The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-03-25

consent 10 be mace cdt puUS Ol loI
Legislature who had not the courage
to put their own paws into the fire,
and shall pass each, an ''Ordinance"
on the subject. Hon. Mr.. Rankin, the
Probate Judge, will have to be guided
in his decision by some eighteen or
twenty different "ordinancss." Heaven
save US from such legislation
d. But an ordinance is not lG0
unless it has been published, Just in
accordance with the act, and every
prosecutor must bring up the proof Of
such publication. Other laws are on
our Statute Books. Being enacted
they are enforced. These precious
enactments are not laws, unless on
certain contingencies.
e.. Temperance men have some ex-
perience how Justices of the Peace
berform their duties in this respect
When they refuse to give efficacy to
general laws, who thinks they will re-
gard the ordinances Of Township
Trustees, and what is the penalty if
they refuse.
f. Common schools will never be
oyerburdened by the amount Of fines
collected under this act. Mark: a
man may be fined for keeping place
of habitual resort, &c. Suppose he is
fined for such an ofense. Does that
cover all past and future ofenses?
Certainly, all that are passed. No
one act, or dozen, or fifty acts of SELL
ing, is he fined for. He may be fined
to-day for keeping place Of hdbitaGl
resort, &C., and keep right on selling
to the end Of time, and defy you to
prove he afterwards kept such a place.
If fined one dollar, that covers all
past offenses beyond all question.
g. This utterly and entirely pre-
cludes all prosecutions. Suppose A
complains Of B. On trial, A proves
by three competent and unimpeacha-
bic witnesses that B does keep a place
Of ka6itaGL resort for appliag and m
temperance. b brings up fifty or one
hundred and fifty Witnesses to prove he
don't keep such a house-of course
the defendant is cleared. Each Of
these one hundred and fifty witnesses
gets his fee, and the complainant must
pay it. If the defendant is convicted,
he will settle with the whole force, by
drink all round.
h. Suppose the City of Columbus
refuses to pass an ordinance of this
kind. The Trustees of Montgomery
Township can pass one which shall
be of equal force in all parts Of our
city, Of $4,000 inhabitants. Suppose
afterwards, the City Council does pass
an ordinance, which would be in force,
or would both. Suppose the city
passes one first. Then the Trustees
pass another. Then we have two dis
trict laws on the same subjectin force,
in one township. Bah!
Finally-If the Trustees in any
township enact an ordinance to-day,
they can repeal itto-morrow. They are
nomore than men, and may be as tickle
as others not in office. Is this such
Legislation as is worthy of the great
and prosperous State of Ohio? Two
hundred thousand petitions begged for
i'm efficient, equal, impartial and prac-
licable law. This is the reply Of the
Legislature of 1852-3--to these pc
itioners. / donot impeach the motives
# those who advocate it, or supported
il, but | do say that the friends Of
fmperance who did SO, have most won
oerfully mistaken the cause, object,
ard design Of Temperance Legislation.
We want no such miserable subter-
fuge, which cannot do any good, and
will most assuredly and Of necessity
be repealed. At least, such is the
conviction Of IH
A FRIEND OF THE CAUSE.
iCoIUMBUs, o., March, 1853.
900 GauH Noss - - l.4o Il ~. Al :