Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-05-05
For the Portage Sentinel.

| have just been looking over the pro.
ceedings of meeting held at Ravenna on
the l7th inst, TO organize an association
to be called the Portage county Temper.
ance League. The main design of this or.
gnnization seems TO be to enforce the law
OF last winter, ITO restrain the sale of
I splrituous liquors" which comes in force on .
the first day Of May This, Unnecessary,
sail very well. | am myselfa s'law abid-
ing" man; but what success can We expect
| in going forth to battle for the maintain.
nnce o! law under leaders who have made
themselves notorious Cor their coRfsnspt Of
taac. The prime actors in the meeting of
1 the l7th, SO far as their names appear in
the published proceedings, have been loud
and furious in their opposition to q recent
act Of Congress. They have s,igmatized
ns traitors TO God and humanity oil who
would sustain it, absolyed themselves and
fellow citizens from its obligations, and ex.
pressed their determination 10 resist it even
unto blood. Now, the founders Of the
Temperance League, fearing that their
Pious example Of resisting the ''powers that
he'' should be initiated by those opposed to
the temperance law, have, in advance Of
J any violation Of il, and even before it came
J in force, erected their 'slaw and order''
i. standard, and oil who do no, enlist under
} their banner may expect TO bs denounced
as enemies to their race. For my self, |
!, shall do my duty as n good citizen 10 sustain
the law but shall join in DO formal league
with those who make the observance Of law
a matter Of expedieney. ,is 5ss. ,r, assls..s
The "higher law" doctrine, that man
may disregard or resist laws which conflict
, with his notions Of right. is dangerous and
!. destructive to the social compact. Most
. laws which undertake TO regulate the con-
: duct of men, violate some inherant ano in.
i 4a!lenable right. 1t was that which made
{ the fugitive law SO odious with some, bu,
e the temperance law, it must be admitted,
e contains the Same principal. There is
r certainly as direct violation of individual
and natural right in law which permits q
man to sell quart OF spirits, but punishes
him for selling gill, rs there is in law
e which dooms him to perpetual servitude.- -
? They both restrict him in the exercise oi
his natural liberty; and, abstractly, ore
;, both wrong. The enactment Of such laws
can only be justified on the principle Of ex.
e pedieDcy-a greater good for lesser evil.
S But, suppose the Legislature has misjudg-
ed and enacted n law which we hold TO be
highly nexpedient and pernicious. !, i.
: nevertheless binding on Us as citizens o.
: the State to give il n faithful obedience
y and it must be an extreme case. admitting
: no other recourse, and to which the pros
i pect Of anarchy and revolution would bs
preferable, that would justify Illegal resist
- ance TO remedy the evil. 81.
The present Temperance law look up
. on 10 be one of those well-meant, but un
o wise enactmen,s by, which many gooc
l. cause has suffered, but having been placed
on our statute book, have little doubt tha
y it will be very generally, honestly and lit
+ orally obeyed But should any one from
C the teachings Of dangerous phiosoph,
q think himself justified in setting II at noughi
trust that those without sin may be per
e mitted to "cast the frs, stone"
It J trust no one will pretend to discover il
The above remarks any other objec. thar
an ardent desire to encourage the observ
ance of law, temperance and consistency
s April 80, 1851. N.