The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-08-19
For the oliO orsan.
Moral SuasiOn without Law

Mr.. EDITOR the present is an
age Of indefinite Improvement and un.
precedented wonders. There never
was a period in the history Of our
world fraught with such thrilling IN.
terest as the present. The beautiful
orb OF day never shone upon a more
important era in the history of our
beloved State, than it now does. The
enactment Of Law similar to the
Maine Liquor Law, is loudly and re-
Peatedly called for by a large majority
Of the citizens of the State Of Ohio.
Shall that request be complied with +?
ls the Maine Liquor Law 4 wise law !
Is 1t Just law? Is it good law in
its aim good in the end-and GOOD
in its adaptation to the wants of Civil
society? l answer, YES.
! am well aware that there is a class
of vile misrepresenters and ASPIRING
demagogues, who have the bravery to
call in question those truths which we
hold to be self-evident. They de. I
nounce the Maine Liquor Law on the |
ground of illegal Legislation. 1t has !
been repeatedly urged by a set OIL
saPpy sort Of "would be" great ones, \
''that prohibitory laws are not sufi- \
clent to control or efectually stop the I
evils of intemperance." This | deny, \
Prohibitory laws have controlled, pro- /
hibitory laws have effectually stopped 4
The evils Of intemperance in the good \
Did State Of Maine. Shame upon the
minister Of the gospel who dares to
lrise in the sacred desk to anathema-
ize the Maine Law as unjust and \
anatical, while others contend that
'rohibitory laws ''cannot prevent the
wills of intemperance." If prohibito-
y laws have not, do not, and cannot
prevent the crying evils of intemper.
nee, for the life of me cannot see
What. will. Stop, sir, cries une-41you Y
hould make moral suasion your
trong defense. wonder Why, sir, \
10 you not know that there are hun
lreds and thousands in the world, who
make the civil law their standard of
morals. Now, what are you going to
10 with this class of degenerate, two.
legged animals, for moral suasion will
never reach them as long as they oc-
cuPy the ground they now do.
l believe moral suasion alone. will
never, no never rid the world Of drunk. !
enness. Moral suasion, without law. {
Will never annihilate the liquor traffic / t
as a a beverage. The glad tidings of '
the Gospel of salvation have been
preached e; I for eighteen hundred wears. {
still the damning stream of intemper,
anGe &c hOws through our country. II
You might strive with as much sur. =
cess in eftectually stopping the Bos. i
Phorus with a bulrush, as to remedy f
the evils of intemperance without law =
And in spite of the most BLOOMING an. h
uclpatlons Of the most sanguine sua. n
unless opposed by the strong +
arm OF legislation, this river Of rum H.
an and ruin will flow on to eternity .
i1ld Heaven decree that suasiop alone =
should be the means, and the onIv N
means, employed for the preventive +
OF wrong and the punishment Of " "
crime? l answer, NO. The GosneI h
openly recognizes and sanctions the Fl
,lyll rule, or law. tits passing STRANGE i j
indeed, but it is nevertheless true. that y y
modern ,. suasionists presume to accom- = =
pllsh more, aside from the law, than "
was ever achieved in the davs Of tSa e
apostles, BY the power of the laws !,
and q, the gospel combined. y
:, II moral suasion is the only effectual 3
mean: means oil preventing wrong and nun- ], j
snlng crime, why the enactment of 4, a
quarantine laws9 Why do YOU geiEe ]