Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-07-19
THE 4TH AT LAUREL.

Mr.. Editor,-In your paper Of last
week see notices Of our generally quiet
and orderly town and its doings on tho 18th
drinking, fighting, cursing, &c. Now
what is the use of trying to magnify
mole-hill into a mountain? The simple
facts arc: A large number Of people as
scmb.ed here to celebrate the 4th. a few
roughs and FOUNDERS also came. The
great body Of the people repaired to the
grove at an early hour. where everything
was quiet and orderly all day. The latter
class remained at tho groceries in town;
soon got drunk; said they came for fight;
must have it; two of them said they had
been in the rebel army; had taken some
of our boys prisoners, aud, in short, they
we're spelling for fight, which they soon
got to their entire satisfaction. In the
evening the same mean whisky got up Il
squabble on the street. The whole affair
amounted to simply nothing-no shooting,
cutting, bones broke, or anything of the
kind. Other towns would not have
noticed it.
So far as Laurel encouraging the whisky
traffic is concerned, Mr.. "Visitor" is mig
taken. A majority Of the people are op.
posed TO it; but what can they do legally
in County like Franklin, where whisky
controls its polititions and office holdors2
The State has enacted License Law,
leaving it with County Commissioners eth
or to grant or reject applications for Lii
cense Ours always grant them; don't
think any Scamp would be refused license,
no odds what bis character was, or the
number or responsibility Of those remon-
strating against it. The Trustees of our
town have imposed tax of $50 in addi-
Mr.. "Visitor" will tell us how We can get
rid of, or, as he says, hurl the foul crew
out of the village, by any legal process, we
will do it, and be under ever lasting obi
cations to him. We have a temperance
organization in a fiourishing condition,
which think is doing some good. If he
will strike out and establish two Lodges
in Brookville, two in Oldenburgh, one or
two in all the other little towns, 100,mem-
bers each get public opinion right, starve
out grog shops and build more school
houses then be would find ofice-holders
and ofice-seekers stumping for temper
auce reform, and County Commissioners
like Wayne County has. What says Mr.
"Visitor" to that proposition?
Your other correspondent &c. p" gives
US some encouragement; says We are in
creasing in civilization and morality; about
to revive the Presbyterian Church; l46
subscribed in one day, part from libe raj
Methodist, who think the gospel can be
spread by the advancement of the Presby-
terrain church co.equal with their own.
Don't know how that is "to be did"-co-
equal in point of numbers, wealth, in
Auence, size Of organ, caliber Of preacher,
&c; but he tells us we have a few narrow
minded, bigoted Christians who see but
one loop hole to heaven, and that through
the ordinanceso Of their own church. They
of course belong to that class who found
their purse a little too tight, or if they
had little surplus they would prefer pay
ing an honest debt, and not be too liberal
with other peoples money. As TO the
loop holes, don't know how many the
Presbyterian Church and Westminster
Confession of Faith furnishes to go to
heaven. TIE Bible tells of but one, and
that narrow; but who made him judge
of other peoples thoughts?
Another evidence of our advance in
morality. He says we have quite num-
Der of petty grievances settled each week
by Esq. Burgoyne, and more would be in
Court but for lack OF time on the part of
the lawyers; thinks TIA good opening for