The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-08-12

Give us the Maine Law, and there is an end
of our political exertions Are we insisting
that Son Of Temperance, or even Tenn
perance man shall be the canddatel not
even that Let the candidate, democrat or
Whig in good faith, pledge himself to sup
port the Maine Law in the Legislature, and
that is all we ask. All Temperance men,
indeed, would prefer that their candidate
should be Temperance man; because his
Temperance principles would naturally in-
spre greater confidence in his pledge. But
on that point we ask no more than what veu
are willing to concede. Your meeting Re-
solves, "That we will not support any man
Tor oiilce who is not known to be temperate
ana worthy OF the support of all good citi-
zens." Mr. Haney continues
Il also promised that so long as the, continued
on theirthen proposed platform, (moyal .nas;onS
though would not become member wouldnot
Icy a straw in ther way, but 81 soon as ,hev no.
gan TO ask for legislation to coerce men, i un.
uouoteuly would oppose them and now feel il
obligatory on me to redeem that pledge. but h. va
procrastinated the time longer than shonid have
done,for will confess felt st should
say or do something that would have n ten5en'
cy to appear as though | sanctioned intemner.
anceor at least give occasion for zeaots 10 sa so
Conscientious Mr.. Haney. Redeem your
pledge by all means. You were under M
obligation to aid in the good work; you onlv
pledged yourself to oppose it. To be sure.
1t was good work, and you would not Law a
straw i'll its way, until you got ready But
the time has now come and oppose it with
all your force. Go on Mr.. Haney. You
shall sleep sweetly when you have fully re-
deemed your pledge. done your whole duty.
can call to mind three murders which
have taken place in the county of Belmont
within few years. George Weeks was one
Of the murderers. An habitual drinker, some
times drunk, had liquor in him when he COM
mitted the act, but was not drunk. He was
sentenced to be hung.
McGary and Pounds, in drunken frolick
murdered McCafrey. McGary was found
guilty of murder in the second decree and
went to the Penitentiary for life; and
Pounds was found guilty of man-slaughter,
and went to the Penitentiary for ten years.
Judd, in drunken spree, with a garden
spade, struck down his own little son, and, by
repeated blows killed him. The screams of
the boy,and his piteous exclamation of don't
kill me papa didn't save him. Judd was found
guilty of murder in the second degree, g. sem
fenced to the Penitentiary for life.
: Three living human beings dead, and four
men made murderers, and all through the a.
, gency OF alcoh potations. Had there
been Maine Law, and a moral sense suf-
fcient to enforce it, these murders would not
f have happened. Note that fact well, Sons of
Liquor, for its time; not only so, but all who
know the facts acknowledge it to be time.
Sobriety came forward in the ermine oca
Judge and tried these men. They were found
, guilty of murder and sentenced accordingly.
Guilty no doubt, according to the Statute; but
then there was one element in the trans
action without which, there would have been
no murder, but which, nevertheless is not a
part of the Statutory definition of the crime.
Had they drank no liquor there would have
been no murder. The real offence was drink
ing liquor. How much better to have sent
the brutalized father to the penitentiary for
bringing liquor, and let his innocent son have
lived. But we waited for the perfect work;
ana palpable demonstration of lquorized
brutality, it fell upon the innocent child,
would it not have been better that Jacobsburgh
should have had 10 liquor to sell, and that
father and son have been saved.
Inc real offender is now on trial. We ar
ragn him before the whole people. King
Alchohol stand up. A jury of your country
men have found you guilty of murder; of mur-
ders innumerable, millions upon millions; past
all count or enumeration. Monster, beyond
expression hideous and frightful, what have
you TO say, or what has your volunteer adyo-
cate' M. Heaney to say; or what have the
sons OF Liberty to say, why sentence ofdeath
should not be pronounced upon you,
: stop says Mr.. Heaney, stop. You can't
t kill him, "confne your efforts to mitigate the
evil, which |, (Mr. Heany) do believe it is
: vain, yea childish to seek to Destroy" All
t yes bind him with silken lords, and green
wthes and new ropes. Fudge! we have tried
that long enough. We Maine Law men mean
to cut his head off if we can, and, all good
people willing and assisting, we will.
A. o. z.