The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-06-14
THE TRAP VOTE,

In the year lG47, the Legislature of Ohio
granted the citizens of certain counties the
privilege Of voting upon the license question.
In many towns there was an earnest opposi-
ton TO the measure, and the friends of " No
License" were called upon 10 act diligently
and energetically.
was atthattime doing something for &c the
cause" in the northern part of the State Of
OHIO, and l made tour of Eiie county for
the purpose of assisting to cal out the oppo-
nents Of License on the election day l visit
ed Castalia, little town near Sandusky city,
and lecured to a large audience, one Satur-
day evening. Another meeting was appoint
ed for Sunday evening, and announced that,
at the close of tile lecture, the sense of the
meeting would be taken upon the License
question. The traf1i ;kers Of the village heard
this, and three of them, each with a right
hand man, came up to the church and seated
themselves in the first pew from the pulpit.
When l sood upon the platform they were
directly before me. The secretary of the
meeting limited who they were. and sus-
pected for auhot they were there, and determin-
cd that if they voted in behalf of their cause,
il would be under "big load"
After presenting the advantages Of total
abstinence and arguing the evils of intemper-
ance in a general bearing, spoke OF the
| question at issue, and proposed taking vote
from which something cou!d be told how the
people Of Castala regarded the licensing Of
men to degrade and impoverish their fel-
lows.
/ requested that every person in the house
who was in favor of such action at the polls
as would diffuse blessings throughout the
community, should rise to his or her feet. All
the ladies and about four-fiftLS Of the men
present, stood up.
Then, said !, if there is a man in this house
who would voe for the increase of taxation
for the supper. OF crime and pGuperism-for
the breaking up o. families-who would make
kini husbands cruel-who would see wives
and mothers driven from their fire sides into
the pitiless storm-who would hear pauper
children weep for bread--if there is man
here who would vote raiment from prattling
babes, and see mothers poison their dearest
children, and have fathers rob their own fire.
sides of the fuel which made them cheerful
and kept their little ones from chilling frosts
in shors, if there is a man before me who
wishes to vote for the destruction Of all that
is lovely and happy in society, lei him stand
up!
Not man arose,-and remarked, con-
clude that all the voters of Castalla present
are opposed to License. Then up sprang the
runs Her who sat at the end of the pew be-
foe me, and crowding his bat ON his head
with nervous energy, he stamped up the aisle
as if he were treading on reptiles which it was
necessary to crush with his heels His com.
patriots did not follow him, but one Of them
was heard to say, "Mean, id mean ad-
vantage - and another one muttered, elf that
fellow comes down town to morrow he shall
be licked"
went down town, but the fogging was
not forthcoming, Castalia gave respectable
majority for :" No License" but whether
on account of the trap vote, "deponent saith
not"