The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-01-28
MINORITY REPORT
OF TIE
STANDING COMMITTEE on TEMPER ANCE.

tec, 10 Wnom was referred tho memorials
asking, and the resolution OF Mr. Raw of
Scioto, providing for, an amendment OF the
constitution. striking OUT the clause No Ii.
Sonse TO trathc IN Intoxicating liquors shall
nereattcr DC grated in this State but the
Nenera' assembly riay. by law. provide
against oVhs resulting thcrotroin." finding
'ucu'S ives unable to agrco with the maiori-
" OF that co'nmittee ask leave to present
the toIIowir.g minority report
Ths! .is is u subject surrounded with diff.
hcuIti IS. and that it is hard to determine
what legislation is most likely to prevent
ID evils resulting from tho traffic in intoxi.
eating drinks, all will admit We would
wish, and wo concede to the minority the
same desire to approach its Investigation
solely to arrive at this result Were the
question before the House o.day. the pro.
priety OF inserting a clause in the coustitu.
ton, like tho one proposed to be stricken
from it. perhaps no mUmUor of tho commit.
tee would voto for it. But it ia there. Tho
discussions preceding its being placed thore.
both in the convention framing tho COnstI-
tuition, and before the people upon its adop-
tinn. together with tho report OF the coin.
mittee recommending tho adoption of this
resolution. aud its passage, should it pass
:his Beg'siature,ail will have their influence
and be considered us indications in favor of
licensing the traffic in intoxicating liquors.
noro tno constitution without any provision
OF the Kind spoken of. without any indica.
ton which could DO interpreted as prefer.
ring license system, or referring to il, we
suppose it to contain all necessary power TO
adopt this, or ans other law upon the sub
Ject. But its being stricken out under pre-.
sent circumstances, will seem 10 require the
passage OF License law, 10y the Legislature
which shall follow.
That the people a-o prepared and desire
90 r9turn 70 the liccuse system we do not al.
init. lt may be the case in s0mo localities,
but that it is generally so. we have no cvi.
denco. That many good, and many earnest
temperance men may bu in favor of this ,rnav
ho true. still. what have been the charac.
tor Of tho propositions introduced into this
nnd the other branch Of the General Asscm.
biy-ameudmcnts to sho present law rem
dering it more efficient rather than for a
Change in system. What have hcrn the OK
preSsions of the proplo,by petition or other.
wlso. in reference to this subject At the
last session petitions sCrc presented for re-
turn 10 license. rs also. for amendments to
'he present law, and a prohibi,orv onact-
ment. These petitions wUru referred to the
committee, were left hy thu Chairman at his
desk, and during tho interim from last ses-
sion, wrrc in some way mislaid, and ho has
been unable to recover them. We are snr
ry to be unable To refer to these petitions
but will state that, from the best of our re.
collection, those asking II return to tho H.
censo system came from two, or at the most
throe counties, and that there were some
nine or~tcn hundred of them By glancing
NJ tho Constitutional Debates il will be srpn
that tho number of those pottionng the
constitutional Convention, OUT of which the
action ot that contention grew. was from iir.
teen TO twenty thousand coming from sixty
or more counties IN the State. Wo would
not DO understood as referring TO this, ms
any indication of present feeling in the State
but SIMPLY as showing the very general OK.
preston OF sentiment, upon which that nc.
tion was based aud comparing 1t with the
present expression in favor OF Il change
The majority toll us in their report. that
"in tho hands of the people n.ory proposi.
tion is safe" Far bo it from us 10 contro.
vert this position. If tho people might vote
upon tha recommendation of this commit.
too tomorrow, without trouble and cxpcnse
10 themselves, without excitement and can
rnssns, simply going to tho polls aud do.
posting their ballots, wo could not object
But we all wei! know this will not hc--tha,
no question of importance can DO voted upon
without investigation, discussion, and more
or less OF excitement. And We arc vet tc
learn, that as representatives of tho State
sworn to support its constitution, and dis
charge our duties faithfully and honestly. .wt
are to vote differently upon any proposition
because such proposition depends upon a
vote of the pcopln tor its effect 1t is no
light thing 10 call upon tho voters OF the
great State OF Ohio to decide by ballot any
measure Of Importance, especially is this so
when the question to be determ ned is not a
political, but moral ono, and ono. as in the
present. instance, into tho canvassnp OF
which. as it must and will be- If submitted.
Bo much OF wrong will ho introduced and
OWL ougcnGcrod. as we fear.
This submission occurring at tho time Of
general State election, rival candidates
aud parties, no matter in how upright and
honorable mannor thoy may desire to CON
duct the canvass, must become mixed up
with, and subject to its influence
1t has been, and is yet, question how far
reforms can bo aided By legislative enact
ment THIS isso in regard to The evils ro.
sulting from tho safe Of Intoxicating liquors
yet laws restricting and regulating this traffic
since very early in our history as n State. as
we'll rs IN other States of the Union. nc.
knowledge the right and necessity OF such
legislation. What shall be its character
Tho majority como to the conclusion that
the adoption oftho mo license" clause is
responsible for all, or nearly all tho OWLS re.
Buittng from this trafic-scominrIy forgnt
ing tho condition of things at the ,ims OF
its adoption. They say Your committee
feel satisfied that the lido of intcmpornuc,
has run higher and still higher, every vcar
snco tho adoption OF the no License claus,
10 the constitution" Sc. That intonper.
Gnco is feartuiy prevalent is but too true
BY day we SEQ ita evil effects around SAND
in our midst, and its devotees, with howIina
orgies awaken tho stiffness OF night. I'm
dOubtedly, in some, and perhaps nearly all
portions OF tho State, thcy have been ia.
cfeasing for few years past. But the ma.
jorty seem to ignore tho fact, that in al
reforms, that in everything where man /,
concerned, there must be progress. There /.
no stand still; We 60 forward or backward
They forget that at the adoption of tho con
shtutOn this retrogradc movement hat
commenced--that tho law passed under IN,
now constitution, was not what tho friond,
OF Temperance demandod-that, although
In principle such as they desired in its do
tails such technical defects were found
that thoy were discouraged in attemptino
its entorcement-thato on account of tbcss
defects, vioiators Of tho law defiod IL md
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