Transcribe Fenn, Robert. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1855-11)

remember used to reside withe her Aunt Mrs Hendrix) She was about a month since united or rather legally tied to an old codger from California sbout double her own age and said to be very wealthy and in one repeat at least resembles a distinguished collored individual generaly known by the suphorious cognomen of Uncle Edward who as the old song hath it had no wool on the top of his head in the place where the wool ought to grow. I seems as if most of those who can contemplate matrimony now a days like Astrononius observing a comet, regard principaly the tail of the word, or to use the words of another, the god of love is no longer Cupid but has been metamor- phased into Cupidity. Miss Lucy's sacrifice took place in New Haven and after the ceremony the victim and her lord accompanied by some members of her family came on here and spent a week during which Miss Hendrix gave a grand party at which notwithstanding the Maine law quite a number of the guests imbibed rather too freely from some of the "original packages" which were opened on the occasion, Such instances as these seem to me to be most powerful arguments against the beneficial effects which it was emphatically asserted would result from the adoption of the Maine law. For it is not to be supposed for an instant that such real gentleman as Ed Montgomery. Mont. Rochester and soon would on any account have been guilty of such public and ungenteel excess if previous abstinence and rareness of similar opportunities for indulging had not made them unusualy susceptible to temptation. Had these young gentlemen been free to indulge in the use of the pro- hibited article whenever their inclinations prompted they would never have disgraced themselves by such public and beastly excess, but the thought that it was now or never led them almost unconsciously into the venial sin of taking more liquor abord them than they could carry. I am sorry to be obliged to inform you that the Maine law has not been as successful as its friends anticipated. The fault however is not in the law but in its execution. Several of the petty county judges have transcended their power so far as to pronounce on their own individual responsible the law unconstitutional and on this plea quashed prosecutions commenced under its provisions. The number of licensed dealers is so great that the law is but little improvement upon the old system except that prices have been quadrupled. John B. Gough who has just returned from a lecturing tour in England where he has been very successful having been pronounced by the London Times one of the first of living orators gave two lectures here last week to crowded houses although the admission fee was 2 oe