in and
use Of liquors is vice, crime, aud sin /;
that the manufacture and the sale of
these constitute a nuisance that all
these stimulating liquors are liquid
poisons; that they are in themselves
always brain, muscle, and moral-de-
stroyers. The burden Of proof rests
absolutely on you to sustain these
novel positions, as they are contrary to
your religion, the practices Of mankind,
and usages of all civilized Governments.
We quote again John Stuart Mill.
speaking of the restrictive powers OF
Government :
Experience, however, proves that
the depOsitaries ofpower, who are mere
delegates of the people, that is of ma
iority, are quite as ready when they
think they can count on popular sup
port as any organs Of oligarchy to as
sumo arbitrary power and encroach I'M
duly on the liberty Of private life. The
public collectively is abundantly ready
to impose, not only its generally mar
ron ritwS Of its interests, but its
abstract opinions, and even its
tastes, as laws binding on indi-
viduals. And the present civilization
tends so strongly to make the power Of
persons acting in masses the only sub
stantial power in society that there
never was more necessity for surround
ing individual independence Of thought,
speech, and conduct with the most pow
erful defences, in order to maintain that
originality Of mind and individual char
acter which are the only source Of any
real progress and Of most Of the quail
ties which make the human race much
superior to any herd of animals.
Hence it is no less important in Dem
ocratic than in any other Government
that all tendency Of public authorities
to stretch their interference and assume
a power which can be dispensed with
should be regarded with unremitting
jealousy. Perhaps this is even more
important in a Democracy than in any
other form of political society, because
where public opinion is sovereign an
individual who is oppressed by that
sovereign does not, as in most other
states of things, find a rival power to
which he can appeal for relief, or, at all
events, for sympathy."-Princ. Politi.
cal Economy, b. y, oh. RI, 3.
You yield to the impregnable posi-
ton yet, on the right Of minorities-
with plaintiye utterances about the uni
versally existing troubles, sorrows, and
Affections Of life, by innuendo attribu-
ted to the existence OF intoxicants-you
seek to justify the violation Of the prin-
ciples in this case. Have not Christian
sects felt the tyranical effects Of this
specious but false majority rule? If
you can justify your enforced total alb
stinence in this, why shall it not ap-
ply even to religious belief or any other
part Of mans personal rights? You
will readily recall historical instances
of such arbitrary action applied to
matters of conscience whenever a
given Church or denomination had
the power majority to cry out
heresy and crush out the self-made
hereto. Perhaps one of the greatest
blessings flowing from the great reforma-
ton is the diversities Of religious creeds
amongst the Protestants on minor
points, tending to prevent the over
shadowiDg power of any one denomina-
ton. In view Of the past it is fair
inference that, given great preponder.
ance, that one would by arbitrary use
Of its power majority impose by gov
ornamental laws and authority its opin-
ions on others, or seek to do it, by per-
secution. How should you like to be
Mormonize3--they, being in the ma
jority, asserting your tenets to be
wrong, theirs right? That is the leeiti-
mate outcome Of your principles To-
gically carried to their ultimate limit.
Your law maxim, $50 use your own
as not to interfere with your neigh
bors," is sound ,chere applicable. A
man may not erect dam so as to food
his neighbor ; he may not erect fish.
guano-factory in the heart Of the city.
Any common nuisance may be abated.
This, however, does not prohibit him
from erecting any dam, nor the factory.
on his own spacious farm. When q
nuisance Is sought to be sbated IL has
10 be prorsn to be a nuisance by a
jury Of impartial and disintsr.
esfsd men. This application you
fail IA rerovni,a You chsppa All