Law was carried by a vote of 148 to 61 in the popular branch of the Legislature, and 13 to 1 in the Senate. The Law was fixed to go into operation on the 1st of August, and was sure to be executed, for at the head of the State was Governor DUTTON, a good lawyer and staunch temperance man,-worthy descendant of Men who sway'd senates with a statesman's soul, Whose leaves contain their country's history. Thus Connecticut became the seventh State, which, in the wake of Maine, had adopted a Prohibitory Law-the sixth which had been fired to emulate her wisdom within three years. The The Governor, the Hon. HENRY DUTTON, in a letter dated Newhaven, October 20, 1854, says: "The law has been thoroughly executed, with much less difficulty and opposition than was anticipated. In no instance has a seizure produced any general excitement. Resistance to the law would be unpopular, and it has been found in 'vain' to set it at defiance. larger the beneficial results of the law are seen and felt, the more firmly it becomes established...Connecticut, by her own law, and by the laws of the adjoining States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, is now effectually guarded against the invasion of one of the worst enemies of the human race on all sides except the west. The principal obstacle in the way of complete success, consists in the importation of liquors from the city of New York into this State, in casks and demijohns, professedly for private use. we again see that the drawbacks arise, not from too much, but too little Law, as regards its extension. "Thus Four months after the passing of the act, the Middletown News, which had been opposed to the law, in alluding to the election in that city, confesses that, "Whatever may be said of the Maine Law, it has been instrumental in effecting a considerable external change in the habits of many-at least we do not see as many instances of intoxication as formerly." At the meeting of the State Society in the Capital of Hartford, on the 16th November, the following resolution, among others, was unanimously adopted : "Resolved-That the universal experience of the people, under the operation of our Prohibitory Law, fully confirms our most sanguine expectations, and establishes on a firm and sure basis, its wisdom, efficiency, and power." The New Haven Advocate says: "From all parts of the State, the tidings continue to come to us of the excellent workings of the Connecticut Liquor Law. The diminution of intemperance, the reduction of crime and pauperism, the better observance of the Sabbath, etc., are the themes of rejoicing from every quarter. Men who voted against the law, and who have heretofore been its bitter opponents, are now its firm friends, and pledge it their future support." Some months later, we find the Hartford Courier admitting that "there is not an openly kept tippling-shop in the city, and not a place where liquor can be bought, without surrounding the sale with such a degree of secrecy, as to prevent a general traffic." In January, 1855, the Massachusetts Law was amended; a section relating to the seizure of liquor made 'constitutional,' and some stringent penalties added, including a clause making the Seller liable to be sued by the wife of the drinker, when damages could be proved to be the result of the drinking. In New Jersey a prohibitory law passed the House, but was negatived in the Senate by a majority of one. On the 8th February, 1855, INDIANA placed herself eighth in the race of prohibition, by overwhelming majorities, appointing the law to commence from the 12th June. The decision was welcomed in the capital, Indianopolis, by rounds of artillery, the ringing of bells from every steeple in the city, and other tokens of public satisfaction and joy. Indiana has had the full operation of the Law arrested for a time, through the indecision and imbecility of her Courts. On the 16th of the same month, the legislature of ILLINOIS prohibited, with Maine Law sanctions, all tippling-houses, but allowed the manufacture of cider and wine, and their sale in not less than five gallons. The people, however, vetoed the measure. On the 20th of February, little DELAWARE (by a vote of 11 to 10 in the House) promptly passed a protective Law, the ninth star in the banner of Prohibition: the Dirigo to the tardy South. 66 In July, 1856, Mr T. B. COURSEY, in announcing that the Judges had unanimously sustained the law, says : Our law, which has not been more than half executed, has greatly diminished drunkenness, and almost entirely stopped the sale. now look forward to its more vigorous execution.” We On the 12th April, 1855, completing protection to the four great Free States of the West, came Iowa; though tenth in the race of absolute Prohibition, it must be recorded that Iowa was one of the first to declare the traffic a nuisance. The constitutionality of the Law has been sustained by the highest Courts. It is now vigorously_enforced in KEOKUK, a city of some 8,000 inhabitants. Mr KINBOURNE, the Mayor, says there is not a physician, lawyer, or merchant in the city who partakes of intoxicating liquors as a beverage. New Hampshire, in the meanwhile, had been approaching the desired consummation-two successive Assemblies had passed the Bill, but the Senate, which is so elected as to make it the mere tool of the Central Óligarchy, vetoed the proposal. North Carolina, in February, passed a prohibitory measure through the House by a vote of 11 to 10. Restrictive measures were adopted in Texas and Mississippi, and in other States the initial agitation was commenced for the Law of Maine. On March 10th, 1855, the Assembly of WISCONSIN passed the Law by a vote of 42 to 23; the Senate concurred, but the Governor vetoed it. The political party which had been dominant for forty years in New Hampshire was this month totally annihilated for its opposition to the Law, good men of all parties (including some of its own) uniting in the defeat. The territory of NEBRASKA, about this period, passed a MaineLaw, in the wake of Iowa, fearing lest the tipplers and Traffickers of that State would be induced to cross the line, and over-run their territory. She was eleventh in the race. In § 144. Next, not least, the four years' labor of the Maine-Law party in the Empire State was now to be consummated. April, 1855, a Prohibitory Bill (somewhat marred from the original model) passed the Senate of New York by 21 votes to 11, and the lower House by 80 to 45: and on the 7th April received the signature of the Hon. MYRON H. CLARK, the Governor, who had been elected on that issue, after one of the severest and closest struggles on record. This State, therefore, arrived twelfth at the goal. An idea may be formed of the inveteracy of the opposition, from the fact that on the day of the Bill passing the Assembly, points of order were called to for nearly three hours in succession, in order to exhaust the patience of the House; motions being made to commit to select committees, committees of conference, and to a committee of the whole house. When the vote passed, the last move was a motion to 'reconsider the vote,' which was lost by 31 to 84. The day selected for the law coming into effect was the 4th of July-the anniversary of the day on which they declared their emancipation from foreign rule-a day than which none could be better for inaugurating a campaign against the Tyranny of the Traffic. England, the event was celebrated on that day by the Grand 'Alliance' Fête in the beautiful grounds of Elvaston Castle, near Derby, a seat of the Vice-President, the Right Honorable the Earl of HARRINGTON, on which occasion two fine young trees (an American and an English species) were planted in the presence of 10,000 persons, called the Alliance Oaks.'-and the record of the event literally engraved there in gold upon the rock for ever. In There is a Prohibitory-Law also in force in one of the States south of Mason's and Dixon's line.' The Gallatin Argus contains copy of "An act to prohibit the sale and gratuitous distribution of liquors within police district No. 1, of the county of COPIAH," in the State of MISSISSIPPI. No more licences shall be granted, and only druggists and apothecaries may sell, "for strictly medicinal purposes." The penalty for the first violation of the act is $100 fine, and ten days in the county gaol; second offence, $200, and imprisonment in the county gaol not exceed ing thirty days. This Prohibitory Law was approved on the 6th of March, and took effect on the 1st day of May, 1856. § 145. It is difficult for persons not personally conversant with the social state of New York to understand the great need of this reform, and what is meant by 'the dangerous classes' which the Maine-Law is so well calculated to modify and improve, if it can be efficiently executed by honest rulers, instead of being committed to place-men and mob-representatives. We take up a file of papers, and in a Boston one we note the following incident, under date of June, 1854 :-- "Another occurrence of much moment was the bloody riot in Brooklyn, N. Y., on SUNDAY. Thirty persons were more or less seriously injured by fire-arms, stones, and clubs. The fight was between the 'Know-nothings' and the Irish; the latter being, in this case, the aggressors, though excited by false reports of the intentions of their enemies to attack them. "On the same day, two riots occurred in New York city, between hostile fire-companies, which required the strong arm of the police to suppress. The frequent recurrence of these scenes of lawlessness and violence are alarming indications of the depreciation of the moral tone of the community, and naturally fill the hearts of thoughtful men with fear and trembling for the stability of our Republican institutions, since the only foundation of these is the intelligence and morality of the community." They are bad friends of Freedom here who cannot sympathize with the efforts to get rid of that Traffic which lies at the root of all this danger. The friends of the Law, notwithstanding its triumphant passage through the Legislature, knew but too well the difficulties they would have to encounter in its execution, through the opposition of officials and lawyers interested by the Traffic, or representing the loose and immoral part of the community. They commenced their work of preparation, however, in a noble spirit. Governor CLARK, in his message to the Legislature, had said :— 66 66 66 66 That the good results hoped for from the legislation recom66 mended, are legitimate to it, several of the New England States, especially Maine and Connecticut, furnish the most gratifying evidence. The steady diminution of crime and pauperism in the States referred to, with a consequent and corresponding reduction of taxation, and the new impulse given to "almost all industrial pursuits, by the transformation of those "who were once a burden upon the State into producers of Iwealth, constitute an argument in favor of the policy advocated, which, while it carries conviction to the statesman, will "be no less appreciated by the multitude, unskilled though they may be in casuistry, but also undebased by appetite and unper"verted by interest. If anything is to be learned from the 66 example of other States, or to be deduced from our increased 66 experience, it should be made available to our use; and our legislation, upon all subjects, should keep pace with our advancing intelligence, always expressing the highest truth we "had received, and reaching forward to the greatest good "attainable." § 146. On the 13th of August, 1855, the last of the New England States, NEW HAMPSHIRE placed herself thirteenth in the race of Prohibition. This was a crowning victory, which tended at once to sustain the law in the adjoining States, and to temper the reverse of the following year, to which we shall presently allude. Governor METCALF, elected for a second time, in his annual message to the Legislature, 1856, said that "the act is "having a salutary effect. It is more fully regarded and practi"cally sustained than any Licence Law we ever had in the State. "In many towns the sale of intoxicating liquors is wholly aban"doned, and in others it is sold only, as other penal offences are "committed, in secret.” § 147. It is important to understand that the Legislative opponents of the Maine-Law never propose reverting to the old system of irresponsibility: on the contrary, they propose measures so stringent that, in Great Britain, the most respectable Traffickers would prefer to make a clean sweep of it altogether. The New York Herald, a rum, pro-slavery, but widely circulated paper, thus records the debate in the Legislature at Albany, in 1853, when the friends and foes of the Law each presented their Reports to the House : "The temperance excitement in the Legislature has nearly reached its zenith. The friends and opponents of the Maine Liquor Law have each presented their reports. Mr DEWEY commenced reading the report, and the manner of his reading, and the classical language in which the report is couched, very soon attracted the closest attention of every member of the House, and the whole immense auditory. It was soon perceived that the subject was in the hands of no ordinary man, and that the funatical Maine Liquor Law had been grappled by a master mind. WILLIAM Dewey, of Jefferson county, by this great effort, has signalized himself in a most conspicuous degree, and his production, presented to the Legislature and the people this day, will do incalculable benefit in arresting the progress of fanaticism, which has been running rampant through the State. Instead of the Maine Liquor Law now before the House, this committee-Messrs DEWEY and ODELL-propose to regulate the sale of liquor by electing a Board of Excise, with power to issue licences; retailers in towns and villages containing over one thousand voters shall pay for licence the sum of one hundred dollars; in places containing two thousand and upwards, two hundred dollars-to sell nothing but liquor, and that to adults only-in taverns; not to be sold to any citizen, but to travellers alone-retailers to be subject to pay all damages which may occur from intoxicated persons-and punishment to be inflicted for selling to minors."* After the passing of the Law in New York, in 1856, the Rum party are known to have paid $10,000 dollars to two leading journals for space to oppose the Law, and, as we have said, Lawyers were employed to carry liquor cases to the minor * Governor POLLOCK, in his message to the Pennsylvanian Legislature, 1856. shows that no one believes in the old system. "That the laws (previously) in "existence were imperfect, and failed to check or control the evils of intemperance, "is a proposition too plain to be doubted." |