Morning Star

The Traffic an Immorality.

Since the declaration by the Convention at Philadelphia, pronouncing the sentence of disapprobation upon the traffic in ardent spirit, and stigmatizing it as immoral, up to the present time not an individual has come forward to refute the arguments offered, or to show cause why the sentence should be reversed. Yet though this silence is ominous, and carries the irresistible conviction to all intelligent minds that no defence can be made, still there is a kind of clamor, raised not only by the dealers, but even by some who by profession are friends of temperance, by which an attempt is made to excite sympathy as if the dealers were a persecuted, ill-treated, innocent class of citizens. These clamorists say you are going too fast--too far--carrying matters to an extreme. Now we have heard this kind of talk so long that we wish to hear something new; for ever since the first temperance address, advocating total abstinence was delivered, to the present hour, the same cry of too fast and too far, has been raised. But argument, not noise, is what we want. If making and selling the drunkard's drink is right, then it can be shown; and among those engaged in the immoral business, are some intelligent men; men who can reason and argue: let them come forth. The columns of this paper shall be freely opened to such defence, and we ask that some one will accept the invitation, and show the world that rum-selling is beneficial to our country, consistent with the dictates of humanity, in accordance with the precepts of the Bible, subservient to the temporal and eternal good of our fellow men, and that it promotes the glory of God. For such a defence we ask.

Temp. Int.