Year: 1867

VI Lie 0GTu1aU haQlcdlS.


From the Boston Commonwealth.


EDITOR CoMMoNwEAITH: The temper
ance agitation is becoming in reality dan
gerous to individual freedom. The terror
ism attending the execution of the excise
law in the State of New York, the absolute
prohibition Of all liquor sales in Massa-
chusetts, and several other more or less
prohibitive legislative acts, will soon COM
plete their tour through the different states
of the Union. Moreover, it cannot be de-
MED that the majority of the republican
party is infected with this mania; ay, even
Wendell Phillips, the most enlightened of
radicals, is seized with this movement.
The German Radical central committee
in New York has therefore resolved to sep
arate itself from the organization of the
republican party in state and local elections.
The Westlich Post, edited by Carl Schurz,
likewise advises the Germans to bid adicu
to the republican party in state and local
| elections however, in national elections
again, to stand firm to the republican par
ty, whose imperitive duties it is to secure
those benefits which it obtained out of the
war for the suppression of the rebellion
fought by this party in the interest of uni
versaI liberty and equality This admoni-
tion can become fatal to the republican Or
ganization; for when division occurs in
the republican party in state elections,
where 4 portion of that party confronts it
as an enemy, one cannot well in national
elections ffaternze with that enemy again.
The future will teach this


l consider the temperance associations
benevolent element of culture when they
confine themselves within the bounds of
moral activity; but when they endeavor to
usurp the legislative power of the state,
and convert their moral sphere into a legal
one, and enact laws of coercion and prohib-
ltlon against all persons, as if all human
beings were embryo drunkards, then deem
1t high time to counteract them with Or
ganlzed power. The question involved is a
principle, the most important right of the
Individual, viz, the right of individual
freedom; and that right esteem as highly
as national freedom; so that in this respect
| can find no distinction between national
and state elections. If the republican par
ty proves itself an eremy to individual
freedom, ther, as an enemy, oppose that
party in every election campaign.


The Americans, even amongst the educa-
ted, know not the limits between morality
and right; they identify both 4; take moral.
lty tor right, and right for morality. But
it is the riott of every individual, in what
ever form manner he chooses, to do and
act without restraint, and to prove his in
dividual freedom by its free use and enjoy
ment. The only barrier is this-that one,
in the exercise of his rights, shall not dis.
turb or violate the individual rights of an
other. Correlatlve to my individual right
stands the obligation of all to respect my
right, and not to intrude or encroach with
in the province of my right, or within the
sphere of my individual freedom. The en-
joyment of food or drink, and of Sunday
amusements is right of the individual :;
in the exercise Of which [ neither iniure
nor restrict any one; and should any one
In consequence of this enjoyment wrong an
other, only this one case of transgrcssion is
punishable by law but never on account
OF this single offence, can We lay down the
irrational theory Of prevention that the
right of all individuals to THEN individual
freedom shall be abolished and destroyed.
For when the exercise of individual free
dom is sufeIed to be restrained by law in
one instance, it is a logical consequence
that it likewise can be done in all different
eases of individual rights. AS an illustra-
ton OF this, you may take the right of
opinion of conscience and of religious free
dom, as individual rights in each of which
cases you would also be entitled to suppress
these rights, in the same manner that cath
olics are considered and prosecuted by all
others as herctics even by law.


LII the temperance associations remain
within the bounds of their moral sphere,
manner, moral sentiments, and educate
moral national character, through free
speech, free press and conventions, then
they are, whether they preach moderation
or total abstinence fully autho lied.


Only alludlng. to great improvements, of
agricultural and commerce by the prduc
ton OF vines, barley, ETC., | will finally
state that stlmuants are, in many cases,
necessary and wholesome to man, as much
SO as tcbrlluges, cathartIcs, anodynes alter
eratlVes, etc, and In no case ought Its use
to be punished except where excesses are
committed, and where it is abused. But
pure stlmulants must be had. The i'm
portation and manufacture of alcoholic bcv-
erages being a source Of large revenue it
manifestly ought to be the duty Of the
general government to protect the people
as far as possible against the introduc-
ton Of poison into their daily drink
Still more imperative is the obligation to
shield the sick from the peril of being in
jured by pernicious stimulants administered
as medicine. Inspection and taxation
ought in this matter to go hand in hand,
and in all cases of aduleration tie adul-
terated articles, instead of being taxed,
should be destroyed. Every tincture and
extract containing or puporting to contain
alcohol should be examined by competent
scientific men, and not allowed to 90 into
market until its purity has been authorita-
lively certified.


The sanitary interests of the cummunity
should be paramount to the financial inter-
ests of the government, the public health
being of infinitely more Importance than
the public revenue. The only legal kind of
prohibition would be the Introduction of a
rigid system of inspection. Congress and
state legislatures should exercise in this
manner their function Of public protection.


G. RoEsER.


Washington, d. G. S.