The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-03-11

cense or no license 10 traffic in intox-
icating liquors." was distinctly sub
'mitted to the people, and a majority Of
about ten thousand voled in the mega
tive. Accordingly, our present Con-
stitution says: "No license to traffic in
Intoxicating liquors shall hereafter be
granted IN this STATE; but the General
?Assemblymay, By lasO, prooide against
-thseuSis Tesalting therefrOm.H While,
then, our Constitution does not permit
any license to traffic in intoxicating
drinks, to be granted, it does express
9ly dhthorise the General Assembly to
legislate on the subject, and, by law,
Ito provide against evils resulting from
the traffic, Suppose, now, that
majority of the members of our Legis-
lat9re Should come to the deliberate
conclusion that the traffic in question
twas evil, and only evil" then they
are bound to provide by law against
the evil. Suppose, further, they should
come to the solemn conclusion that
there was no way to provide against
the evils resulting from this traffic,
aexeept by prohibiting the traffic alto
gether? g Is there anything. in our
Constitution against the enactments of
such law? Most assuredly there is
not. Now, every sober man must ad-
NIT that you can no more porvide
'against.the evils resulting from the
strafic. without prohibiting the. traffic
entirely, than you can provide against
the evils Of FIRE among powder.
Another objection to a law which
should prohibit all traffic in intoxicat-
ding liquors, is,Qgdr9go % lovalia
ED Al His not eTpedient. 1t is claimed
and urged by some that there is a
more excellent way to carry forward
and complete this reform, than to re-
Sort to any legal enactments. 1t is
ltsaid that If we havea law againstthe
bretailing Of spirituous liquors, still men
will be left free to manufacture the
article. Il is said that all the dis
tilleries might be kept in operation
stilll I'answer, if there be an end to
sthe traffic, the manufacture willbbe
abandoned without legal interference
demand creates the supply.
] am aware that q AT reliance has
heretofore been placed on therpower
Of moral suasion, to carry forward
thisfeform, and some have even gone
solfar as to contend that this was all
that was needed, and all that the gT s.
pei prescribes or countenancesr to
check and prevent the evils Of intern
bfperaace. But a prohibitory law need
not o5viate the use of moral means,
sjYop may still employ all the moral
influence in your, power to urge for
ward and complete this blessed reform,
buff moral suasion include all that
lis needed to counteract and efectually
icure theuevils of intemr rerance, then
just be consistent enough to repeal all
I, prohibitory laws, and adopt the cpl
curum motto: "Let us eat and drink
to-day, for tomorrow we die. Re-
peal your laws which arrest and i'm
5dprison the thief, the swindler, the
od counterfeiter, and the vender oftainted
meat, and Of obscene books and prints
for, if moral suasion will answer II
one cases,why not in all other cases
Ny hearers, we have been trying al
2 the moral means in our power for
laquarter of century, and what have
yawe accomplished Much Itcheerfully
admit We have corrected public
opinion. We have revolutionized th'
customs of society. We have re
formed thousands Of inebriates, w
have checked the burning tide Of in
oh temperance-bu the work is far, yer,
alfar from being completed. Under tn
yImightiest influence which we can ex
.bertathe army of retailers of spirituou
liquors, is steadily increasing, and
uithout nrohihitnrx, 1aw ~ will con