The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-05-11
Temperance in Politics.
From the Cincinnati Gaxette.

1
| by the custom of all classes of society,
and when hospitality was regarded as
mean without these entertainments. 1t
created a moral sense in society against
the use of every kind of Intoxicating
drinks, which made the custom disrepu-
table, and had powerful influence in
suppressng the sale. It stands out
prominently as one of the great success
SEES in moral reform.
1t can not be said that legal coercion
has ever accomplished any temperance
reform. On the contrary, it has caused
tile relaxation of the moral work, so that
much of what was gained has been lost.
The practical working of legal prohibi-
ton is to throw on the constable the
moral duties Of every member of society.
And when the community throws off it's
duties the constable is very apt to follow
their example.
There is something very seducing in
the theory Of legal prohibition. It re
duces the moral reform to the ease Of
enacting law. The traffic being pro-
hibited by law, each one holds that his
duty is done, and that if all men are not
abstinent the fault is on the officers Of
the law. He washes his hands in this
easy way, and henceforth displays his
moral perfection by denouncing the Off
GERS of the law because they have not
made men temperate. Not few Of these
reformers by enactment give themselves
credit for superogatory moral works
which entitle them to an indulgence
And so the evil of drunkenness goes on
without check, while legally all is love
ly.
A grand display of the virtue of wash
ing hands of consequences was made at
the formation Of the new Constitution of
Ohio by the clause forbidding the Gen
eral Assembly to license the sale of in.
toxica,ing liquors This made clean
the skirts of the State. The Legisla-
ture could do nothing as to this trade
but prohibit, and it did prohibit it by
most stringent laws. The result is free
trade in all. Under many years exper-
fence of this the opinion is gaining
ground that much might be done to
reform and regulate this traffic by means
Of license law and that also it might
be made to contribute in this way to the
municipal revenues SO as to help pay the
expenses which it imposes on communi
ty. We have formed the opinion that
this conviction is become so strong that
if Constitutional Amendm ent we're now
submitted to the people, removing the
prohibition Of licensing, it would be rat
flied; and that if deferred till 1871,
when by clause Of the Constitution the
question shall be submitted to the cleo
tors whether there shall be conven
ton to revise the Constitution, it will
then be brought about.
| Recently there has been g considera
bic revival of moral effort liz the cause Of
temperance, and with the success that
has always attended that work. And
there are also symptoms OF a new effort
at political temperance, by the organi-
cation Of a party pledged to support
none bat its own candidates for office,
and to prohibit all manufacture and sale
of spirits and Intoxicating drinks. The
convention at Crestline last week, to
organize political temperance party in
Ohio, had this among its declarations
! ResoIged, That we refer to the ballot
| box, making prohibition of the manufac-
| ture and sale of alcohol as beverage a
| political issue between the people and
these their enemies, and inscribe on our
banner emancipation, full and entire, of
the whole nation from bondage to this
| system of man killing.
| Also at Evanston, Illinois, a Conven-
| ton Of Good Templars announced the
same political organization as follows:
Resolved, That as the Liquor traffic is
the creature of law, enacted in the inter
est Ct political demagogues, and of
great moral and social evil, it is neces-
sary to employ political action to remove
all aax licensing and sanctioning the
sale and use of Intoxicating liquors.
Res0lved, That, as we have waited in
vain for protection frosa the political
organizations, we deem the time at hand
whea duty demands that we organize
and sustain separate and political par
ty for the vindicatio1 of our principles
at the ballot box.
The matter of prohibition is greatly
embarrassed by the fact that alcoaol is
so largely used in chemical operations
that its manufacture can not be rrohib
| tied. And as on account Of this use it
can not be prohibited, SO it can not be
restrained, and thus it must be absolute
ly free. This free manufacture and sale
for mechanical uses makes prevention
of the sale for other uses almost imprac-
ticable This we remark incidentally.
1t is not clear whether these resolutions
mean absolute prohibition Of the manu-.
facture of spirits We may suppose,
however that they do mean the absolute
prohibition Of the manufacture of all
liquors that are made only for drinking,
such as ale, beer, wine, cider, and other
of the mildly intoxicating drinks.
We should ignore all the lessons of
experience if we did not believe that
this effort to make political temper
ance party will fail to do good, and will
be liable to do much evil. 1t may be
thought by many well meaning people,
that political party protesting purity
can have only a good influence in any
event, and that if it should grow strong
enough to hold balance of power at
some political crisis, it may accomplish
its work. But moral reforms which re
quire perpetual resistance to the propen.
sites Of human nature, are not achieved