The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-15
ALPHoSso HART.
JAS. W. soMERvILLE,
RAvENNA, OHIO:
s.aarsday. january Is, 1857.
Temperance and tLe Maine Law

tent, the attention oil this CCmnNhHy. III
NAV be well to make a remark or two in
regard to our views Of the question, as we'll
as in regard to the course and conduct of
the Republican party in reference thereto.
There can be no doubt but that intemper-
ance and drunkenness are increasing in rapid
progression no. only in this, but in other. To-
cakties OF the land. There il no doubt eut
this eril, like the breath of the pestilence,
is infusjng poison and death into the veins
and arteries Of society. There can be no
doubt but the friends of humanity ore justi
fed and morally bouHd 10 prevent so far as
possible, the spread Of this withering calum'
ity. The question which comes home TO
the heart of every man is, what are the best
means to accomplish the reform of the ine-
briate, and lessen the causes which produce
so much suffering. In what way can the
work be thoroughly done, and not in any
manner infringe upon the unaienable and
constitutional rights of our citizens.
Without arguing at present the constitu.
tonalily or prOpriety of the Maine Law, or
any other plan adopted to lessen the evils Of
inlemperance, we will only say that the De-
mocratic party, as party, has been, and is
wow, opposed to the Maine Law. We fully
concur ia approving this sentiment of the
party. We are opposed 10 the law, because
it is yrannicul measure, calculated in its
execution TO do greater injury than that
which it seeks 10 annihlate; because it is
clearly tine invasion Of the natural and consti.
tutional rights Of the people,; because it is
, wholly imprscticable, and finally, because,
wherever it has been enacted and an at.
tempt made to execute it, it has been pro.
ductive of evil. 1t has not lessencd the crime
of drunkenness. 1t has not accomplished a
particle of good for the race.
Democrats regard the Maine Law as an
attempt to legsate upon what man shall
cat and what he shall drink; as an over step
. ping Of the province Of the government and
r
h which comes alone properly within the
: sphere Of moral and social Influence. 1t i;
beyond the reach of legislative ennctments
@ This is the only right and reasonable doc
e trne. Because the members of the party
II have taken this ground, they have been sub
; jected to the most bitter epithets; they have
been denounced as drunkards, inebriates, ant
: everything else which an ardent imagna
n tion could devise. Now we opprehcnd, tha
y If the individual characters Of men were cX
J.. amined throughout community, that the De
r mocrats would bear comparison with any
other party in the country. Generally, tht
man who mukes the lcadest prayer has The
, least Christianity. 1t is just so with wha
d was once denominated the Maine Law par
c y,
: This temperance question was never in
troduced into politics, with any view to les
sen the evils of drunkenness. Many Of tht
I. rank and file in Maine Law party are sin
i cere and earnest IN their motives and efforts
but we make the charge boldly, that tht
: leaders in this Maine Law movement art
e not honest. It is only mere maneuver tc
. obtain supremacy in politics. A brief ref
erence to facts will demonstrate the truth o
what VIC say.
: There is in Portage county party oppos
~ D n
to name it, lest, in consequence of its fre
= quent changes, we call it wrong.
In 1852, this party was divided into tive
sections; one, the Wing party, shouting fo
Scott and the Fugitive Slave law, the othe
# the Free Soil, and Advocating the election
k of Hale. In 1868, these factions united ant
formed the Maine Law party, making pro
!. hibiton their war cry. In 1854, they organ
J. lied the Know Nothing lodges, held thei
meetings under ground, and cried out "dowl
with the foreign torh." En- 1856, they wer
. the Republican party, with freedom on thei
!. lips, and disunon and treason in their hearts
e Can any confidence be reposed in men VIII
change their name, their principles, and thei
\ policy SO often!
e Again, this party with oil its profession:
o all its pretended zeal has never even q,
tempted TO accomplish anything for temper
d ance or freedom. Two years and hal
t. ago, there was Democratic Probate Judge
1T a Democratic Prosecutor, Democrat
TX Sheriff, and Democratic officers everywhere
,v in Portage county. Their election was a
lie anti-Naine Law triumph. What was tn
r condition of things then, in the county, |
regard to temperance! Everything wa
Z quiet and prosperous. There was no drunk
il, enness, or rioting in the streets. The four
or Ftains of intemperance were dried up. Nevt
m before or since, were the inhabitants so fre
u u from intoxication--neve were the evils
4. the drari1-shop SO little felt. But q ne
election took place and fusionists were Ch,
sen. We had Maine Law Probate Judg
:. Maine law Sheriff, Maine Law Prosec,
ar tor, and Maine Law officers generallyj
en- least such were their principles only OF
lis year before, for they had been identified wit
r- the Maine Eaw movement. What is no
as the result! Intemperance has increased aoi
ne giant strides from The Uery hour of their ele