The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-06-18
Hsborough County, Ohio, Thursday
'[For the News.
The Crisis.

The Crisis.
The time has come when earnest
men and women should sacrifice pers-
onal feeling and comfort, and take
upon themselves the work of genuine,
thorough and permanent Reform.
We have too long left to corrupt
men the management of our public
affairs and the administration of our
official duties. AS consequence OF
our culpable neglect, we see our
officers pandering to the demands OF
immortality, our courts subservient to
the interests ofyice, our juries vendal,
and our halls of justice mock tribu-
nails.
| Those who trample upon our laws
and laugh when we attempt to bring
them to justice, have added triumph
to triumph, until law-abiding citizens
are bye-word upon the streets, and
the names of those seeking to pro-
tect their fellow-men from harm are
banded from mouth to mouth with
oaths and obscenity, amidst the plau-
dts of beings calling themselves de-
cent and respectable. Men who
should be with the right, men Of in
teAigence, culture, wealth have made
a common interest with, and become
the constant and chosen compan-
ions of, the drunkard, the debauchee
and the whisky-vender. Nay, even
members of our churches, men of So
cial position and influence, are the
volunteer companions of vice and
criminslity. In the name of God and
humanity, weask, is this to ealways
so? Is it always to subject man to
insult for him to stand for the Right
against notorious, fragrant and con
fessed wrong? Is the moral power
of the community forever to go with
bowed head and bended knee in the
presence of this Power of Darkness?
For months the good women and
men of Hillsboro have striven with
the evil. A long, wearying contestit
has been. They have seen many to
whom they had thought to look for
help, pass by upon the other side.
They have heard many sneer, who
should have blessed. They have felt
the heartless coldness and in
difference Of many more. They have
given their health, their comfort,
their lives, to the work, and are de-
termined never to yield. Only they
beg that they may be granted help
and sympathy, instead of apathy and
disdain.
They now appeal to all good peo
pie to aid them. They ask for Or
ganized, systematic effort in their
behalf. Other portions ofour county
have been more fortunate in suppress
ing the evil. Can they not give &C
tive help to those who have so
long and bravely fought the enemy
in this, his strongest stronghold!
The reformation must begin at the
beginning to be a permanent one.
Our Grand Juries are worthless.
Send up men to act in them as men,
not as instruments in the hands of
the whisky men. Our officers are
used by those whom they should
bring to justice and condemn.
Elect for us avowed, open, pro-
nounced men, who will die before
they yield to do or suffer wrong.
Our laws are deficient. Send up
Legislators who will assist to make
them strong, and capable of prompt
application. Our lawyers are in the
main opposed to the enforcement of
such laws as we have. Let them feel
in pocket and reputation, that he
who processes to enforce justice
should not place himself as STUN
bling block in its way.
Let such public sentiment be
aroused that it will be as disgraceful
to cover wrong as to do a wrong,
and thus men will be forced, for
Uery shame, to do right. The power
is with the moraland religious people
of the county. Only let them assert
that power and the work is done.
The victory is assured, though the
warfare may be long. Only let every
good citizen of the county put on his
uniform in this campaign, which is
has as well as ours, and soon we will
see the power which by our lethargy
has grown SO great, fall and die, and
our community freed from the wretch
edness of its tyranny.