The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-01-16

5ulA AelutI every udluldl AABuJi tuc eASAClSS
of which, will injure and not benefit that
community. This tacit agreement is at the
very foundation of all government; it is
the common law of the world. A person,
who persists in doing that which violates
this great law, becomes an aggressOr, and is
in fact, guilty of moral treason against the
people. If private property is so used as
to become an instrument of evil to society,
it is liable to confscation, and may be
rightfully seized and destroyed by the gov
eminent in pure self-defence. The prop
erty becomes a nuisance or contraband, as
the case may be, and therefore forfeited.
Every government under heaven, has acted
upon these principles, in regard to such
offenders, and such property. If it is an
unwarantablO interference with private
property, to seize whisky kept for sale con-
trary to law, why is il not much more so,
to seize and destroy the dies and imple-
ments of the counterfeiter, who only vio-
lates hl1HaN enagtments, and whose prac-
tices, only affect the pocket, and not the
morals, health, or character of a people
II wrong in one case, why not in the other y?
Has not the counterGeiter obtained his inn
plements by his own labor, or capital, or
both united? Are they not his property =?
The counterfeit notes he manufactures, are
the product OF his skill, labor, and capital,
why should he be Arbitrarily deprived of
them? Tell us wise casuists, is it not an
"unwarrantable seizure of private prop
erty " Every sane man answers in the
negative, and no reason can be given for
the answer, that does not justify, with ten
fold force, the seizure of spirituous liquors.
The only difference is, we do not fully ap-
preciate the nature of the traffic in them.
If those engaged in vending liquors,
throughout our State, were now to cease
selling them, and instead, sell some other
commodity, no matter what, which pro-
duCed Just such effects, and in no lOiSe DIFF
ferent from those produced by alcohol the
same amount of death and crime, our peo-
pie would at once rise up, and if the law
did not do it, protect themselves, with their
own strong arms. And wherein would con-
sist. the difference, in the two traffics? Only
in this, that We are so accustomed to the
evils Of intemperance, that too many regard
them as a matter Of course, and think that
one set of men, have prescriptive right to
kill the rest. But brighter day is dawn
ing-mankind are learning the true nature
of this wicked traffic, and its downfall is
written upon the wall
We are also told that we are seeking to
prescribe by law, what men shall eat and
drink that we cannot force men to be
sober. We seek to do no such thing. If
we sought to enact laws, furnishing drum
kenness, the assertion would be true. We
seek to remove the temptation, the source
of the evil, and to prohibit men from ma
king "a traffic of that which Injuries society.
We seek, to be sure, to exclude liquors from
our State, the same as we would wish to
prohibit men from selling infectious matter,
which produced the smallpox; but that
would not be either Furnishing man for,
or prohibiting him from having the small
pox, if he insisted upon it as great national
right. There is IA wide difference in the
TWO cases.
ConcLusiOn.-The limits of this address
forbid our urging all the arguments, that
might be presented upon this subject
Enough has been given, we trust, to induce
enquiry, which shall lead to action. And
we ask of each one who may read this,
what will you do? Will you aid in pro-
curing the enactment, and in sustaining
such law ? Is it not your duty to do so -?
VIII you cast your influence on the side of
morality and right, or can you, in view of
the infinite evils Of intemperance, aid,
even indirectly and passivey, in its per
petuatloEs This question is to be met and
decided, by the people Of this good State
of Ohio. Each person has an individual
interest in the decision, which may be
given. Every consideration which should
move men, demands that, that decision
should be against this traffic. 1t has long
enough, visited woe and suffering upon us.
The wife and children Of the inebriate, are
anxiously looking to you for aid nay, even
the drunkard, himself, demands from you,
the means of his emancipation, from the
rule of his cruel task masters. We ask
you, if you feel the promptings of human
Iity, to yield to those promptings; if you
care for the moral character of our people,
to aid in destroying this great source Of
immortality; if you recognize the obliga-
tions of Christianity, to assist in destroy
ing this traffic, which causes innumerable
violations of all its precepts. Every aspi-
ration of patriotism, demands the downfall
of this fell monster. Intemperance has
DESTROYED States as well as individuals.
That which corrupts individuals, Injuries
the State. The burdens of taxation are
laid heavy upon US, by the crime and pau
perism, which follow in its train. Have
we not long enough legislated against the
effect, and left the cause to continually pro-
duce like results? Is that the course of
wisdom? We would even appeal to those en-
gagged in this traffic, and seriously ask them