The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-06-05

renting Il uOu>c, iiltil IIl''Et SAl'tii ~
! praying in.it-at least above a wlisf fse
And all this has a plausible seclniI
} which misleads many an honest citiZe
= | The public safety Is threatened. say the
: shall we not surrender rights 10 -s
blOodshed.
Fellow-citizens Of by the courtesy
} my German friends ! may be pernittt
TO call myself citizen-if not, mu
be an alien, | declare to you that ii
greater danger lies in these very con
promises which are made for peace
Throw a tiger piece of meat TO kee
him from your person, it stimulates I'll
tiger appetite which makes your per
four-fold greater Look him in the ey
with steady nerve and fearless front, h
sinks away covered and harmless.
| tell you it is perilous TO surrende
inalienable rights to a mob, or seek I
quelI it by concessions of just and cEel
ished principles.
1t is dangerous to yield our sacre
rights even TO authorities who may fo
the time being be elevated to position
of trust unworthily held.
All sdch concessions on the part o
good citizens is but the sowing owe
again of the dragons teeth, quickly I,
spring up armed men to slay with un
stayed hand and desolate our fair city
Such, then, is the elimination of Oul
disgrace, which we do well to ponder ere
we go farther on this perilous path.
In this "Queen City" of the West, witt
its unequalled advantages for trade and
commerce, with its proud history in the
struggles for national liberty, with it,
/ oil ,F l.,
any city of our Union, with its admira-
bic free schools and public libraries, with
its thousands of noble, patriotic citizens,
in respect to all of which it stands pre-
eminent; yet here, behold, on the other
hand, our shameful Pre-eminence!
Praying is practically a crime; law
breaking, a virtue.
The mob is defended, the Church is
defied. Drunkard-making is protected,
drunkard-saving is prescribed. Vice is
crowned, virtue is eliminated, Guilt
lifts its head triumphantly, innocence
bows in debasement and humiliation
BOisterous bullies crowd the street cor
ners and block the sidewalks unGis-
turbed; godly women seeking to save
them are rudely hastened to the station
house. The dens of he'll are guarded by
the police; the messengers of heaven,
striving to shed holy light upon the
darkness, are thrust away like felOns by
the same authorized power. The pic
ture is not too strongly painted. Room
on the strects-roOm everywhere i'll this
Christian city for rOwdies and rioters,
for gamblers and robbers. for Sabbath
breakers and disturbers of holy wOpship,
for prostitutes and infamous characters
of every name and grade-rOOm fer all
these pests of society, Un:nOlested in
their work of death, but no room and 10
protection for modest women, mission
aries of the Christian religion, whose
work has confessedly done more to stay
the tides of death and elevate society,
than any other agency of modern times.
Ichallenge refutation of these charges
And all this virtually under the sanction
of the authorities sworn TO guard the
sacred interests OF the city.
oh Shame. where is thy blush,
Oh Liberty, where is thy sacred shrine,
Oh Manhood, whittier hast thou fled.
With these facts before Us. staring us
grimly in the face, lCidt then becomes the
duty Of the hoUrl
l. Prudence. Let us be calm. self
poised, and selfvcontrolled. Let it be
understood that the pulpit of st. Paul's
Methodist Episcopal Church cOunselSno
raslness nor violence, no violation of
laws, no resort to arms. unless III sheer
defense of personal liberties; but the
rather does counsel prudent regard for
the highest interests of the city, a wise
consideration of the public safety. No
other counsel has ever been given by
NE.
2. But prudence is not the only nor
the highest duty of the hour-coUrage is
not less imperative and necessary.
The most impolitic course possible for
man or city or nation to pursue is to
stand quaking in the presence of real or
supposed peril Timidity is danger.
Boldness is safety. Dare, and stand.
Tremble, yield and fall.
Timil lity has already lost us the OppOr-
tunity for the grandest victory of the
campaign. l impeach no mans motives.
criticise in no unkind spirit any mans
actions.
There was no real case against the
ladies who stood at the bar of the Police
Court on Wednesday last. The Prose
cutting Attorney and Judge are under
stood TO have so expressed themselves.
They are honest men. | respect them,
and have their own personal assurance
that they are in sympathy with the ladies
and the temperance movement, il not
with all its methods
| violate no confidence in these senti-
menis honor them for their sy1npa-
thy. But they were apprehensive of
future Internationally, no doubt-and
so, instead of a triumphant vindication,
these women are dismissed with a tacit
reprimand and Injunction to ego and sin
no more"
The Prosecuting Attorney did his duty,
and, as the city's attorney, made the best
case lie could. And a weak one it was,
though it was not his fault, because there
was no case. The Judge honestly thought
the public safety demanded the injunc-
ton he gave, though in his heart he
would have preferred to have said what
the facts warranted: ''lou have done
no harm; | find no fault with you; 90
and save all the drunkards you can, and
shut up all the rum-shopS i'll the city"
And if he could have added-wlIich |
know he had no power to do-''the city
authorities will sustain you" ! believe
the city would have been ten-fold more
safe than il is to-day.
lean conceive OF nothing more fraught
with peril 10 the city than to acknOwl-
edge ourselves to be virtually in the
hands of a mob, with no adequate force |
to protect us.
III the city government had wished TO
deliver this city into the bloody hands |
of a fierce mob, it is difficult to imagine
what course they could have pursued |
more certain to accomplish such an end |
than the course they have pursued.
They have with marked consistency |
and steadiness of purpose allied them |
selves with these riOtOus elements, and |
as steadily arrayed themselves against |
the peaceble, law-abiding, law-demand- |
ing classes. They have protected the |
former and threatened the latter And !
now that they have fed the tiger till his |
bloodis fired and his eye flashes with evil |
intent. they bid us toss him more meat TO |
hold him at bay-surrender sacred rights |
to keep the public peace.
In the name OF an outraged public | |
nrotest against any further surrender to |
Ihis iniduitOus rule. l protest III the in
terest OF public safety; protest in be
half of the public veal Corruption |
and eowardice have long enough borne |
SWAY. Courage must now have suprem-
acy. 1t will lead US TO safety and tri-
umph.
Let it be understood that the author
lied power of the city is hencefOrth |
agaiHst rum and riot, JCith law and jus
tee. and fifty policemen would keep the
peace undisturbed. o, for a real Jack 1
son to come 10 the front and put courage |
into fainting hearts and overawe with /
single word OF command the turbulent |
mob.
Friends. it is our duty as citizens. one |
and all. TO be courageous and detennin- |
ed. 1t is our dusy because right de- |
.ands it; it i our duty because safety |
demands it. Fear counsels silence and |
fear says, if you array myself |
against the liquor interests in |
this fight your property will be endan- |