The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-11-04

laiion Of both city and State were not
much more than half what it is at pre-
sent.p Others, equally well qualified to
Judge, express 3 similar opinion.
One OF our most respectable merchants
positively asserts that he has sold "fouF
tines as much himself in a year, as he
has any reason TO believe has been sold
in the same time here, since the enact
ment OF the law, and at the time there
were nine OF ten large wholesale liquor
stores in the city, some Of which sold
much more than he did, to say nothing
of what was sent out directly from the
distilleries. If there is any, necessity for
1t, presume these gentlemen will allow
me TO use their names, but choose not
10 do it without their permission. One
of them asserts that be seldom If ever
sold bill Of goods, in the times alluded
to, that was not headed by a hogshead Of
N. L. Rum, next barrel OF w. |. Rum,
&c. ] have made particular inquiry as
to whence came the 'ioreign liquors,
wines, brandies, gins, rum" &c., and the
uniform response has been "they were
manufactured chiefly in Boston and New
York"--they were "mixed." Now, ad-
hitting what is provable TO a demon
stration-that about million and quar-
Ter Of gallons was manufactured here
and what appears to be undoubted, that
almost as much more was brought here
from abroad, besides what came through
the Custom House, which was but a
"drop Of bucket" we have the snug
little amount of two and half millions
Of gallons, when our population was not
more than sixteen or seventeen thou
sand. We ought 10 have at least four
millions now, TO make the equal proper
ton How is it! Have we really more
than one thousand gallons week brought
into this city in "coat-pockets, -four bar
rels, and cases in imitation OF Bibles !
| 10 not believe it. 1t is true that there
is little illicitly smuggled in, and that
occasionally some of our "promising"
| young men are "guzzling" it in their
rooms. What then? Why, the Law
has not yet wholly annihilated the use OF
alcohol, nor corrected the vicious habits
Of all the slaves of appetite. But it has
closed more than three hundred grog,
shops, and stopped the open trade en-
tireIy. We have not now drop manus
H iactured here-none comes through the
Custom House, and most that is used is
secreted in Irish dens. Genteel and
fashionable families make some use Of
wines and liquors-not fourth part as
much as formerly, and not more than
they did three years ago. But, perhaps,
you or some one may ask if the traffic
H in liquors did not greatly diminish before
the enactment OF the law. ] will lei
these wholesale dealers answer-the
very men who say that it has diminished
II forty-nine. filtieths. None of these have
H put the diminution at more than two
/ thirds, before June, 1851 !; most Of them
say one-half. Call it two-thirds. Then
| public opinion and human progress d.
minished it from its worst state about
thirty.three parts (or two-thirds), and the
/ Maine Law sixteen parts or sixteen
seventeenths at once This is not de-
rived, repeat, from the special friends
of the law, but partly from its enemies,
and mostly from those who have become
its friends by seeing its operation. There
are many such among our most inhuen-
lial citizens.
would no more dispute man who
says that there is more drinking in Port
land than ever, than | would dispute one
who should say that he had seen Tom
Thumb and Goliah standing on level,
and that Tom was head and shoulders
higher than Goliah. But | do not claim
so much for the Law as my infoTmants
allow. do, indeed, think that the sale
and consumption has fallen off 1880;
but think that the Law has only re-
duced the amount to about one-tenth on
the whole of what il was three years ago.
| wish to speak OF the retail trade as !
found it, and as the Law found it, and
Of its effects, but time will not possibly
allow at present.
Finally: ~ have said ] wished the
Law repealed" Did say so! when !!
i where TO whom! 2 tu.
/ now simply say, that this is an abso.
lutte, unqualified falsehood. lnever said
any such thing, NEVER. would not
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