Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-09-17
The Democratic Platform.

the I'd resolution:
That we are opposed to all sumptu
ary laws and that we deny the right
of one portion of the community, py
leOal forms. to dictate to another por-
ton what their habits in economy ana
domestic life shall be; and that 1t Is
the highest duty of Government TO
protect individual freedom and person
al rights against all officious encroaeh-
ments and legislative intermeddllng.
If, by 'ssumptuary laws the fram
ers of the resolution (brother Sim
mons was one of them) meant moth
ing more than merely regulating ex-
penses of living, we admit that it
might be an infringement upo per-
sonal rights to pass 'sumptuary laws,
and we know of no body or party
that asks the enactment of laws for
this purpose, disconnected with iniu-
ences resulting therefrom, that are, of
themselves, dangerous to the public
interests and morals of the country.
There never has been day since the
foundation of State government in
Ohio, when there was not some legal
restrictions upon the sale of intoxicat
ing liquors, in some shape; and why :?
Because the results of that traffic were
damaging to tho public interests, to
civilization and the great principles
upon which all civil and Christian Gov
ernments are founded. No man has
a right to make public nuisance of
himself Whilst enjoying the rights
and privileges of citizen, he has no
right to use them in such a manner as
to annoy and disturb the peace and
quiet of the neighborhood he has no
right to become riotous when on his
own premises, iS his conduct and
habits are of character that render
him indecent, pestiferous and public
nuisance; because other people have
rights as well as himself, and we take
it as a correct principle, that in the
formation of civil Governments, it is
necessary, in order to their establish
ment, that compromises should be
made for the Lenefit of the whole. In
all organizations, civil, political, NOR
al and religious, compromises have to
be made to a certain extent; but, in
making these compromises it does not
become necessary to make them in
such a manner as to prescribe what q
man shall eat or what he shall drink,
but it is required of him that he shall
not abuse these rights to the extent OF
making himself a public nuisance, a
vagabond; to make himself end his
family public charge to be support
ed by the honest, Industrious portion
of his fellow citizens. This lie has nc
right to do, and people have right tc
protect themselves against results 'ot
this kind by the enactment of laws
for, in accordance with the principles
of compromise, to which we have re
; ferrod, has any man right ito prose
cute any branch of business that il
= itself, or in its results, is public nui
+ sance, or dams 5ing to the peace, quiet
c morals, health, or pecuniary interest
= Of the citizens where such business il
prosecuted? And the people have
right, by legal enactments, to protec
, themselves against encroachments o
this character and this right of self
= protection is what the Democrat
, platform, to which we have referred
protests and assumes as dictation
The right of the Legislature to pu
: restraints upon the sale of intoxicat
e ing liquors is as old as our State gov
ernment, Every Democratic admins
!, tration since its formation has aC
It knowledged the right, by restricting
d under a licenre, or by statutary laws
Il or by both; and yet, the wisacre
s who founded and adopted the pla
form for the Democratic party in tht
Congressional district, deny this rigl
to the people; and yet, in the first re!
II olution of their Congressional plar
Ie form they say, "That we endorse an
. reaffirm the resolutions adopted b
3 the Democratic State Convention hel
/ at Columbus August 26, 1874" Blu
} by examining the Democratic pla
II form, it will be seen that instead
y endorsing, the Congressional ConveI
d ton of this district, repudiates one
Is it's planks we refer to the 18th rest
/ luton of the State platform, whic
II reads as follows:
II RoSoI0ed, That we favor the sui
mission to the people by the Gener
Assembly of an amendment to tt
/ Constitution authorizing the passae
"a of license laws.
lc Here it will be seen that the Sta
is platform favors and recommends
in license restriction, while the Congre
rs sional platform denies any such rig
D. of any portion of the country, al
Id denounces it as ''oficial encroachme
D. and legislative intermeddling.
le Perhaps the gentleman of teuton
j. nationality, who was chairman of al
m reported the Democratic COngressio
5, al platform, had mental reasons Fl
rn pledging his party in this distri
IN against what he falsely terms sumpt
airy laws-such as licenses and Iegisl
tive restrictions, and denounces as &C
Il ficious encroachment and Legislati,
!" intermeddling"
III But we leave this conflicting po
'S tion between the State and the
= Congressional platform, for the Del