148 



The Liquor Question. 



the part of every other member of that society. There is no such 

 thing as absolute liberty, when considered with reference to the rights 

 and duties of the citizen, because he must always enjoy his rights with 

 careful regard that he shall not interfere with any of the rights of his 

 neighbor. Necessarily, therefore, the citizen who would be freest, who 

 would enjoy the largest measure of human happiness, as a member of 

 organized society, must surrender to his neighbor and to the State so 

 much of his natural rights as may be necessary and proper for the 

 protection of the equal rights of all his associates. 



All power emanates from the people, and, broadly put, the will of 

 the majority is the supreme law of the land. Where, then, is the line 

 upon which government may interfere and control and regulate the 

 conduct, the business and the social relations of men ? I answer: 

 Government has to deal with the overt act, either to prevent or 

 punish, and the government, as such, has no right to deal with 

 the conscience, the motive or the intention, except so far as these 

 are manifested by overt acts performed or likely to be performed. 

 And this leads us, naturally, to a brief consideration of one of the 

 favorite arguments indulged in by a large class of temperance re- 

 formers, who are earnest and sincere, and yet whose chief error, as it 

 seems to me, arises in assuming that it is the duty of government to 

 deal with the consciences of men. On principle this cannot be true, 

 except in the qualified sense stated. I conceive that the persistent 

 disregard of fundamental propositions, and the illogical deductions 

 therefrom, has produced and is producing very much of the inefficient 

 work aimed at the evil under consideration. The time is forever 

 passed when the judgment of enlightened civilization will recognize 

 the right of government to interfere with or control or coerce the con- 

 science, except so far as to restrain or control or punish overt acts, 

 which may, perhaps, appropriately be said to be " outward and visible 

 signs " of a lack of inward grace. The moral law, of course, deals 

 with motives; but human law cannot until the motive takes form in 

 action, real or intended. A man may form the wicked design in his 

 heart to commit murder or any other serious offense, and thus be 

 amenable to the moral law, yet until there is some evidence that he 

 contemplates carrying that intention into effect, or until he acts, 

 human law cannot be invoked. 



The argument that, to sell intoxicating liquors is a sin, and to 

 license the sale is to legalize a wrong, and, therefore, that all license 

 laws are sinful and wrong, and ought, therefore, to be opposed, is both 

 unsound and illogical when applied to the State. License is prohibi- 



