Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/319



THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON 1%

iiisi'i-lioii 1)1' till' words "give' and 'gift' in the first and second sections of the bill, they thought, was taking away their rights, as it was considered that a man had a riglit to give away his property if he chose. There were several objections to the bill, which I set forth to your honorable body in my message. I would recommend that the amendments passed at the December se.ssion of 1845 be re- pealed ; and that the law passed on the 25th of June, 1844, with such alterations as will make it agree with the organic law, if it does not agree with it, be again made the law of the land. It is said by many that the legislature has no right to prohibit the introduction or sale of liquor, and this is probably the strongest argument used in the defense of your bill. But do you not as effectually prohibit ever}' person who has not the sum of one, two or three hundred dollars to pay for his license, as does the law now on the statute book? Are not your pi'oposed fines and penalties as great or greater than those of the old law? Where, then, is the benefit to the people? There is no doubt in my mind but that the law will be evaded as easily and as often under the new law as it was under the old, and, in addition to this, there will be the legal manufacturers, importers and sellers who will be able, under the sanction of law, to scatter all the evils attendant upon the use of alcoholic drinks. "We are in an Indian country ; men will be found who will supply them with licjuor as long as they have beaver, blankets and horses to pay for it. If a quantity should be introduced among the Walla Wallas and other tribes in the upper country who can foretell the consequences — there we have families exposed, cut off from the protection of the settlements, and perhaps at the first drunken frolic of the Indians in that region they may be cut off from the face of the earth. But we need not go so far; we are exposed in every part of our frontier, and when difficulties once commence, we cannot tell where they will cease.

' ' It has been proved before the house of commons that one-half of the insan- ity, two-thirds of the pauperism and three-fourths of the crimes of Great Brit- ain, may be directly traced to the use of alcoholic drink. The testimony of our most eminent judges in the United States, shows that the same proportion of crime is attributable to ardent spirits in that country. Statistics might be pro- duced showing the enormous evil and expense of an indiscriminate use of liquor.

"As to revenue, the small amount received for licenses, instead of being rev- enue, would be swallowed up in the expenses attending trials for crimes, etc., caused by the crime of these licenses.

"But leaving all other countries out of view, let us consider our own state. Surrounded by Indians, no military force to aid the executive and other officers in the discharge of their duties, not a solitarj^ prison in the land in which to confine offenders against the laws, and consequently no way of enforcing the penalties of the law. I think these things should call for calm and serious re- flection, before passing your final vote on this bill. My opinion is, the people are opposed to legalizing the introduction and sale of liquor in this land. I may be mistaken, and therefore should be in favor of the old law, or something sim- ilar should be adopted, of referring the whole matter to the polls at the next general election. If the people say 'no liquor,' continue to prohibit; if they say, through the ballot box. 'we wish liquor,' then let it come free, the same as dry goods, or any other article imported or manufactured ; but, until the people say they want it. I hope ynu will use your influence to keep it out of the territory.