The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-02-09
House Of Representatives, !
JANUARY, q, 1859. {
Remarks Of Mr.. Stout,
of Monroe County,
In THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 1859.
Of Monroe County,

The question being on the motion to
indefinitely postpone the further consid-
Grafton of the resolution reported by the
majority of the standing committee on
Temperance.
Mr. Stout spoke against the motion to
indefinitely postpone, and in favor of the
resolution, in substance as follows:
Mr. Speaker, had not intended to en-
ter into the discussion of this question,
but lnasmuch as the gentlemen compos-
ing the minority of the committee, have
seen proper to attack the report of the
majority, not only in their minority re-
port, but on this fioo-, must be permit
ted to express. at least, my astonishment
at the course pursued by the gentleman
from Geauga, and the gentleman from
Morrow. Now, Mr.. Speaker these gen.
tlemen profess to be temperance men,
but, sir, Judging from their course upon this
floor, and from their remarks upon this
question to-day am led to believe, sir,
that those gentlemen are really opposed
to temperance reform, or are misguided
in their judgment as to the hest means of
accomplishing that desirable object,
Those gentlemen admit the ground as
sumed in the report of the majority to be
true, that the importation and sale of AL
coholic liquors have vastly increased un-
der the operations of the clause in the
constitution proposed to be stricken there
from by the majority, yet they oppose the
adoption of a proposition to restrain the
traffic in ardent spirits But, Mr.. Spea-
ker, the people of the great State of
Ohio, are rising in the majesty of their
strength, and demanding that this general
Assembly shall give them an opportunity
to vote for or against an amendment to
their fundamental law, SO that the Legis-
lature may be enabled to set bounds to
the hideous monster that is devouring our
people, and eating our their substance =
The tide of reformation has began to flow
and the car of repeal is under way, and l
would advise these misguided gentlemen
to get offthe track, or they will be crush
ed to political death.
(Mr Day enquired of the gentleman
from Monroe what car he meant
1t is the same car, Mr.. Speaker, that
the gentleman from Harrison tried for
several years to ride into Office on, in
other words, it is the car of Jng-or not.
In the argument of the question now
before the House, with regard to the in
definite postpenement of the further con-
sideration of the resolution reported by
the majority of the committee, it may
not be amiss' sir, to advert, very briefly
to the merits of the proposition.
The time the prohibitory clause in the
Constitution was submitted to the voters O
our State, great majority of voters die
not really understand the effect the pro
thibition would have. The temperance
advocates supported the proposition un
der the belief that the traffic in alcoholic
liquors would thereby be curtailed, bu
the sequel shows that in this they were
sadly disappointed. On the other hand
sir, the opposite party voted for the pro
hbition under the belief that if ther
should be no license required, the trafli,
would be entirely free and untrammelied
Experience has demonstrated, beyond
doubt, that both of these parties hav'
been misIed into the support Of the meas
ure, and the grounds by them assumed
were not realized in the practical opera
tions of the provision.
r The gentlemen from Morrow and Ge