The Cedar County advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Iowa) 1853-1856, 1855-03-07


ballo, box, and the cause OF temperance
from the whitening blast which that result,
would bring upon it. The condemnation
Of popular vote would surrender the
powerful advantage which We now COM
mand-one which perhaps years would
fail to regain. The opposition a, the
next session. would! claim that event as
cause for their redoubled excrtions, and
the care'essness with which you would
permit it, would be hailed BY them as an
expression of dsapproval. In word, a
defeat of the law now submitted, will
consign it for years to fate from which
no ordinary power can revive it, and
throw over the cause pail darker than
the grave. Its friends will hereafter he
met with the stern rebuke, ,ha, all should
bow to the mandate of popular sovereign
ty, and that the ballot box is the freeman's
las, appeal. Then ''e, the privilege of
elective franchise be exercised by all who
possess. II, for once every impulse OF
humanity demands that no one should
remain inactive.
The argument has already been ad.
vanced by the opposition that the law, if
approved, will be unconstitutional but i,
is not difficult to discover that they prefer
defeating 1t q, the polls, rather than risk
ing its validity. The same question has
been favorabIy adjudicated in other States
with constitutional provisions similar to
our own. The latest decision was made
in the State Of Vermont, wherein Chief
Justice Rediield in delivering the opinion,
says:
at is admitted on all hands, that the
Legislature may enact laws which shall
be made to depend upon contingency.
This canno, be questioned with any show
OF reason or logic. II has been prac,iced
in all free States for hundreds ot years,
and n, one has been bold enough TO de.
clare ,h,, such legislation was, on that
account, void or irregular and it is, in
| my judgement, a singular fact. that the
discovery should have first been made in
he free Democrasies OF America. The
| legislatures have power to alter county
and town lines, and places Ct holding
courts; yet numerous statutes upoa those
subjects, whose binding force has never
been questioned, have been made to de-
pend for their vitality uron the votes Of
those interested. Numerous other in
stances may be found where statutes have
been made dependant upon future con-
tingencies, no. only for the tim. Of their
coming into force, bu, for their vitality
and no question Of their validity has ever
been made upon that ground. This has
been recognized as sound law by those
who have attempted . argue that law
made dependant on the popular vote is
different irom one dependen. on other
contingencies. But all such attempts
seem to me lllusory, eap.ious and frivo-
lous'
Ihe same question has also been deci-
ded IN other States, leaving hardly a
chance Tor any future bench 10 hnd pre-
| cedent enough upon which to base a con-
trary decision.
1t was made our duty as State Commit
tee 10 appoint county Committees through
out the State, with the request, that they
would see, tia. thorough organix alton
was taade ii every precinct. II this is
done. their Is not a doubt but what their
will be large majority IN favor ot the
| law, II contrary result occurs, its friends
will be alone to blame. They have the
votes-will they use lheml This is the
question which comes up from every cor
nor CT the State, and one which will con-
tiuue to be repeated with anxiety, until
she result Of thr Aprit -lection is known.
lo9 much anxiety connot be felt, or 100
great an estimate be placed npon our uni
ted rally.
FELLOW CIrIzErs:-Thel labors Of the
friends OF Temperance are not yet ended.
Could each one be left 70 vote according
to the dictaton Of his own Judgment,
we would have nothing to fear. But this
will not be the case, Many a man, who
would thank Heaven for the light of tha,
day, which reveals to him a country in
which the existance Of Alcohol is unknow,
and whose perverted appetinte is beyond
! his own control, will be taken from the
drinking saloon to the polls, and desposite
vote the contents OF which he is !a norant.
Rathere, and as you see the fatal ballot
in his grasp say TO him, that he is holding
to his breast an adder worse than that Of
the Nile. Tell him, that his enemies
have armed him with the weapon Of hi:
own destruction, and urge that the suicida
hand may be stayed.