The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform., March 18, 1853, Page 67, Image 3

About The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
THE' (OHIO DRGAN: IOF OTIE I (TEMPERANCE REFORM.!1
67
Re KrJWoleott'i Sermon.
i . . i . . . , , ,.
We extract the- follbwirig' eloquent
and appropriate trfb'uteJ 6 the hew law
fom the sermon before the' Legisla
ture by Re. MrWotcotfc, of Belcher
town. ' It will be read with interest by
everj friend of thed'anse.',' !i '
3 "To thi class f 'statute? .belongs,
pre-eminently; the act passed by your
immediate predecessors, designed, and
admirably adapted to check the! fatal
ravages, of intemperance among jus,
From a recent judicial decision of ;high
. authority;, it would appear that a law
framed, 1 for a ' 'similar purpose in a
nefghboring: State;' unfortunately em
bodies provisions which conflict with
important, i crtnstit;utional immunities.
I am sure that I utter the, sentiments
of all the friends of our law and .of
the1 holy' cause whose fortunes are era
barked in it, when 1 1 affirm, ' that in
their anxious efforts tow prorect the
community from en oppressive burden
and ft destructive evil nothing can be
further from them than a disposition
to assail'any lawful claim j and above
all to weaken" that sacred palladium
of civil liberty; the. right of trial by
jury, which was wrested by1 our brave
English .ancestors from : kingly ,,en
croaphment, which was borne across
the waters in the May-flower,' and un
der these happy skies, among a people
jealous, . as they should be, in any
matter which : involves their personal
freedom or their oivil rights, until a,
late dark period, has flourished in se
curity and beauty. ''Let the heavy
odium of striking down this safeguard
of freemen,: in their! last asylum,
cleave to another law than this, anil to
4 other hands, than ours I , It has been
the earnest, and," it is believed, sue,
cessful endeavor of the framers and
defenders of our own law, including
I some eminent 'civilians, to keep it en
t tirely ..clear, of, constitutional, objeo,.-
tions. . Its friends, however, 4o not
claim that it is free from imperfection ;
and if any element of weakness has
inadvertently been! incorporated, it i3
! vf course susceptible;of an amendment
ivhich will relieve, i without crippling
or enfeebling it ; and thus npt impair,
but increase its useful efficiency as a
powerful aid in securing to every com
munity,' that will enforce it, the bene
fit of sobriety, industry and integrity,
of social order, prosperity and moral
ity.,, ;The i right of, prohibitory legis
lation, with ; reference . f o,i any public
evil, is questioned by no jurist ; the
ieading'principle 'of this law is but a
practical recognition of the great end
foe which government is instituted ;
Its, introduction in other; forms , is, tip
novelty ; . and it marks in .this connec,
'tion a benign epoch, only as being the
consistent and resolute application of
an acknowledged principle , to a stu
pendous social evil.. i: It cannot be dis
puted, that wherever it has had a, fair
trial, it has won fqrx itself favor as a
most beneficent act )' an act which,
;whilepromotingrthe; industrial pur
suits, and enhancing the productive
'resources ! ,o sthe i State, throws the
shield of governmental, protection
over the tempted, and gracefully lifts
fallen 1 man from the 'dust ; an' act
which was" prayed for ly thousands
.and tens of thousands of the mothers
and wives( th sisters and daughters
of the Commonwealth, and will re
main, in its- essential features,' if it
shall stand uijtil ' a; ; solitary petition
Jrom this clasp is. presented for its! re
peal,, a permnen boon, tothe, more
than wilowed, and,, orphaned ones,
rwh6 have, hailed Its ad venjtwltb tears
f6f ' gratitude j ah act which has been
Welcomed ' with 'singu1ai andvcprdial
unanimity by Christian pastors .and
teachers oC every, name,, who having
seen the woes which, it was, fitted to
relieve, auu pjueu tue vmjuuqs wnom
"it'was destined to save,'' have 'gladly
rallied to its support the1-unbroken
moral foroWel pulpit ; an act
which has evoked among, us the inspi
ration' of. a mightier Presence than
"thef Spirit of Continental Indepen
dence the Genius of American Lib
erty, which ia earlier t'raes tried her
infant voice jn the balls and on (he
hills of $ew England," the Genius
of Universal Humanity, now. moving
through the halls and the sanctuaries,
imi along the hill-sidef of Massachu
setts, and breathing upon the hearts
of her son and, he? daughters an act,
which gathers ar6und itself the robes
of the civil, magistracy with dignity,
for the faithful execution of the divi
nes authority of a just ruler the ter
roe of evil doers, and .the praise of
themjhat do well an act, which wij l
have fulfilled its sacred mission, when
in place of desolated homes and blight
ed hearts, habitations of thrift and
eomfort shall be gladdened with the
smile of peace and love the monster
vice, which an unholy traffic creates,
ani which this blessed law destroys,
having been; by the mercy of God,
expelled from our tair heritage, amid
the rejoicings of earth and the halle
lujahs of .heaven, I!?; ,tj . , ;j,
ord Chesterfield on Distilleries."
We commend to the people of phib
the following extract of a speech made
by Lord Chesterfield, in the. House of
Lords. In England; in 1743 oe hun
dred and ten years ago.' '' 1 ' 1)1 '
' It Was true then, and it is true now,
and the distinguished Lord saw and
recognised the necessity of the Maine
Law the necessity of bursting the
vials'' that. oontain . the palatable poison.'-1
Are ;BOt:,his positions : right,
and his arguments conclusive 1 U u
ij' TJie noble lord has been pleased
kindly t inform us that the trade of
distilling is very extensive, that it em
ploys great numbers, and that they
have arrived at exquisite skill; 'and
therefore -ihe.trade of. distilling is not
to ,be, discouraged. Once more jnv
lords, allow me to wonder at the dif
ferent conceptions of different under
standings."" It appears to me that
since the spirit which distillers' produce
are allowed to enfeeble the limba,
vitiate the blood, to pervert the heart,
apd obscure the intellect, that the num,
ber of distillers should be no argument
in their favor, for I never heard that
ft law against; theft," was repealed or
delayed because thieves were numer
ous. ,It appears to me, my lords, that
really; if, so formidable a body are
confederated against the virtue or the
lives' of their fellow-citizeaa, it is time
to put an end to the havoc, : and to
interpose, while it is yet in our. power,
to stop, the destruction. ., So little, my
lords, am I affected with the. merits of
the wonderful skill' which distillers are
said to hate attained,' that it is, in my
opinion, no faculty ! Ot great use to
mankind, to prepare palatable poison ;
nor shall I ever contribute .my. inter
est for the reprieve of, a murderer, be
cause he has oy long practice obtained
great dexterity id his trade.1) If their
liquors , arei so! delicious that the peo
ple are tempted to their own destruc
tion, let us. at length,, thy lords, secure
then? fromi: thei?. fatal draught, by
bursting the, vials that contain, them-:--Let
us crush at once these artists in
human slaughter, who have reconciled
their oountrymen'tb sickness and ruiri,
and spread : over the pitfalls of de
bauchery suclx bait as oanrtoi fee resist
ed. ;! 1 ami very .far,j myilords from
thinking that these, are, thla year any
peculiar reasons far tolerating murdei;;
nor cau I conceive why this manufac
ture is to be held sacred noWiif ifcw to
be destroyed hereafter.''
i,
-in jfri AWestert editor iri hbtMang
new- and" spl etidid ' hearse; jhinls; it
will afford much 'satisfaction to those
who use it. .raa JoanM 1
i
- 'It, is-geoerally ackjiowledged .that
the evils of the Liquor Traffic we la
mentably great, and that instead of
diminishing they are' Rapidly on the
increase. : That some system of pre
vention is called for, is no less widely
conceded.:,;,, ''-'.,"''' "-
Upod this conviction legislatures
nave acted ' for hundreds of years.
Acts, almost innumerable,' and as di
versified as the conditions of society
under which they . have originated,
loudly and plainly proclaim, the, long
admitted need of something to meet
and subdue themi And yet, after all
that has been done, the curse' still
riots unchecked in our midst, and thou
sands pay to it a compliant tribute ten
times, more cruel and degrading, than
was evpr wrung from man under the
worst and most tyrannical system of
human servitude thd world ever saw.
This has : not been for a day,, or a
week, or a year, but from time imme
morial, in greater or jess degree as
the traffic has been, limited or extend
ed. ' Nor have these evils been con
fined to any particular class or condi
tion of men. i None so high as to es
cape them, and none so low that they
have passed them by. A cry of lar
mentation and woe for the, loss of a
first born, has gone up from." almost
every house in the land. ! ' ! ' "! '
W ho will, be injured by the destruc
tion of the traffiio ? ' There are many
imaginary, injuries ,;o be inflicted, in
the result of our success, we are well
aware., ; But have they a foundation
in sound reason t ' As a beverage, all
experience, physological investigation,
and even the most Casual observation
abundantly demonstrate that alcoholic
drinks of every name, are, without ex
ception, perniciously hurtful. As true
is it, that they are an unparelleled
bane and curse of social and domestic
)ife-r-a breeder of contentions, inspira
tor of crime,, destrojer of labor, and
multiplier of taxes, , This position we
need no argument to prove "r
Who, then; with any show of resir
son, can put in a claim of being injured
tB the event of the sucoess of the
friends of temperance. Classify them,
and we have the disliller, the trafficer,
keepers of homes of ill fame, proprie
tors of gambling ' hells, all others who
pander to the depravities and vices of
men, undertaken and grave diggers.
These would be the important suffer
eis, by the passage of a prohibitory
law, although we might throw in a part
of the secidat press and a score of pet
ifoggingi politicians, , to make up the
complement , -, .,., i,v.r ; ;
For the accommodation and support
of these, (if we leave out undertakers
and ; grave - diggers,1 whom,' we trust,
will pardon us for the association, ) the
continuation of the tr.affio is demanded,
which demand, if, it is, worth anything,
is worth a thousand , times more for
prohibition than against it.' " The chol
era; small-pox, and kll other forms of
pestilential disease that afflict and depopulate-the
world, could they reason
and 'utter, speepV would,.no doubt,
as earnestly plead to be let alone, and
with just as much propriety; There
is nothing that prospers from the sale
qfi, or (lha9j aa; existence in alcoholic
drjnks, , that , deserves heed or consid
eration from any man or body of men.
Hence we conclude that no real inter
est or condition of things established
in truth, would be injured or hurtfully
touched, was the-whole beverage traf
fic annihilated tojjday,,,
From this hot-bed of vice and . cor
ruption springs the opposition which
is taken up by thd deluded and misin
formed!, and all others who can,' by
rewards br, the fear of punishment, be
brought1 ii p the rescue.1 ' Of such,
ther is always a surplus in every com-muntty-those;
who for galni political
"emolument, andjartiy ele'ation,,would
sell their birth-tight-wbuld not scru
jle1 td1 take sthe place' of Judas only
letbern,BeA the;rJric()f tie-thirty
pieceof silver. l
. 1. Shaft eed, tbe;;appo4iti oil, Or th
more worthy and intelligent claims of
tha fcaute ? l On its sida re larra yed
the virtuous and the philanthropic of
every sphere ia life ; connected with
these are other thousands; the mothers,
wires-, fathers, husbands and children
that are now suffering or have suffered
the unspeakable evil of the traffic
Oft' which side is it right aid most
honorable to be , (ounj arrayed ?
Pressing upon you are the claims, of
all that is holy , and just; and to that
God who sitteth" ia judgement, and
whom, perhaps, you profess to serve,
must you answer for your decision.
The hand of death is even' now near
unto many who may be saved from it,
or consigned to its cold grasp, by the
part you ta.k iu this, matter. The
iaia of many now ready t perish.
Hangs suspended on the action of our ;
next Legislature. Perchance, you may
save and restore them to health, hap
piness, and the world,- or doom' them
to suffer on, and perhaps to die, bruised
and crushed by the tyrant wrong.
Advocate and Home Circle. ' ' 1 "
English Maine law.
' It appears from the St. John's (New
Brunswick ) Temperance Telegraph ,
that the English Government has, in
two instances, recently put 'in force
laws of prohibition against the sale of
intoxicating drinks. At the Austra
lian gold mines the sale of (liquor is
positively forbidden, and the Govern
ment officials have authority to burn
to. tne ground ail snops or shanties
usea lor tne purpose of vending the
interdicted article.' And, by an act
' relating to the carriage of passeh-
fers by Sea," which received Her
lajesty's sanction, June 20th, 1852,
it is provided that at- r.. , . p
'"If in any passenger ship, or' any
person shall, during the Voyage, di
rectly or indirectly,, sell, or cause to
be sold, any Spirits or Strong Waters,
to any passenger, he shall be liable for
every such Offense to a penalty not
exceeding Twenty pounds, nor less
than Five pounds Sterling,',' , ,
ii9w uireCT ana pointea is tne testi
mony which such regulations as these
bear tothe pernicious, and evil effects
of the use of intoxicants ? ' Why are
they prohibited ? Because in the cases
under consideration; peace, cfuietude,
and good order are essentiul'a'nd
strong drinl promotes1 riotingand dis
order, stimulates every evil' and malig
nant passion, intd activity, sets" laws
and rules at naught, and renders good
government impossible Exchange.
Death of the Oldest Man
.. . England.
in JSTew
. Died in Nottingham. M- Hi, ,qh jth
sua .oi January,, 1853,, Mr,
Willey. He was borne in 1
on the 25th day of March, 1746, and
would consequently nave een one
hundred and, seven years of age net
month. .... He was a soldier i the rev
olutionary war, and has b en a penr
sioneT; He has been a he ilfhy, ro
bust man, and until recently has been
an active laborer. , He says I e learned
to mow- when he was ten, i ears, 14,
and used hi sevthe- until' iAwwt
h undred; he then left it, as lfe thought
tlinoftr'- tronia urn. U(i.' nnM,il.'r . J
man to follow' that business , He has
ielt a: son, Wr, Jonathan Wiley, be
tween 70 and 80 years, off age, who
wno is aiso a pensioner for lervtia in
the war of 18 1 f. PortswlutK Jour
nal., .
The Southern Organ is dne1 of the
uesi temperance papers on our ex
change. Jist.,. Published injNew Or
leans at iZ pe'annum. ' If it is well
uppuiica, u win nave a powerful in,
ffuenW in treakihg Up the Infernal E-
truor traffic Jh Lquisiana.i Success,
nro. liarmin: ' - i j "f J
n.
t 1
i'i'-
i t-