Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-05-13
TEMPERANCE MEETING.
NATERvILLE, May /, 1887

W WATERvILLE, MAY /, 1887.
The Temperance Society of this place
met this evening at o'clock. pursuant
to adjournment. DR.. PARIS PRAY pre-
siding, and A. p. Jones secretary.
The following resolutions, proposed
by Mr.. Jones at the annual meeting, held
I'd Feb, were taken up:
Resolped, That, in our opinion, the
most sure and etfectual means of pre-
venting drunkenness in the country, is to
impose heavy duty on the importation
of all foreign spirits, by the general gov
ernment, and like duty on the manu-
iacture Of domestic spirits by the several
Resolued, That we will use every con-
stitutional privilege, as citizens of the u
nited States, to effect these ends.
The adoption of the resolutions was
advocated by the mover to the following
effect:
Temperance Societies have been in
operation about ten wears, and have as
yet almost enti ely failed of the desired
effect-the destruction of drunkenness.
am willing TO admit the principle on
which they act good one as far as it
goes, and that III all reformations in soci-
ETY., the reformation should commence
with the pleaders--should "begin at
home" But this appears to me to fall
short Of the great object of renovating
the country of the curse of drunkenness,
for almost all the members of all the So
ciehes have never been drunkards-are,
and have been temperate men all their
lives. The influence, therefore, Of these
societies, although good, by abolishing
the unnecessary use of ardent spirits in
temperate families, and of consequence
removing. The liability of many becoming
exposed to the formation of unwhoIe-
some appettes. stops before the drunk
ard is reached efftctualIy. We admit
he does see and feel these Influences in
his sober moments, but his appetite be-
ing much stronger than his power of de-
cision, The temptation is sure to overrule
his better judgment, and he becomes
prey 10 the loathsome sin of drunken
ness upon every occasion. The mea-
sure proposed should it be carried into
effect will place beyond the reach of
most men all ardent spirits as bever-
age. Should any one crave his glass to
such degree that he would sacrifice his
property for it, there is a greater proba-
biIity of his running the length of his
life, before his constitution would be ir-
reparably destroyed, than if the article
could be obtained for one tenth the same
money; and if. for medical purposes any
kind Of distilled spirits should become me-
cessary, then we should not complain
at being under the necessity Of paying
as much per quantity as for any other
drug. II
1t may be urged by some, that we are
transcending our legal powers by asking
an imposition Of duties with the express
purpose Of preventing the extensive i'm
portation and manufacture of the article;
and that it is uncalled for officiousncss
to Judge for others-to dictate 10 others
palates. Our. governments have c m
stitutional right to exercise the things
asked. Ia proof Of which I merely re-
fer to their lexercise6ofrthem, ouly in a
lesser degree. Duties are imposed on
the, importation of foreign wares and
for the protection Of our
and would it not be
equally justifiable to impose duty for
the protection we might almost say off,
the whole country? Who will raise the ]
objection that we are meddling with OH
er peoples businessf The drunkard 4
himself undoubtedly. So will the mad
man object to his confinement in the lu- q
natic asylum. Will the hungry and half. f
clad vile and children of the drunkard
object to such course This is the c
4oestion that would be first asked by the /
obilanthropist; and let US make this the 7
spur to action. If we claim to be phi 70
anthropists let Us strike the blow at re- d
ief where the oppressed will feel it. If '
We claim to be reformers. let us SO ap- 4
bly, our exertions as to effect reform
where it is most needed.
By the imposition Of heavy duty b
lrdent spirits would be placed beyond
he reach Of men in ordinary circum- c
stances, and if the rich men could pro- e