The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-02-09

here, and that to my modification and
surprise, not one paper was there at the
commencement of this session.. But the
fact was rivited upon my mind, never to
be obliterated, that the first year after
the license system was abolished there
was about SEVEN THOUSAND FOUR HUMID
RED AND FIFTY BARRELS more of whisky
alone, imported, than had ever been i'm
ported there, in any previous year, and
that the importations, have been increas-
ing every year since. If this increase was
$50 relatively" the increase in population
must have been tremendous that one year
But we might put in our "rephcation"
and say, "it would have been desirable
that the minority had furnished" some
data by which to determine their propo-
sition, that the increase "was so relative
ly to the increase of population, and ad-
vance of business" but not "in one in
stance do they attempt" i--..
Again the minority say:
1.-The majority Of the committee, after
noticing the ''increase of drunkenness,
paupersm and crime" since the adoption
OF the new constitution, conclude that
the cause lies in the fact that license to
retail ardent spirits is prohibited in the
constitution, and any one, however reck-
less may indulge in the sale thereof by
the quantity, and the result is that per-
sons, in order to get little. purchase q
quantity, and qualify themselves for the
commission of any crime, known to our
criminal CODE" We are unable to see
how prohibiting the license to sell, in
other words, Withholding legal right to
sell. should make it more easily to be OBJ
taiued." -y- 10 y---.Hg.- ea
am not astonished, Mr.. Speaker, af-
ter the display of the gentlemen cempos.
ing the minority on this floor to day,
that they are "unable to see how prohib-
iting the license to sell, in other words,
withholding legal right to SELL should
make it more easily to be obtained -
| There is no man, sir, SO blind as he who
eoW not see. If these deluded gentlemen
will open their eyes and look abroad
through our State at the direful effects
produced by the prohibition in the con-
stitu.ion, if they have feelings that can
be touched by the h ly thrill of sympathy
for our un fortunate fellow mortals, their
hearts will sicken at the sight, and they
will turn away fully impressed with the
idea that something ought to be done to
enable the Legislature to set bounds to the
traffic and curtail It's direfu effects, and
thereby relieve our State from the incubus
that hangs upon her, and bring joy and
g!adEess to the hearts of the suffering mil
lions of our race. asa ,Lz5 ,f-=- 9
! Gentlemen ask me on this floor, if the
Legislature has not now, power to pass
laws restraining the sale in ardent spirits.
answer in the negative. The very
clause in the constitution, sought by this
resolution to he repealed, tells us what we
shall not do and then what we may do -
We shall not have power to grant license
to traffic in intoxicating liquors, but We
may pass laws to provide against evils re.
suiting from the sale thereof Now, Mr.
| Speaker, we cannotpass laws restraining
the sale or prohibiting The sale, while ths
clause is in the constitution. We mus
tpermit any and every man or woman t.
traffic in ii, and can only punish men fol
drinking and for selling is would be jus
about as ratonal for this Legislature t.
say to the people that they should no
prevent the snake from biting, but the,
might cure the bite, The question natu
rally arises, sir, is it right and proper t,
permit man to do a thing and then pun
ish him for doing the very thing that be i
I permitted to do? .s'y' r....7'
i The minority care unable to see hov
Fl prohibiting the license to sell, in othe
words, Withholding legal right to sell, shou!t
make it mors easily to be Obtained, Pei
nit me. Mr.. Speaker, to illustrate for the es
pecial benefit ofthe gentleman from Geauga
If the Legislature could pass licens
) law, bestowing the power upon the Cour
Of Common Pleas to grant license to nc
! more than one person in any one TOWNSHIP
or one person to any given number of in
habitants, and strongly prohibiting all other
/ from the sale, would it not shut up ant
(abate thousands, yea, tens of thousands Q
shops in our State? Then, I ask, unde
, the existing circumstances, it is not '.mor
easily to be o5tained' when, in some local
: tiles, in every house it may be Obtained
, Ifthe gentleman will take the trouble t
look back afew years into the history c
, their own counties, they will find that, un
' the license system, there were only fe,
places where liquors were sold. But ho,
is it under the system of Withholding legs
, right to sell?' Is it not more easily to b
5 Obtained when on every hilltop and i
every valley it may be obtained?' An
E are not your county treasures rendere
e bankrupt, and our people grooming unde
tthe burthen of taxation, by the fruitless al
e tempts to enforce the law now upon the sta
! ute books providing against the evils resu
, ting from the sale oft? And have they M
, abandoned its enforcement entirely, unles
3 it be to crafty spirit of revenge?'
e Il these gentlemen would observe a little i