The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-09-03
Hon. N. Barrere on the New
Constitution and WOmen's
Temperance Movement.

Barrere having, on the eve of tn
election, appeared as counsellor ant
presented his views of the merits anc
dement's of the New Constitution
through the Hillsboro Gazette, it il
not now important torefer in detailtc
his objections to its provisions, which
cost so much time and labor on The
part of the able men who composed
the Convention to pass in review.
Mr.. Barrere doubtless is compe
tent to give judgment upon the pro
posed changes in the Court system
His decision is that the new system
is "more complex mors complicated
and cumbersome than the old one.
He advises the voterss to reject it
He says the leading men in the
Convention had but little to do in
making ''the New Book, as the New
Constitution is called. The Consti
tuition is the work of men of small
calibre-''the narrow minded men
were largely in the majority in that
Convention" He says, ''the men Of
intellect and information were quite
reticent." He gives no reason why
the men of intellect held back.
Why was their superiority kept in
abeyance and an abortive bantling
suffered to be put forth, to run the
risk of rejection by people who were
paying dearly enough toentitle them
to the best fruits of the best intel
lects? Where and what were the
leading minds doing? Why did the
narrow-minded men take the lead,
while the intelligent, good men looked
on?
Mr.. Barrere proceeds from his
judgment upon the material and re-
suit of the labors of this Conven-
ton to the "silly women of Southern
"Ohio, who along with the more cum
'ning portion of the clergy, were
disturbing the streets of our towns
land cities with their -profanations
''of the cause of religion. l."
Mr.. Barrere has nothing to say of
the orgies of intemperance, by
which our nights are made hideous,
while he is much disturbed by hear
ing the voice of prayer and praise
upon the streets. He is concerned
for the honor of religion. His
righteous soul revolts at its "profan-
alton" by the 'silly women and the
more cunning portion Of the clergy"
This sounds very much like the slang
of the infdel, who wants all re-
igious and moral restraints removed.
This is mere catering to the cause of
infdelity and demagoguery, and is
unworthy of Mr.. BIS conceded abil-
ity and conservative position in the
community.
Mr.. B. states some of his objec-
tions to this Constitution. He emu
merates the right, given to females,
to hold school offices, as the open
ing wedge to female suffrage. He
objects to the Judicial and Senator
ial districts, as prompted by partisan
motives. Now this districting was
accepted by the able Democrats, G.
A. White, Tom Ewing, &c. as fair
and equal distribution of the political
power of the State, with reference to
party. Mr.. B. discloses what were
the reasons which operated upon the
Democracy of this district to reject
the Constitution. It was not SO
much their opposition to the new
Judiciary as their opposition to the
new Judicial and Senatorial district
ing, which removed Democrats from
office and left no further prospects
for Democrats being retained as
Judges and Senators. Mr.. B. says
there is certainly no reason why
any Democrat should vote for it.
Mr.. B. proceeds to discuss the
License system. He says the very
idea of license is restriction. Now
I think the radical idea is Iberty-re
lease from restriction-authority tc
do thing which was under some
moral or legal restraint.
Mr.. B, says that prior to 1851, sa
looms were unknown in Ohio. Why
Because hotels and inns had the au
thority of the State to sell up to the
demands of the public appetite
They needed no saloons, because
there were sufficient licensed places
to supply all classes with intoxicat
ing liquor. The licenses given die
did not restrict, but gave liberty tC
manufacture drunkards from ever,
class, until the evil of intemperanc'
became so great and prominent
that philanthropists were impelled t.
step forward to arrest the flow O
that tide which was bearing so man,
down to the drunkard's doom
Young and old were involved by tn
facilities for obtaining strong drink
and the general drinking habits G
the people.
Mr.. B. says that "the assumption
that the manufacture and sale {
) spiritnous liquors is morally wrong
, simply nonsense" ="
: Mr.. BIS testimony is in favor {
l the old system of license, as estat
tahlished in this State. The write