Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-08-25
CHAPTER XII.
, THE IssuE. iam,

"(tsocl n arsue 'Falnst thu Erain' tl'N
Or. Ike thr stars, incline men 10 y.
What iheytu averso themselves 10 DO
For when Disputes arc weurled ont. l
$. Tsinisrestsun rvselvss mo douh,s' "A
Az we have already Informed the read
er, John ScrIbner went into the lowe
part % the town that originally went BY
the name Of "IIarwood Settlement. - !
While engaged In c,rcuinting hla pc
sltIon. he lell In company with the Hon
Lfvereu Morrison. legal gentleman. oi
some celebrity OF character. Mr.. Scrlb.
ner very soon discovered that he was
warmly opposed 70 the Maine law. Ills
abjrctions were urged on the around oi
is naonstitutionaluy He was n stronn
politician. end partouk largely ip his
character oI the low, Intriguing, truck.
ling demogogue. lie had severul iimes
heen elected TO offic', Tor which he was
more indebted to rum and fraud than 10
the favor ofihs people. In one In
stance. In purticulsr, hu was detected
|in leaving money with the landlords OF
Hafwood. for the purpose, OF buying
votes. II was not strange that such a
man should affect 10 believe the Maine
lazy .unc"nstitutionaL Nor 10 II strange
that thousands like him, all over our
End, whc are dependent on rum and
raud Tor political prefprmenf, loudly
proclaim. sgainst a prohibitory law
Thew are men, in the language Of John
Randolph, Of "seven reasons" FIVE
ioaves. and two fishes; and whatever
iehds TO deprive them of their booty,
hey denonnce as unconstitutional. The
glorious pros pect Of reducing taxation,
oauperism; and crime, OF sasing annu.
lily fifty thousand drunkards from pre-
mature and dishonored grave, and of
sending peace. plenty, and ,n unlimited
'ide OF happiness into many thousand
antilles, fails entirely to movethe hearts
of that class Of men. These political
ssmesters seem TO be linked together To
perpetuate public sentlment which
Dads honest men with hesvy taxes, mui.
.iplIes orphans and widows, nd annual.
y grinds out the Dire Of life from many
thousands ol It's vic imr. But for this
clnss of mea In our country. q prohibit
tory law would soon be procur' d, and
he terrific channels OF Ere and death
would be checked. But every where,
rom the lowest intriguing demoroguo
up TO tho most noisy braw.ing politician
we ever met with tho cry, "nnconstitu-
ional ""an unjust Interference with
long blished usuge !" which is cal
culsted TO blind and mislesd the uni
ormed. and discourage and dlshearten
me friends Of the reform. Letlt be ru-
therefore. that Mr.. Morrison
= the representative OF ihoussnds now
the State ol New York who opposed
= he law on the alleged ground Of It's be-
NJ unconstitutional. ~ ai
| am circulating, said Serlbner. pc.
tito to The legislature for the Maine
sw. VIII you allow me the pleasure
II adding your name 49, Iefnf Hi
would be glad. to do so, said Morri-
'vp. II my honest convictions OF duty
we're not In the way.
= Then you have objections TO itl 4
Z have, sir. No one deplores drunk.
'nness more than | and no one can
irsire more than ! that the horrible
.vils OF intempersnce NAV be net and
prevented -Ioften tell Nose Whipple
md Phil Saxbnry that they arc fouls to
spend 80 much OF their money and time
4 the tayerns. AIS .- .i
That is all very good. Mr.. Morrison,
ia, o. Il goes. But do you think
ihese men will ever be reformed. while
the temptation remains before them To
,ilure and overcome I II Is morally
certain. that just so long "a men are u.
aensed to sell IL by the drink, just so
ong these men will be incorporate l.
And Is II not certain. too. that others
I'LL be raised up from the ranks OF young
men 10 iill their rlaces ! flipFF ait
Well. we have a very good law now.
can't see the proprie.y OF consuming
lime in the legislature 10 procure new
aw, while we have one that answers
very purpose. f., -. So =. .f.f.
! know il answers the rumseller's
purpose. A better law to secure his
.nds could not be enacted.
II will answer your purpose, too, if
you will use Il. Why don't you use
What law you have 7 y, f.ia
Morrison, haven't we used it until IL
worn threadbare Haven't we tried
sellers actually laUghat our weakness I
The difficulty with you Is, you are not
borough enough.
You know, Morrison. that In nine CO.
.e- rut Of ten the offender slips ou. Of il.
There - no such Thing as infiicting the
jenalty OF the law. Did we not try
hsrd To convict Duty And just because
Patrick Sweeney could not swear posi-
iyrly that II was brandy, and not cold
'oflee. which he saw him sell to Nose
Whipple. the jury could not agree.
Well. but you must be careful in get
ing testimony. You should depend IN
none but such witnesses as can swear
positively; then there will be no dodg.
ing Il.
How can we get such witnesses -
Morrison. you know that is i'm possible.
Why, get men who buy the liquor,
who Gan swear positively what Il was -
this wuy you can succeed
We have repeatedly had such men on
he stand, and they have always been
troubled with a short memory. Whip
pie the other day hsrdly knew whether
he bought any or not; he believed he
lid but he Thought be didn't pay torii.'
And whes we have succeeded in getting
.o,d witnesses, and have fined them,
sou know very we'll how IL has turned
,ut. As a general thing they have ap-
)ealed, and on account OF a drunken
Judge. or district attorney, The verdict
has been set aside, as In the case OF old
Paul Stevens beiore Judge Crane.
YES, [ know, Scribner, there are diff
ulties to be encountered but in my
judgement il il better to have the law
lean on this side OF mercy. | think a
rohibitory law would be exceedingly