Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-01-23

| privileges. The unwise policy Of making
laws which, owing to the state Of public
opinion, cannot bc carried into effect, vii
always afford grounds Of justification, Of
excuse, for an inefficient or weak admins
tration Of fthe best laws. There should b.
no dcad-lettor laws among our statutes.
A great increase OF the number Of pla-
ces which intoxicating liquors are sold
and lamentable increase Of the evils which
grow out of the vice Of drunkenness, arc
matters which you who are charged with
the duty Of guarding the interests and
promoting tho welfare Of tho State; can
not overlook or neglect Although We
may, in many places,.see the evidences Of
reaction in public sentiment, apparently
unfayorably to the cause of temperance,
yet we will fall into most injurious er-
ror, with respect 10 public opinion in In
diana, If we concluded, from these evil
dcnccs, that tho people Of the State do not
require some sound and effectual legisla-
ton TO check and restrain the growth Of
those numerous and destructive evils, vi
ces, and crimes, which aifiict every COM
munity where the laws impose neither
punishments nor restraints upon drunk
ards, nor upon those who constantly hold
out inducements which tempt their fellow
men to become drunkards. The agitation
and discussion Of this subject by the pco-
pie OF the several counties, If necessari-
ly connected with the selection Of county
commissioners clothed with ample power
to restrain and regulate the traffic in intox-
icating liquors, is worthy Of your special
consideration. Whatever differences OF
opinion may have been. heretofore, enter
taincd on this subject, no man can shut
his eyes to the fact that throughout our
State, numerous places have been opened,
or established for the unrcstrained sale OF
spurious liquors, in which the young and
unwary have been decoyed to contract
tastes and habits which the resolves Of a
subsequent life cannot control, IL they
have not already, entered upon the cour-
ses Of dissipation aud vice.
1t is, impcratively, the duty of the Leg
islaturc, in the exercise Of wise discre-
ton, to enact some constitutional law, in
accordance with public sentiment, ofsuflic-
lent stringcncy to restrain and suppress
this growing evil and doubt not this
subject will receive ut your hands, such
consideration as its great importance re.
quires.
Ona review Of the late elections, II is
apparentto all, that our laws have failed
to preserve the purity Of tho ballot-box.
While there Is difference, in regard TO
the proper remedy, an effort Is madc to
direct public sentiment in favor Of q regis
tration Of voters. But the practical wor-
kings Of registry laws, In other, States, have
failed to convince mo Of the adoption OF
such laws to our community. The officer
making the registry Ia liable to be impos.
cd upon as the judges Of our elections; and
as wido field for fraud and corruption
would bo opened, as exists under the pres
cnt
A remedy for illegal voting may be
found, by requiring an actual residence
In the township or election precinct, Of
not less than sixty days prior to the time
Of voting, and by the multiplying Of cleo
ton districts; thereby avoiding the co!lcc.
ton Of largo bodies Of voters at one place;
and lcssoning the facilities for fraudulent
voting. Where few voters are congrcga-
ted at single precinct, there will DO little
danger OF excited and angry feeling
the fright Of suffrage will DO exercised
with more freedom and dclibcraton; and
tho voters will bo moro generally known
to each other, and TO the officers Of the
election. The penalties for illegal voting,
and for aiding and abclting thereto, either
by solicitation, intimidation, or transporta-
ton, should bo largely increased.
The practice Of betting upon elections
is great and growing evil, tending, moro
than any other cause, to destroy the puri.
ty Of tho ballot box, and the practice
should bo visited with the scvcrest penal
ties. The history Of the past year has
satisfied mo that unless some efTectual
means can DO adopted to protect tho cleo
tive franchise from corruption and desc
Grafton, our institutions will soon be at the
morcles Of an unlicensed mob.
Tho Report Of tho Trustees Of the Wa
bash and Eric Canal will be laid before
you. It will DO seen that tho Trustees
have caused the standing timber on the
Birch Creek Reservoir, in Clay county, to
be removed, at very heavy expense; thus
allaying all cause Of complaint on tho
part of the inhabitants residing in the vi
cinity Of that work. Though the bost
medical authorities reported, under a law
Of the Legislature, that this standing tim
Der would not prove injurious to the
health of the surrounding country, yet SO
completely did contrary, opinion take
possession Of the mind in that vicinity,
that, on two several occasions, since :he
last meeting oftho General Assembly, that
necessary feeder to tho canal was destroy
cd by an armed asscmblagc Of portionpl
the inhabitants Of tho country.
These outragcs were promptly reported
to this department, and ! lost no time in
adopting such measures as were, In my
opinion, best calculated 10 re.establish the
supremacy Of the laws in that hitherto
peaceful community. In the exercise o.
the power given by the Constitution, q
proclamation was issued; and other ou!ra'
ges being committed, and threatened, mol
only upon the canal, but on private prop
erty, an adequate force was immediatel,