The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-03-26
unadultsrataa VillainY.

The mlnlons OF hacchds, troubled ABOUT
the expression Of the popular viii, as mani
tested by the petitions sent to the General
Assembly for prohibition law, are resort
ing to the vilest fraudsto cOunteract the in.
fluence of these petitions, For the want Of
real names to put on their circumstances,
they manufacture them by the thousand,
and even resort to grave yards and steal
names from grave stones to swell the num-
Der. A great deal was said about the no
monstrances sent from Dayton and Mont
gomery county, and it has been triumph
antly and boastingly stated, that the num-
Der exceeded that on the petitions for the
Maine Law from the same place. A very
large portion of these signatures are ticti-
tious, there being no persons corresponding
to them in existence, and many more are
in the same hand writing. The second
name on the remOnstrance, is that Of aper-
son who some months ago, in fit Of deli
rum tremens, drowned himself in the canal,
and over whose body Coroner's inquest
was held. The liquor makers and venders
desire the influence Of his name and take
it for granted that if alive, he would have
cheerfully given it. A member from Ham
ilton county had the honor to present the
protests of $4,000 of his constituents few
days ago and ask an appropriate reference.
The greater portion Of them are frauds.
We know a man who signed his name three
times, and in whose presence 25 names
were written down by one individual, with
out authority. Truly the enemy are driven
into close quarters.
The great defender of free-trade and sym.
pathizer with liquor gellers, the Editor Of
the Statesman, abuses the friends Of temper
ance for securing the signatures of minors
over the age of IA, and otherwise deals in
bitter invective against the advocates of the
Maine Law. Not one word of censure has
been uttered against the frauds and william
les of those who agree with the Statesman
about what should be the proper course Of
the General Assembly. 1t is believed that
have been presented to the
from Cincinnati, purporting to
have been signed by legal voters, which con-
tain greater number, by several thousand,
than the entire vote of the city. We are
satisfied from an examination of these doc.
uments, said to have been signed by 1000,
that they were never seen by one hundred of
those whose names are attached. In those
sent from Franklin county, the most extern
sive frauds have been discovered, and 80
from other places.
It has been insinuated that the friends of
the Maine Law have been guilty of the
same thing. They who make the insinua-
lion, know they are lying, 1t cannot be
disputed that the petitioners for this meas.
ure are not capable of such meannssS, and
their accusers know it.
What is it the fourteen thousand are asking
the Legislature fort We have copied their
printed petition, which reads as follows:
Your petitioners respectfully represent
to your honorable body, that the laws now
in existence for the sale and retail of spirit
uous liquors are very unjust and highly
oppressive TO large mass of the inhabi.
tants OF this State, said laws being deroga-
tory to the freedom of trade, injurious to
many branches Of industry and restraining
and improperly controlling citizens in the
free enjoyment Of what nature and industry
offers; while on the other hand, they utterly
fail in their object and rather give encour.
agement to the secret use of spirituous Ii
quors and the evils arising from it. Believ-
ing that the new constitution is in favor Of
an unrestricted freedom of trade and that
the same puts the sale and retail of spiritu-
GUS liquors on an equal basis with all other
trades, your petitioners humbly pray, that
the laws prohibiting or restraining the sale
or retail Of spirituous liquors, especially the
law of March 18th, 1851 berepealed. And
/ your petitioners will ever pray, &c.
Who in Cincinnati is oppressed by exist
ing laws on the subject of the traffic in spir.
ituous liquorsH Do not all sell without
molestation or bindrance from any quarter
Are not the city authorities notoriously aid
ing and abetting those who are violating thu
law O: March 18th, 1851 The petition
itself is lie, we care not how many thou
sands of the imps of Bacchus have put theil
names upon it. These petitioners have tht
unblushing impndence to insinuate tha
they are friends of temperance, and one mo
tive they address to secure the repeal o.
laws which they never respected or regard
ed, and in the open violation of which they
have never been disturbed, is, that these
laws rather give encouragement to the
secret use Of spirituOas liquors and the evils
arising from it.
Doubtless these fourteen thousand feel q
very deep interest in the moral welfare Of
the people of Cincinnati, and feel panied to
see law on the statute book of the State
that encourages the secret use Of liquor,
and thus multiplies the victims Of intem.
perance.
Oh shame where is thy blush
The members of the General Assembly ,wt
trust, have too much sense to be imposed
upon, and that these villainous attempts Il
deceive them will open their eyes to tn
Importance of correct legislation on thesub
} ject,
John q. Cough.