Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-03-16

one doubt this, II seems TO me, but 1t any
should, all | ask of hun is 10 90 into tht
street and meet there, that acquaint anc,
of his, land am sorry to say we all have
too many such) who once was the verl
soul of society, and whose presence al
ways brought happiness. but nosg. having
yielded To the destroyer, behold what I
wreck OF humanity
need point the picture no farther, WI
are all familiar with it. Does doub
yet linger? follow this acquaintance Il
his home; that home. that years age
seemed the very centre of happiness. anC
was always foremost in your mind. wheI
the idea of "model home," was sug
sested-conuast wh;t it loaS, with VIVA
it is. This must be the work of eacl
individual, for neither pen nor pencil /
adequate to the task, il must seen 10 b,
appreciated.
II is unnecessary for me to say NOR,
en- this point. for The man who can lOol
at the subject in the manner here pointed
out-without reference TO the thousand,
of other evils attending the trafic-anc
not be convinced that it is wrong-no
by any argument of mine. but from bi,
own observation it strikes me cannot bs
I-1DiH not be convinced.
Well, sir, knowing this 10 be an evil
and one of the greatest magnitude-ont
in comparison with which. every orheI
evil the State. sinks into nothing. Yes,
sir, one compared with which. all ctkers
dwindle into insignifcance; | am aware
this is strong language, but the proof oI
the assertion is abundant. and unimpeach
able, } knowing this, repeat, AMI admit
ting il. as we I'll do. what is the measure
proposed and what is the relief thi'
measure proposes TO afford?
How are we to rid our State Of thi:
moGstrous curse, that hangs like a dark
pail over all our future prospects?
Why. sir, It's simply this, to take The
traffic from under the ban of the law,
where it is made infamous, by l0w as il
is, in truth, and iegllize il, make it homo
rable BY legislative enactmen.s.
Imust confess, Mr. Speaker, my ina
5ility 10 see the force of the argument,
that this will lessen the evil of iDiempe.
rance.
What! a crime that prevails TO al
alarming extent in our midst, when the
penalty is heavy fine and imprisonment
would be less likely to be committed j
made no crime by Law. but an honor to bC
bought with money! Surely. sir, thi:
argument attributes more pure cussedRes'
to man, than thought any person was
willing to allow.
l know, sir, we are told that the mar
was honorable enough. (thatis, had mon
ey enough, J to obtain license. wouil
watch the others, who were net SO homo
rable as himself, either from lack Of mon
ey, or other inability to elevate them
selves to that privileged clzss this resolu
lion proposes 10 establish in our midst
aud that the Constitution as it now is
forever prohibits.
! Yes, sir, that the honorable ram seller
would act as a guardian of the public
! veal, and see that no one would violate
the law, for it would be matter of inter
est to him. 10 have no person sell llquo
but himself.
Now, sir. | propose to examine thl
argument, that at fist sight may appear
to have some plausibility in it, and
think little attention to it, will be suf'
fcient 10 slow its fallacy.
Let us suppose Mr. A. very worthy
citizen, sufficiently honorable in all re
spects to enter this privileged class. il
other words. to procure license, and he
keeps first class saloon; his customer.
are all gentlemen. for he would entertain
more that were not so.
! Now. sir, it is a fact, that requires M
proof 10 substan;iate, that regular cuSto
mers of such Institutions are very liabl,
to pass the line that divides the gentleman
from the man that is not gentleman.
This point once passed, there is NJ
longer any room for him in the saloon
because, that is the resort OF gentlemen
only.
Now. sir. question arises with th'
saloon keeper-what must be done will
him?
The customers Of the saloon who az,
get gentlemen. are becoming very mucl
annoyed by this JellOw who once tcaS, bu
who is no longer, a gentleman.
Well. Mr., A, begins 10 cast about
for some means to get rid of his trouble
some customer. In the meantime, b.
learns that Mr. B., who keeps a 'groce
: ry." also sells liquor, and he is ha!
, inclined to prosecute him, for, he is in
fringing on right that belongs exclu
sively 10 MIR. "A right that he ha
!, bought 10Th money. and Of course it is his
But happy thought strikes MIR. A.
aud he tells the quonddnl gentleman tina
ne can be accommodated at the "groce
ry," aud hints TO him, that his compsnr
is no logger desirable at the saloon.--
Well, the consequence is, that after
, great many compromises with his remain
, ing manhood and his notions of dignity
, he concludes, upon the whole, that he ca
enjoy himself as well at the grocery a
| at The saloon, and consequently reiires i
digust. from that "raistocr0tsc" place.
? Well, sir. in course of time, if he es
: capes the prison, the gallows, or, deaf
3 otherwise, he will become too degrade
fer the society that frequent grocery NJ
e |, and for the same reason that he LEI
4 the saloon, he will be compelled to resOl
TO grocery No. 2. and SO down, thrcug
all the different degrees of dissipation
p until he he has reached the lowest depth
+. of degradation, and death relieves hir
o and society, of burden too intolerabI
2 to be borne by either.
y Now, Mr.. Speaker, we can see the be.
reason in the world, why the keeper {
the fashionable saloon, will not prosecui
the grocer; for, the existence OF the gre