The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-05-09
Lrccnses 10 seIl Liquors.

electors snail ne taken iOr Inc auOptOu |
or rejection Of the new constitution. the
additional section in the words following,
10 wit: sNo license 10 iIaffic in inioxica,
ting liquors shall hereafter be granted in
this State, Lut the General Assembly
may BY law provide against evils arising
ihoraffom," shall be separately submitted
TO the electors for adoption or rejection,
in form following, 10 wit: A separate
ballo, may be given by every elec:or, and
deposited in separate box. Upon the
ballots given for said separate amend
ment shall be written or printed, or part
ly written and partly printed. the words,
"License 10 sell intoxicating liquors,
Yes;" and upon the ballots given against
said amendment, in like manner the
words, "Lcensc TO sell intoxicating
liquors, No" If at The said decision a
msjorly Of all the votes given for and
against said amendment shall contain the
words, ssLicense to sell Intoxicating H.
quors, No." then the said amendment
shall be a separate section Of article fil-
,een Of the constitution.
The above forms the 18th section OF
the Schedule in the New Constitution,
and is we'll worthy Of consideration. The
sale Of intoxicating liquors has been in
this Union vexed question for years.
Those who have looked upon intempcr.
ance as the primary cause Of human
sin, crime and wickedness, have resorted
in their zeal 10 many mistaken means Of
checking great and pernicious vice.
They have passed prohibiiory laws TO
prevent the sale Of spirtuous liquors, ex-
cept in quantities offs 10, and Is gallons;
in this State, courts were authorized, if
they saw fit, TO refuse licenses TO sell!
spirituous liquors by less quantity than
one quart, which in many instances has
been done, but has only proved tinker
ing in the way Of amendment instead of
reformation. Why quart, gallon,
or twenty gallons of alcoholic poison
should be held perfectly innocen, iraf-
fc. vile gil or a pint subjects the seller
TO indictment and fine as a crime, is a
matter that we have never been able TO
understand. Ii is Legislative discrimi-
nation, the wisdom Of which is beyond
the mere perception Of human sagaci,y
Had the Legislature prohibited The traffic
wholly and entirely, except for purposes
OF art or medicine, there would have
been an approach 10 consistency; but to
split hairs about the difference in the
morality Of measures, the sin of pints
and balf pints and the virtues of double
the quantity, Of quarts and gallons, was,
and still remains, in our view, only a
striking evidence Of Legislative folly.
But prohibitions even, would be use.
less. While the individual appetite re.
mairs burning and thirsiing for the in
toxicating cup, and the individual drinker
is ready 10 give any thing, even ten times
its worth, 'or the grati 6caiion ofa depraved
appetite, Legislative prohibitions will be
scofled az, evaded, and baff1ed. Liquor
will be drank, drunkards will be made
homes will be desolaed, and ruin will bt
invoked in spite Of the weak stay o: al
i'll considered law.
We are neither for half prohibition
nor for absolute prohibitions. No refer
nation in our view is really such, bu
that which reaches, correc,s, enlighiens
and elevates the individual man. We
believe that Legislative interference, in
the sale of intoxicating liquors, will
never do any good. We doubt and deny
the Iigh, Of the majority to control the
stomachs and drinks of the minority, (aud
we trust in this as in all we'll regulated
societies. d:unkards, who have completed
their education as such, and moderate
drinkers, who dre trying 10 qualify them
selves 10 fill The drunkaEd's grave, are in
minority.) Yet while we shall hold il
a duty 10 vote against l'cense--while we
believe whisky should be as free traffic
as the sale Of tobacco-we believe thai
wherever that right is exercised iniuri
ous)y; wherever The liquor dealer abuse.
his privilege, he should be visited with
the heaviest penalties of the law, Of q
pecuniary character at least. The poor
degraded being, whose depraved appetite
denies him the use Of his reason in the
extent TO which he beastialzes himself
may be allowed TO pass without an,
greatei punishment, than it is, TO be |
loathsome and despised drunkard; bu
for him who makes him so, for hin VIII