II. § 148 Let us now indicate, by some facts and figures, and by official, political, and professional testimonies, beginning with NEW YORK State, what have been the Social Results of an imperfect, because initial and impeded, Prohibitory Law. In publishing Statistics on this question, we shall, so far as is possible with the documents before us, eliminate or distinguish sources of fallacy and confusion, of which a Mr LINDSAY, in the Toronto Leader (whose thirty-six hours' tour in the Maine-Law States was republished by the Economist in this country, with all its topographical errors), has taken advantage to misrepresent the case for his constituents of the Traffic. For example, we shall not, in estimating Crime lessened by the Law, take account of the cases of violation of the Law itself-which are for acts that, in their relations to the public, were the same before they were treated as offences as now, only vastly more numerous and mischievous. Sometimes, even, we shall not notice 'Drunkenness',-first, because, in this argument, we treat of drunkenness, not so much on its own account, as for that to which it leadsand second, because, in very many places, before the law was passed, simple drunkenness was left unheeded by the police, but after the law it was narrowly watched, and instantly pounced upon. In both such cases, the Acts of Offence might be greatly diminished, while the Committals were somewhat enlarged.* The returns in the following table, illustrating the partial operation of the New York Law, are for the same period (save Utica), which is but for four months, instead of six-namely, from the 6th July to the 31st of December inclusive of each year, excluding cases of simple drunkenness :— *Some one quoted Judge H. W. Bishop, to prove that the Law made bad worse. "Criminal business has very largely increased under the New Law." Was this true? Quite true-for one side of truth. Turning to his charge, we find he goes on to explain, "I had, in my last term in the County of Middlesex, no In Such results, however, were nothing new. In the County of ONTARIO, under the operation of No-licence, the inmates of the Gaol were reduced from 125 in the year 1845, to 53 in 1846. 1847, licences were again granted, and the inmates of the gaol increased to 132. In the County of GENNESSEE, a similar course of things-No-licence succeeding to Licence, produced similar issues. So, in Potter County, PENNSYLVANIA, the traffic has been for a considerable time suppressed, the Judge refusing to grant any licence. The consequences have been, that the prison has become tenantless; there is not a solitary pauper in the county; the business in the Criminal court has ceased, and Taxes have been reduced one-half. § 149. On our own visit to the States, we sought for authentic information and facts against the law. We read public debates, between its friends and the Rumsellers' advocate (a Mr BEEBEE, engaged at $8 a day)—we perused articles against it in various newspapers, ranging from Columbus to New York, and from Bangor to Baltimore,*-but the sole authentic, non-anonymous statements we could meet with, were those contained in the columns of the State of Maine, subscribed 'JOHN NEAL,' of Portland, in the number of that paper for August 24th, 1853. After some calumnies and envenomed personalities against Mr NEAL DOW (afterwards retailed in Britain by Mr BERKELEY), the letter proceeds to make two assertions. 1.-"At this moment-and it has been growing worse and worse every day since the first three months were over, when people were blinded by its presumption, or frightened by its rashness-there is more intemperance and more drinking in this city and neighborhood, and PROBABLY throughout the whole State of Maine, with here and there a doubtful exception, than there has been at any other time for twenty years." 2.-"Young men have banded together to evade the law. Rum sellers have brought liquor with them to our public houses. Children carry liquor casks about with them; and bottles are made in the shape of Bibles, so bound as to deceive the eye." If this last be true, it is proof that Grog-shops were at least suppressed pretty generally. On the 27th of the same month, Mr Dow published a dignified and trenchant letter of reply, from which we cite the following passages :— "The facts in relation to the working of the Law have been published fewer than 104 indictments under the new law. I say, without fear of contradiction, that nine-tenths of all crimes of personal violence are committed in a state of intoxication, and if the source of the evil is dried up by the new law, Judges by and bye will have little criminal business to attend to." *We put on record one sample of the whole-taken from the Albany Atlas, August, 1853: "PRACTICAL OPERATION OF THE MAINE-LAW.-The following is an extract from a letter received by a commercial house in this city, from a large distillery and rectifying establishment in New York, which deals largely with the Eastern States: The fact is, that since the passing of the Maine Law, we find it difficult to supply our orders; and should our own Legislature pass a similar law at their next session, we shall take measures to enlarge our works immmediately.'" often for the last two years, and never has any attempt been made by any responsible person to disprove them. At the time of the enactment of the law, rum selling was carried on openly in all parts of the State. In Portland there were between three and four hundred rum shops, and immediately after the enactment of the law not one. The wholesale trade in liquors was at once annihilated throughout the State. "In Portland large numbers of men were reformed. So thoroughly did the law accomplish its objects, that temptations to intemperance were in a great measure removed out of the path of the young and inexperienced. "A Mr CARLTON came to Portland to attend a law suit, and brought a witness, who was a very intemperate man, Mr C. feared his witness would become intoxicated, and be of no use to him. They arrived in town at 7 o'clock, p.m., and from that time until 12 at night, Mr C. saw nothing of him. At that hour, the witness came to the hotel, perfectly sober, and said to Mr C. that he had travelled more than five miles and couldn't find a drop.' "It was the unanimous declaration of all the watchmen and police, that the city was like an entirely new place. Many shops, which before were rum shops, were converted to other branches of trade, and almost every indication of intemperance was banished from the city. "At the end of the municipal year, 1851-2, an official report to the City Council on the operation of the law in Portland, was ordered to be printed and distributed through the city, which was done; and its statements were not at the time, nor have they since been, denied." A great many families [poor and miserable] a year since, are now comfortable and happy, being entirely relieved by the suppression of the 6 grog-shops from their former troubles. The whole of the great sum which was formerly expended for strong drinks by the people of this City and State, will henceforth be expended for necessaries and comforts of life, with the additional amount which will • accrue from the more industrious habits of the people, or will be added, year by year, to the accumulating wealth of the State. 'Ten Months Effects (June 1st to March 20th) 1851. 1852. Decrease. At the term of the District Court, in March 1851, there were 17 'indictments; at the term for 1852 there was but one (for petty larcency), and that the result of a mistake.' : In the time of Mayor Dow, the House of Correction was empty but some relaxation in the police (the seven-years electoral justices, be it remembered, yet contain rum-men amongst them, who wink at evasion) having followed, we find that, in 1854, nearly one a week was sent to the House. In a pamphlet of 100 pages, published at Toronto, entitled The Maine-Law Illustrated, being the tour of investigation made in February, 1855, by Mr A. FAREWELL and Mr G. P. URE, on behalf of the Canadian Prohibition League, we find a vast number of testimonies to the *N.B. 75 of these came here through intemperance. + Notwithstanding much greater activity of the Police under the new law. same effect, from persons of the highest character, including Bishops, Judges, Governors, Mayors, Marshals, Magistrates, Ministers, Professors, Physicians, Counsellors, Representatives, etc. Their own conclusion is thus stated:-"It is almost universally acknowledged to be as successful in its operations as any other penal law that was ever enacted." At CALAIS, on the New Brunswick border, N. SMITH, Jun., of the Executive Council, says:- "Where enforced, the results are good; the only places where it can be said to have failed are where they have had AntiMaine-Law Justices irresponsible for seven years, save by impeachment. Many of those who sold liquor have turned their attention to other businesses, and are now better off than when selling liquor. They have far fewer bad debts, and more reliable customers." Mr SYDNEY PERHAM, Speaker of the House of Representatives, says: "My knowledge of the workings of the law extend over a large section of the State; I can assure you, the law works well." Professor POND, of BANGOR, says :have not seen a drunken man in our streets for the last six months. The House of Correction has been, at times, almost empty; I know not but it is so now. The expense of Paupers is greatly diminished.” Under date of September 1854, the Edinburgh News Commissioner thus writes of WATERVILLE : "Ten or eleven years ago, the cost of pauperism rose in a manner unaccountable but for excessive drinking, from $700 to $1,800 a year. I am told that this year, with twice the popu lation, the public payments for the poor will not exceed $1,000. The amount of crime is also greatly lessened. Those who still deserve the name of drunkards, are mostly Irishmen and French Canadians, the latter people having settled somewhat extensively in the northern parts of Maine." On the 8th of March 1852, the Marshall of GARDNER reports that "at the commencement of the official term of office, there were in the city 14 places where intoxicating liquor was sold; some of them the habitual resort of drunken, riotous, and disorderly persons...But one person has been convicted of drunkenness for the last four months; but two sent to the Watch House for the last six months. The law has been rigidly and quietly enforced." The Marshall of AUGUSTA reports for 1852 as follows:"AUGUSTA had four wholesale stores, business worth $200,000 a year;Retail-shops, 25. The City was (officially) exempted from the New Law for 60 days: one dealer made a profit of $900. As soon as the 60 days were out, three of the wholesale dealers sent off their liquors to New York. The remaining firm persisted in selling, until about $1000 worth of their liquors were seized. Liquor may be sold at the principal hotels, but stealthily: one of the Keepers has been twice convicted.. The police used to be called-up 100 nights in a year. Since the passage of the law they have not been summoned once." - A gentleman well known to the philanthropic world, and who has several times visited the Western Hemisphere in the interests of the Slave, writes us as follows:- "Near Chelmsford, 8th "month 11th, 1856. Esteemed friend, Dr Lees. In the early 66 part of the year 1854, whilst travelling in the State of Maine, 66 we came to Augusta, its capital. We were driven through the "city in a sledge, by our friend J. B. Lang, of Vassalboro', "who, as we passed along, pointed out to us the City Gaol, the "windows of which were boarded up. This,' he said to us, 'is "owing to our Maine Law.' I think he remarked, 'It is empty 66 now.' I remain, thy assured friend, JOHN CANDLER." The Mayor of BANGOR, in his message to the Council, April 22nd, 1852, says :- "On the 1st July, when I gave notice that I should enforce the law, 108 persons were selling liquors here, openly; 20 of them have left the city. Of the remaining 88, not one sells openly." He furnished the following statistics :1850-1. Inmates of Almshouse and House of Correction.. 1851-2. Ditto ditto ditto ......... 12,206 9,192 How far the People of Maine were prepared to honor and enforce the law is best shown by their election of municipal boards: 117 towns elected Temperance men; 8 chose mixed boards; and but 34 elected opposition councils. The towns in favor represent a population of 254,891; those against, 55,565. In 1855, as we have seen, the Prohibitionists in Maine lost the election of Governor. Nevertheless, there is no reaction of sentiment. On the contrary, the Prohibitionists obtained a larger vote than any single political party ever before obtained,— a vote larger by 4000 than the year previously, when they carried everything before them. As Bishop BURGESS had predicted, it was done by a political combination, and a profuse expenditure. The Dow-LAW has since been repealed, and stringent licence and pecuniary penalties substituted. THIS WAS ALL FOR THE BEST making the enemies of Truth to illustrate it, once again, by the workings of error. Has this licence law succeeded in restraining that drinking which the State of Maine newspaper affirmed the Prohibitory Law had increased? That same veracious paper announced recently, with an air of patriotic triumph, that this repeal "will have an important influence on the molasses trade, and distilleries will soon spring up in the State." Other things, it seems, have 'sprung up with the 'distilleries,' for the Portland Journal reports a vast increase of drunkenness, rows, burglaries, and other crime. The Bangor Mercury says:— "We are informed by a person in the express business, one who has good opportunities for seeing and knowing whereof he speaks, |