Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-08-22
Suasi0m ama Law.

The best work in the temperance
cause is that which keeps the people
away from strong drink and not that
which keeps strong drink away from
the people, though this latter benefit
is very important in its place. In its
place legal prohibition is of vast i'm
portancc, and, indeed, is necessary
corollary Of moral suasion; it is con-
viction embodied in law-law enacted
and enforced But convicted is the
soul, and law is only the body of the
cause. Without conviction the law
is only dead, offensive carcass.
The temperance cause, as a part
of the Gospel, must contemplate a
change of nature, producing an in
disposition to sin rather than effect
ing the impossibility of temptation.
Men should be converted and so edu-
Gated that they would not drink if
the rivers were whiskey. 1t is the
glory of picty that it can be main
tanned in the face Of temptation.
Good and evil have always been and
always will be set before men, and
they will be called upon to choose
between them for all time to come.
a man who does not drink simply
because he cannot procure the in
toxicating beverage is drunkard at
heart.
But some ill-natured fellow may
construe these remarks into opposi-
ton to prohibitory laws. Let him
not do so. we believe in prohibit
ing theft by law; but we have no
hope of seeing laws against theft en-
forced unless these laws arc support
cd by public sentiment. Hence the
constant need Of instruction in re-
gard to the wrong of theft. Hence
the constant need of educating pub
lie sentiment in the right direction
Laws have been enacted against
theft because the public have been
convinced of the evil Of theft; and
this conviction must be kept up or
such laws will either be repealed or be
a dead letter. In advocating the ne
ccsSity Of moral instruction on the
subject of theft we trust we arc in
no danger of being accused of oppo-
sition to laws against theft. Then
why should we be accused of oppo-
sition to prohibition when we advo-
cate the only measures by which it
can be secured and enforced. Suo-
sion and law should go hand in hand.
Force and principle should both be
piled in the interest of civil order
and good morals. Let us toll and
drive both---usc all the motives, The
higher and the lower. With sober
men ut the head Of the column-so-
Der from principlc-lct us lash up
the straglcrs with the whip of the
law. Let us save men from the love
of strong drink; and let us close the
saloon against those who are not
saved from the love of drink.
Legal force cannot take the place
Of moral suasion in the temperance
cause. The people must he pcrsuad-
ed of the evils of intcmpcrancc to
be induced to enact prohibitory laws;
and they must continue to be per-
suadcd of these evils to be induced
to enforce such laws. Legal enact
ments necessarily rest on public sen
timcnt. Law does nothing; it is only
a mode of procedure on the part of
an intelligent agent. Law cannot
prohibit; but the people can prohibit
according to law. A statute that is
not the embodiment Of public sonti-
mcnt is a dcad letter. If we would
secure and then enforce prohibition,
the pulpit, the press and tho plat
form must continue to agitatc the
question of temperance on its me-
rits. The good people of the land
dare not skulk behind a few dead
letter statutes on the books. Giving
ones note is not paying debt; and