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power that is asserted by it, unquestionably go the length of dictating what shall be the material and fashion of our apparel-in short, of making and enforcing a complete code of sumptuary laws." Now there is not a word of truth in all this, and Col. Gibbens must have known it, or else he is not a man of much discernment. For a sumptuary law, would be to regulate the expenses of individuals and the community in their domestic concerns. The license law only deprives Col. Gibbens and other dealers in ardent spirits, of their assumed right of putting "the bottle to their neighbor's mouth," and of making "him drunken," as they have heretofore claimed the right to do; and it deprives the drunkard of that facility of getting drunk, that he has heretofore found. This is the very basis of the license law of last April.

Col. Gibbens and others, that are engaged in the traffic of spirituous liquors, no doubt would like to have such a state of things in reference to the sale of ardent spirits, as there was in Israel after the death of Samson. "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Nothing short of this will satisfy them.

If the license law is a sumptuary law, then the first law that God ever gave to man was a sumptuary law, and indeed all the divine laws. "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

No one of the human race has ever had any more of a natural or moral right to be intemperate and get drunk, or of being instrumental of making any one drunken, than Adam and Eve had to eat "of the tree of knowledge of good and evil." And as "Eve was first in the transgression" of Adam's disobedience to his maker, even so, the distiller, the importer, the whole-sale dealer, the retailer and the dram-seller is "in the transgresssion" of men's drunkenness. And the same being that tempt

ed Eve, tempts now the dealers in ardent spirits. And Adam and Eve offered to God as good a reason for eating "of the tree of knowledge of good and evil," as Col. Gibbens or any other man has offered or can offer for trafficing in ardent spirits as a drink or beverage for any man. And if the license law is a sumptuary law, then the law that was given to Noah and his sons was a sumptuary law. "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof shall ye not eat." No man since the days of Noah has ever had any more of a natural or moral right to be intemperate and get drunk, or of being instrumental of making others so, than he has to eat the blood with the flesh. And will any man say, that God deprived Noah or any of his posterity, of their natural or moral rights by this prohibition? Certainly not. Neither has the legislature in passing the license law. And if the license law is "a sumptuary law," then God gave to the children of Israel "a complete code of sumptuary laws." For he gave them positive commands what they should do, and what they should not do. What they should eat, and drink, and wear, and what they should neither eat, nor drink, nor wear. And did God deprive any of them, of any of their natural, essential, unalienable or moral rights and liberties? Verily, verily, no. Neither has the legislature deprived a single man in Massachusetts, of any right that ever God gave to him. And "every good gift, and every perfect gift" is from him, "the father of light.'

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From all that is now before us, it is evident, that the license law is not only "consonant with the principles and spirit," but is in obedience to the divine constitution. And that constitution is over all human constitutions that ever has been, or ever will be made. And no man or body of men ever had the least right to pass a decree or an ordinance, or frame a constitution, or enact a law, that is not fully within the scope, and " consonant with

the principles and spirit" of the divine constitution that God has given unto man. And this constitution is the

Bible.

The constitutions of the United States and of this Commonwealth, will be an everlasting honor to the names of those men that framed them and gave them unto us, the people. But what are these constitutions to be compared with the divine constitution, that the infinitely wise God has given unto us? Merely as a drop to the bucket. While one carries the impression that it is the production of an infinitely wise and all-comprehending mind, the others carries the impression that they are the productions of very wise, but fallible men.

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In the 8th section of the constitution of the United States, it is said, "The Congress shall have regulate commerce with foreign nations, and several States, and with the Indian tribes." that is to be found in the constitution of the United States that has the least bearing upon the subject of the license law of last April. And there is nothing in this that says or even intimates, that it should ever be binding on Congress to enact even one law, to compel, or even make it the duty, of any man in the United States, to import even one gallon of rum, or brandy, or gin, or wines into this country. Nor has Congress ever enacted any such law. If this is correct and true, then it will follow, that the license law is within the scope of the constitution of the United States. And if it is, then it is "consonant with its principles and spirit." So that all that Col. Gibbens, or any other man can say, is, that Congress has enacted laws, that make it lawful in the sight of the government, for any man to import intoxicating liquors into the United States, by paying certain duties on what they import. And this they do from their own choice, and not from compulsion. Nor has Congress ever made a law, to bind any man to drink or use in any way, even one drop of spirituous liquors after the merchants have imported it and paid its duties. The

merchants import intoxicating liquors, because "by this craft" they have their wealth." Even so did Deme

trius and the silver-smiths at Ephesus, make silver shrines for the great goddess Diana.

From these considerations, it is evident that the legislature of Massachusetts by enacting the license law, has not interfered in the least with the constitution or law of the United States. It was as lawful in Asia to worship the great Diana, as it is in America to import ardent spirits. The legislature of this State have as good a right to prohibit the sale of spirituous liquors in this commonwealth, as Congress has to admit its importation into these United States.

But Col. Gibbens says, "We seriously question the constitutionality of the license law, whether reference be had to the Federal or State constitution." There is not the least ground to "question" the constitutionality of the license law in "reference to the federal constitution."

In the preamble of the constitution of Massachusetts it is said, "The end of the institution, maintenance and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body-politic; to protect it; and to furnish the individuals who compose it, with the power of enjoying, in safety and tranquillity, their natural rights, and the blessings of life."

"The body-politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals: It is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common good."

In the first, seventh, eighth and eighteenth articles of the Bill of Rights, it is found written :-"All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting prop

erty; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness.

"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safely, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men."

"A frequent recurrence to the fundamental principles of the constitution, and a constant adherance to those of piety, justice, moderation, temperance, industry and frugality, are absolutely necessary to preserve the advantages of liberty, and to maintain a free government."

We have now before us, all the great fundamental prnciples of the constitution of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. And to these great principles I fully and heartily subscribe. Because they are congenial with the great principles of the divine constitution. And let Col. Gibbens or any other man show us if they can, that the legislature by the enactment of the license law, has infringed in the least upon these great fundamental principles. The license law is "consonant" with, and tends to support these great fundamental principles, and even all the moral principles laid down in the Bible. "Then one of them which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

This commandment is binding on all the human race, at all times. And the man that disregards this one commandment, disregards all the divine commands. And the man that has no regard for the divine commands, has no proper regard for the great fundamental principles laid down in the Constitution. For the great principles are, "piety, justice, moderation, temperance, industry, and frugality."

The intemperate man, the drunkard, disregards, and as it were tramples all these great moral principles under

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