Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-03-20
QuInbY Local option BIN

A special dispatch to the Cincinnati
Gazette, dated Columbus, Ohio, March |
11th, says:
The debate this afternoon on Mr.. Quin- |
by's local option bill excited more inter- |
est than anything that has come up here
for some years. The lObbies and all spare
seats il, the body of the house were occu-
pied with prominent advocates OF tenn
Derance from different parts of the State.
Il may be that the presentation of the pc
titions of over 900 people in favor of the
bill, Just before the bill came up for its
third reading, had considerable to do
with weakening the boIdness of the OPP
position. Certain it is that the opposl-
ton was by no means as outspoken as the
friends of the measure anticipated. Mr..
Quinby having made his speech on the
motion to engross the bill, had less to say
| to-day, and the House took its noon re-
cess after the conclusion of his introduce
! ton.
After dinner, Mr.. Townsend, who is
one of the strongest men on the Republi-
can side of the House. made a strong eff
| fort in behalf of the bill, on the grounds
of its entire practicability for the purpose
intended, and its consisting with the
spirit of our form of government and the
State Constitution in giving the people
of small communities the right to decide
4 for themselves on any such questions. 1t
| was an able legal argument, without any
repetition of the old and defeated argu-
ments on sentimental or moral grounds.
Mr.0glevee made an equally earnest,
practical and effective speech in favor of
the bill.
Mr.. BohI (Democrat) was the first to
oppose it. He took ground that the DEM
ocratic party, throughout its history has
been opposed to all sumptuary laws.
He knew that the majority of the people
are opposed to such laws because they
had so frequently expressed their opin-
ions by defeating the party proposing or
passing them, He arraigned the Sixty
Second Assembly for dodging the ques-
ton when presented before 1t, and
charged the minority with partisan Trick
} ery in trying to force the issue upon the
Democratic majority now.
The sensation of the day was the speech
of Mr.. Alexander (Democrat) in response
to Mr.. BOIL. Mr.. Alexander has always
commanded the respect of his political
opponents in the House because of their
belief in his sincerity, and the broader
grounds of principle upon which he sup
ports his party. Their confidence is in
, nowise shaken to-day, and Mr.. AleXan-
der is the hero of the hour. He denounc-
ed Indignantly the Inference left by Mr.
Bohl, that the Democratic party depends
for its support upon the friendship of the
saloon keepers. That element has hung
: like stone upon the neck of the party
and has constantly kept it down. He haL
defended the principles of his party be
fore bowling mObs, and if the principle!
of this party were in opposition to thost
1 L of everything moral, everything virtu
d Gus, everything honest, he has made
J. terrible mistake. If this is party ques
ton, sprung for political effect, he hopet
: the Democratic party would put itself ol
(, the side of right. There are grande
: principles in the Democratic party thai
h opposition to sumptuarV laws. The gen
tleman has inquired how many of the pc
e titioners for this bill are voters. He dit
; not care if there was not single vote
= among the GO, 200 signatures. The pray
ers of women, who are the greatest sui
ferers, ought to be heard before those O
Ia any person. He did not care how tn
Il elections would result in consequence O
. the bill. If the Democratic party can
IS supported and propped up in its old ag
II only by the support of saloon keepers, it
,e time for it to go down.
A round of enthusiastic applause fror
II the lobbies followed the speech, and
70 the Speaker had not quietly suppresse
IN it, the members themselves might hav
es joined.
i (Democrats), erased allth credit chalze
/ for their party by speeches in oppositio
K to the bill, Br- Bloom going so far as
Al oppose even the amendment, on tn
Il ground that a majority has no right
~ decide as to the habits or customs of a IN
n nority. He did not want the Republican
ar to point their fingers over to his side
n the house as if the Democrats were IL
It offscourings of the State, and opposed
~ everything honest or right. They OF
In posed it in the interest of morality an
ie temperance,
of Good speeches were made in defense
n. the bill by Messrs. Ldccock, Hitchcoc
~. | and Sullivan, of Miami.