Remonstrance of the Muskego Lake Fishing Club against adopting the Maine liquor law

Remonstrance from the Muskego Lake Fishing Club-

by B.J. Neil

To the Honorable Legislature the Senate and Assembly of Wisconsin.

Your undersigned petitioners-members of the Muskego Lake Fishing Club", would respectfully represent, that they have horror struck received the [lamennable?] news that your-honorable Bodies are inundated by Petitions for the passage of a Liquor Law, similar to that of the State of Maine, and that there is reason to believe you were in favor of such a law.

-Hon., the undersigned peaceful and industrious citizens of said state, engaged in the very lawful and respectable business of fishing, would humble remonstrate against such a legislative step, considering it a heavy calamity to the said ancient fishing institution and to the creatures enterworked to their care, for the following weighty reasons:

1. Because they do really believe, that is the case of such law being passed, the day population, living for 20 miles around the Muskego Lake, would, in want of any [illegible] beverage, Lake [recourse?] to the water of that Lake, in order to quinch their thirst, and as water is generally recognized as a necessary element for the fishes, you are aware that they are in imminent danger of getting deprived of this their first necessity of life, and although our fundamental laws recognize but the right of man to life, yet we from the world known benevolent impulses of your [humble?] hearts, you would may anonymously extend this great right even to the [illegible] beings enterworked by the scripture to the kind care of the Lord of Creation.

2. Because by such a drainage of the Lake, and congruent examinations of the [farming?] tribe, the undersigned companies would really be precluded from the extension of their right to the pursuits of happiness, so guaranteed by our Magna Cherta, to every citizens, even to your humble fishing petitioners.

3. Because first, in a Baked or fried? state of existence could not [illegible] but in a distilled or brewed kind of water, there being an old golden rule of medical diet, that fish, in order to be

an old golden rule of medical diet, that fish, in order to be fir for digestion, should swim in such a liquid. 4. Because it is more custom, well established by a long experience of and very ancient and respectable order, to forwith fished intended for a long distance, in order to keep them alive, with a sponge in their mouth, moisted with some, [illegible], pale, or Blossum ale, which we could not do, if the Maine Liquor Law was passed.

5. Because, by passing such a law, intending to multiply the water drinking classes of creatures to such an awful extreme, your honorable Bodies not only would deprive this state of such an ornament as were [remembered?] Club,- heretofore has been justly regarded, but you might even put an end to all water powers and to all manufacturing in our dearly beloved Wisconsin. The need not add that our lives improvements, with all the consequent pleasures of appointing committees, distributing our creative officer to well deserving friends, indemnifying contractors &etc. would be at an end, and that there fore you would be under the necessity to lay an additional burden upon a people, all ready grumbling and blind to the great benefits of a heavy taxation.

From the above few remarks your honorable Bodies will, we trust, not fail to advise to the full convictions that such a legislation as petitioned for by the friend of the Maine Liquor Law, would be extremely prejudicious to the rights of man and Earth, and detrimental to your humble petitioners and to the well understood interest of your hnbl. Bodies as well as to those of the whole State, and we hope that you not only will refuse to grant the prayer of those inundating watery petitioners, and refer them to the rest of Mankind, but, furthermore, that you would enact, [illegible] more? stringent measures against the adulteration of Good Liquor. And we will ever pray.

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