The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-03-18
WhO,wilI be Euiaredqnla

the evils OF the Liquor Traffic are la
mentally great, and that instead Of
diminishing they are rapidly on the
increase. That some system Of pre-
Vention is called for, is noless widely
conceded, s..... r.e agsa Fo
Upon this conviction, legislatures
have acted for hundreds Of years
Acts, almost innumefable, and as d.
versifed as the conditions Of society
under which they have originated,
loudly and plainly proclaim, the long
admitted need Of something to meet
and subdue them. And yet, after all
that has been done, the curse still
riotsunchecked in our midst, and thou
sands pay to tia compliant tribute ten
times more cruel and degrading, than
was ever wrung from man under the
worst and most tyrannical system Of
human servit1de the world ever saw.
This has not been for day; or a
week, or year, but from time imme-
mortal, in greater or less degree, as
the traffic has been limited or extend
ed. Nor have these evils been con
fined to any particular class or condi-
ton of men. None so high as to es-
cape them, and none so low that they
have passed them by. A cry of la
mentation and woe for the, loss Of
first born,' has gone up from almost
every house in the land. |,o4
Who will be injured by the destruc-
ton of the traffic ? There are many
imaginary injuries to be inflicted in
\ the result Of our success, we are well
\ aware. But have they foundation
in sound reason? AS beverage, all
experience, physiological investigation,
/ and even the most casual observation
abundantly demonstrate that alcoholic
drinks Of every name, are, without ex-
ception, perniciously hurtfuI. As true
is it, that they are an unparalleled
bane and curse Of social and domestic
life-a breeder of contentious, inspira.
tor of crime, destroyer of labor, ant
multiplier oftaxes, This position We
need no argument to prove.
II Who, then, with any show of rea-
son, canput in a claim Of being injured
in the event of the success Of the
friendso oftemperance. Classify them,
and we have the diStiller, the traffcer,
i keepers of howses of III fame, proprie-
tors Of gambling bells, all others who
| pander to the dspravities and vices Of
men, gndertQksrs and grace diggers.
These would be the important suffer-
els, by the passage of a prohibitory
law, although we might throw in part
of the secular press and a score of pet
| Jogging politicians, to make up the
/ complement. 7ara t,sr
/ For the accommodation and support
/ Of these, Give leave out undertakes
and grave diggers, whom, we trust,
will pardon US for the association, the
/ continuation OF the tfaficis demanded,
which demand, if lis worth anything,
| is worth thousand times more for
| prohibition than against it. The chol
era. smallpox, and all other forms Of
/ pestilential disease that afflict and de-
/ populate the world, ,.could they reason
I
and utter speech Would,no doubt,
as earnestly plead to be let alone, and
with just as much propriety. There
is nothing that prospers from the sale
of or has an existence in alcoholic
drinks, that deserves heed or consid-
Grafton from any man or body of men.
Hence we conclude that no real inter-
est or condition Of things established
in truth, would be injured or hurtfully
touched, was the whole beverage traf-
fc annihilated to=day,o9 an
Il From this hot-bed Of vice and cor
rIptioh springs the opposition which
is taken up by the dbluded and misin-
| formed. and all others who. can, by
rewards or the fear Of punishment, be
II bsa6v1rSI.4 ~ AZ At z..-..u t4ts &c n,,nL