The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-04-20
Correspondence zee of the Ohio Star.
The Maine Law--I he Ballot Box.
PALMYRA, ApriI I6.h. 1883.

4 The Maine Law--I he Ballot Box.
PALMYRA, April 10Th, 1853.
Mr.. HALL-Dear iSr:-ln perusins the COL
ums of this weeks Star, I notice that an out of
the world +" correspondent gave you intelligence of
the Temperance triumph in this town Monday.
the 4th inst. IT'S by means strange. though
may appear the unintiated, that in this age
of spiritual INSTRUMENTATION, those out of the
worlJ SHOULD rejoice and proclaim to all the inhab-
itants, SO glorious consummation, and one SO de-
voutly to be wished as the achieved here on
the part of the friends of Temperance. A Rum
ticket being in the fed, the Rummies supported
it with an ardor which neither snow, wind, rain
nor mud could cool; they were bent on "either
rule or ruin, or, more correctly speaking, rule
and ruin but, when the counting came, and it
was announced" thou art weighed and found
wanting" they seemed to feel as though they had
fought their last battle," that not dram
could g awake them to glory again.
What said by the correspondent above al
luded to of our Trustees elect, is true to the let
ter. They have hitherto walked worthy the vo-
cation wherewith they were" elected. On Satur-
day evening last they met in special meeting and
unanimously enacted an ordinance for the town.
!
of this week, and which.takes effect on the 18th
of May next.
The Ordinance is intended to provide for the
general welfare, insure the peace, health. comfort
we'll being and good order of the inhabitants of the
township, by prohibiting and suppressing all bouses
shops or stores known as places Of habituul resort
for tipplng and intemperance. 1t is made mis-
demeanor for any person,ithe owner or occupier
of any house, shop or store, by himself, agent,
clerk, or employer, TO sell, vend or give away any
Intoxicating Liquors, Ale, Porter or Strong Beer,
to be used or drank beverage: and for the
first offence subjects the vioater to fine of fifteen
dollars aud costs; for the second to fine Of
twenty five dollars and eosts, or Imprisonment for
ten days. or both and for the third and each sub
sequent offence, to fne of thirty y6ve dollars AID
costs. and twenty days imprisonment.
The foregoing is the substance ofthe ordinance,
which, if the commentaries, of IA friend of the
cause,n published in this weeks Star, upon the
Law anthoyfs;ng it correct, is all shiiIy shuly,
useless moonshne, and the Trustees in its enact-
ment have rendered themselves ridiculous, in be-
coming g cats paws for a Legislation who had not
sufficient courage to put their own paws into the
fire. and they have undertaken to sdiscipne of
fences not dsciplinable, to punish by fine and i'm
prisonment misdemeanors not within the purvew
of the comic npaied y its provisions. As
to our Legislators not putting their .paws into the
fire {" for the want Of sufficient courage; it is
thought they haze pu: them there already, or into
an element equally hot, that they would evince
greater degree of courage in taking them out and
putting them into cold water, an act which would
rebound much to their glory and the welfare
of their constituents.
That the law of last winter is small nut and
almost meailess at that, is thing quite discern
able TO every person of common understanding,
and seems to require, just no,p at leust, no very
| formal announcement of the fact or that it ia not
the kind of temperance legislation which the
friends of temperance haze demanded, not0 de-
mand. and will most assuredly hereafter demand.
The Maine Law repisedis the ultimafum denanI-
ed of our Legislators, and their masters. end mis-
tresses too, will not be put off with anything shot
! of it.
But though our laudab.e Temperance desires
have not been gratified 10 their full safety, yet
in the way of legislative action, let US make the
most of the Law we have. and, being patient in
trbulaiion," '.abde in lore.'' Looping that filth
may be kept alive within US, being airnys instant,
acdN and see the glory of the temperance mlsn-
I man, which, do the egions of sobrieiy mol put Off
their armor, lie down nor sleep at their posts,
must soon be ush ored in, llle tempier Loand, the
tempted unboaud. Aud is it not best under all
the circumstances for temperance men, (and when
! l say nowadays, / wish to be understand as
meaning too,) in their efforts to advance the
cause, to give the present Law, and such Ord-
nances may be enacted underit as insufficient
as all may be, pro-tenperance a construction
as their terms will permit and enforce them strict
y aud impartially. In doing, will not more
aid and comfort be derived to the temperance
cause, than by inltng formal theories or diatrbes
against the Law, whereby its epresent efficiency"
may be very seriously impaired if not rendered al
! together imperative
Depend upon it the Rum interests are not
asleep-and their Lynx-eyed advocates will nos
be wanting in their alertness to spy out whatever
vulnerable points, loop-hoies, or double entendres,
the law or its ordinances may contain, and in SO
doing, will need aid from the friends of tenn
pcrance legislation.
The Maine Law we shall not have, nor shall we
deserce TO have it, till we "strike home' for it at
the Ballot box, and this will be done when the
souls and bodies of ruined, inebrate men, become
in the estimation of the friends of temperance. a
consid dsraton paramount to spoils aud office"
'Tis to be hoped that the S,ar's timely sugges-
tions in this behalf will not be unheeded in Por-
tage Mt The next election. More anon.
Yours, PALMYRA.
Compensation TO Postnlasters.
Just before the cluse of the late session of Con-
gress, when the bill establishing certain post routes