True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-02-10

Tho Widows Appe al.
To the Honorable General assembly of
the State of Ohio:

10 the Honorable General assembly Of
the State Of Ohio:
GENTLEMEN l am about TO address
you through the medium Of the public
press, because I well know your multi
piled calls prevent you from giving due
heed 10 al! the requests that cumber your
tables and because | am about TO detail
10 you matters of truthful history, which
are known only to myself and to Him
who is omniscient and knoweth all things;
and yet, true as these things are, respect
for the feelings Of the living and for the
memory Of The dead, prevents me from
subscribing my own name thereto. My
heart bleeds when | think how many
thousands and hundreds Of thousands of
similar cases Of accursed wrong, caused
BY an accursed system of vending poison
and death, lie buried in the grave, or in
hearts deeper than the grave, and which
will never be told till that day when God
shall judge both quick and dead, and the
secrets Of all hearts shall be revealed.
am one of those whose names are al
ready upon your tables, petitioning for
the passage of law prohibiting the man.
ufacture and sale Of intoxicating liquors
as a beverage. l have done more than
this p; | have laid aside, for time. 100
man n's-instinclive dread of encountering
the gaze. the ridicule, and the rebuffs Of
those who appreciate not her motives.
and | have traversed weary distances, and
entered dark abodes Of sin, ontreating for
names 10 that humble petition which
prays for your aid in accomplishing
work which will cause more joy on earth,
and in Heaven also, than any other event,
save one, that this glorious sun Of ours
ever shone upon. In these walks, Ihave
found the sick and destitute wives and
widows of those who were daily sinking,
or have already sunk, into the drunkard's
grave. | have seen the tear of Joy leap
from haggard eyes because their owners
had the poor privilege Of subscribing their
names to such a petition; and I have
departed bearing with me blessings OF
those ready to perish, and followed by
the prayers Of those who have audience
in Heaven, il not on Earth.
Oh ! could you, ye honorable legisla-
tors of this great and glorious State
could you behold, with unclouded vision,
how many from the novels of misery;
how many from the mansions Of the rich,
how many from pallets, of straw and
and coucles Of down are sending up Pc
titions to Heavens high throne, for bles-
sings upon your deliberations, and invo-
king for you the guidance of infinite wis
dom; and could you know with what
trembling anxiety these praying mothers,
sisters, and daughters watch your move
men,s, and wait with excited hopes the
tidings Of your doings in this behalf, you
would not-you could not turn an indif
feren. ear TO our supplications. iu a, a
I know il is said by some that women
have no right to petition, or, atleast. ought
not to. be heard on so grave a question
as this. They say that we are not fl to
judge Of the consequences and relative
bearings Of such a law; that we are
swayed by feeling and sympathy, and
hence that our views should have little
weightin the decision Of Legislators. when
interests Of such magnitude are al stake.
Il may be so; but hear my tale and Judge
if it be true, r aI .a t.a III.
In early life I married man who mo-
we'd in the first circles in no mean city,
He was descendant Of Puritan stock,
and his venerable vather's silvery locks
yet command wide respect amid those
who linger on Pilgrim ground. He was
worthy sen of worthy sire--a man
among men. In the commercial world
he stood fair among the fairest. Alum
dance blessed our board. If we had not
wealth in horded profusion, we had
enough for all our wants, and even the
rich might have envied US our happiness.
But when ! dreamed Of no danger, the foe
with serpentine descending, wound his
coils around my loved and cherished one,
and blighled my every earthly hope. Oh,
never never shall ] forget the agony Of
that hour. when first the full conviction
flashed upon my mind that the father ol
my children.-my own loved and cherished
husband-was drunkard! Oh, ye
who revel in wealth wrung from widows
tears, and hoard up gold coined from or
phan's groans, were / a demon damned,
and wished to heap upon your devoted
heads the Goals of unquenchable fire,
could not wish you worse than tina. you
might drink Of that bitter cup, which ther
you forced to my unwilling lips, and com
PEELED me 10 drink, even 10 the deepes
dregS.
Blu, even then knew not the power o
my deadly foe. Hope, that angel o
mercy, sprang up from the depths Of dis
pair. and with the frantic energy Of ,h
fire.surrounded victim Of the prairi
flames, | strove to release him from th
| rrasr of Tho fell dostrovar I strova al