The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-05-25
For Attorney General.
COOPER X. WATSON,
Of Seneca County.
For Member of the Board of Public Works,
ALONZO o. BLAIR,
of Licking County.

of Licking County.
Thoughts and suggestions for the
Considerations of Progressive Men.
The work of the Refurmer is not pleasant one.
He sees giant evil cursing and crushing his
He sees that evil fortified by the practice and i'm
bedded 10 the prejudice of thousands and tens of
thousands of men. He sees that the general good
demands immediate. radical reform. Conscience
nrges himthe aithfuldischarge duties clear
iy discerned; the claims Of humanity rise before him
and call for action. He sees stern and rugged
task before him.. Friends and associates are float
ing d,houghtlessly, it may be comp.acent-
ly with the current. Some dimiy. others more
clearly its fatal tendency, but love of ease or
of reputation constrains them, they dread 20 dis
turb the even flow of the currsut, aud all fioat on
together. ei
But the reforrner. impelied by the imperative
dictates of Humanity, beckoned forward by the
stern demands of Justice. of Truth and of Right
must stem, may be, first, feebly and alone the
mighty current which has hitherto waited him SO
far downward, and on which SO many are floatinc
gnorant or thaughtless of impending danger. The
ties of association, it may be of dearest friendships
must be sundeted-he must go forth unloyed, un-
cared for, without sympathy on his mission finer
cy.; maIgnel inaltreated, misunderstood, misrep
resented, motives impngned, character villfed and
his name cast out as evil. Content TO reap plen-
tful harvest of hatred and scorn, the Reformer
mus: labor on, doing good to those who despitefuily
use him, like the great exemplar OF the christian
f4th trusting TO the future to do justice to his char
acter to his motives, to his memory.
Not only this, when work of reform has attrac-
ted to itself considerable numbers and has acquir-
ed force and momentum, some, 10 the van of the
| contest descry higher ground 10 to be occupied,
discover new position to be assumed, in order to
the advancement Of the ork. The bold progress
sve Refosmer sees this, while many of his associ-
ate reformers, weak faith timid in action. fear
| TO follow where he dares to lead and now comes
most painful scene, trying 10 his fo t.tude and
feelings. His ranks are decimated, his associates
listening the artu and specious stories of adyer-
saries. denounce their once trusted friend fanat-
ica nfdel, vndictive, selfish, corrnpt, mercenary.
But the true RefJrmer, with an intelligent percep-
ton of his duties and respospies faters NOT, but
presses onward in his efforts to do good even to
those who would destroy him. He takes his rep
utation, his worldly all. it may be his life, in his
hand and goes forward. trusting that his old asso-
ciates, and all. will yet 60 justice to his mo
ltves, and honor his leadership by occupying
the ground which he attained only little in ad-
vance. Thus he labors on, knowing. however
much he may fail from repute among men, thai
the Ommiscsnt knows. and will ultimately yindi-
/ cate his merits and his motives.
| Thus assured, though there is much In the task
of the Reformer that is unpleasant he can and will
go forward with cheerful hope, neitherdsheartened
by the magnitude of his work, nor dismayed by the
violence and power of his associates. He knows
that God of justice is on the throne of universal
dominion and that eventually he will vindicate the
| righteousness of his throne.
Those who have come up through the various
stages of the Temperance and Anti Slavery Re-
froms. to this point of time, know what these re-
marks mean-and those who henceforth shall take
the new ground and the new positions which these
Reforms demand will also know what they mean.
In regard te the Temperance Reform all know
its rise and progress. Thirty years ago so fearful
/ ly prevalent was the indulgeucs in Intoxicating
drinks. that we were styled "a Nation of Drunk
ards" The vice of intemperance was declaimed
against by the Pulpit, butthe Pulpit "indulged-
The press portrayed IFS evils, but its cnductors Sin
duged public speakers fired with philanthropy,
denounced it. and yet :. induged.' All was seen
to be unuvailing. Then came The formation OF
Temperance Societies and the pledge to abstain
from the use of aichoholc drinks, so called Thus
dawned the Temperance Reform, ard thus was
the cause advanced. BUTT was soon ascertained
that the movement in that particular form had ex-
hansied its vital energies. and coud go no farther
whie cider and fashionable wine hibbing were not
j prescribed Another step must be taken. That
step was taken, and the g Tee totslp Societies
arose, pedging abstinence fom all that could in
toxica,e. A new impulse was given. the cause ad-
vanced and many anticipated speedy and univer-
sal triumph. Asvet no one supposed iuebrintes
could be reformed and restored to society and use-
fu'ness-fhey must die drunkarls while the effnr'