The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-12-21

ton to wage war upon them. If the
New Albany papers see proper to
pursue different course, We will not
object to their zeal, however we may
doubt their discretion.
The Democracy still Unanimous
for Judge Robinson.
The Rockport Democrat, whose ed
itor was member of the Legislature
Of 1889. is satisfied that the Evans
vile papers are both ignorant of the
political complexion of the Legisla-
ture that year. and accordingly steps
upon the witness stand to testify the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth. We copy his testimony
in full, including his hearty endorse
ment of Judge ROBINSON, and trust
the Courier will deal as candidly
with its readers and do the same:
AS we had the honor of being a
member of the Legislature during the
called session Of 1858, and also the
regular session of 1859, we ieelit our
duty to makea short statement. After
an organization was effected in the
Legislature of 1858, each member
was ASSIGNED a position on some one
of the many standing committees.
We had the honor lf there Is. any
honor 10 it), with ten others,
to be placed On the Commit
tee on temperance, with Gen. Mans
field as its chairman. How well that
committee performed its duties during
the two sessions, the House journal
of each session viii show. Oar first
duty was to ascertain what law we
were then governed by on the subject
of temperance, and we found that the
old prohibitory liquor law of 1855 was
the only law on the subject. We
went to work and repealed that, the
first thing we did, which was done at
the short session. From the time
that act was repealed, the committee
worked diligently up to near the
close of the regular session of 1859
before any act was passed governing
the sale of liquors.
The license law, which now stands
upon the statute books, is the act
that we did succeed in passing just at
the close of the session, not however
by strict party vote, and zoe are
pleased TO sag that there a0ere mare
Democrats than Republicans UOted for
The tdsU.
A portion of the same Republicans
who voted against the repeal of the
prohibitOry law, voted against the
present law, for the reason as they
said, they were opposed to giving any
man a license to deal out damnation.
And we are sorry to say that the few
Democrats who did vote against the
law. done so from the fact that they
wanted the prohibitory law to remain
as dead letter upon the statute
books, in order to hold the Republi-
can party responsible for the act. So
the present law cannot be set down Gs
the House, of both parties, voted for
it; and as soon as the bill passed the
lower House, we followed it into the
Senate, and the best men of both
parties there, suspended all other
business, took up the bill and passed
it just as it came from the House in
less than one half hour, and Governor
Willard gave it his signature without
any hesitation.
One word with regard to the Sun
day clause, and we are done. There
being no penalty affixed for the viola
ton of the Sunday clause, was a very
great oversight in drawing up the bill.
because it geas not only The Intention of
the committee s1hO framed the bill, bit
10 aCas the intention of the Legislature
that passed the bill, to enforce that
clause, as aCeH as any other clause IN
the act; and that clause was enforced
all over the State, until it reached
the Supreme Court of the State, when
it was ascertained that there was no
penalty attached.
The act was the best that could be
done at the time, and we believe it a
good one yet. All the moneys accru-
ing from license, granted by this act,
goes directly into the common school
fund of the State. and is distributed
into every county In proportion 30 the
number Of school children. The act
has been the cause of adding to the
common school fund Of our State not
less than two hundred thousand dol
lars every year since it became law.
We all remember that In 1859
there was scarcely enough school
funds in the State to carry on three
months school; now we have enough
to keep up the schools from six to
nine months every year.
Our conclusion then is that we had
better let the law remain as it is, un-
till we know that we can get better
one, and let every provision of the act
be strictly and honestly enforced and
the schools still go on.
Judge Robinson can, therefore, pro-
coed with the enforcement Of the law,
but not an a spirit of persecution. We
congratulate both political parties in
Evansville In their efforts In securing
the Major as their Criminal Judge,
for there are many criminals no doubt
belonging to both parties, in Evans
vile, who need just such an umpire
as Judge Robinson to deal out even
handed justice between them.
Ii is somewhat amusing to read the
quarrel that is going on between the
two leading political papers in Evans
vile, each trying to fasten the respon-
sibility on the other OF getting Robin
sen appointed Judge. We rather think
that the one taking the most active
part IN securing his appointment de-
serves the most credit, for whatever
else Judge Robinson may be, We be-
lieye HIM an honest man at heart.
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The Evansville Courier wants Gen.
! .IOhp T,ovo For (tbn.-. 4 n