The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-08-04
8 ESTABLISHED IN
I MARCH, 1S45.
GOVERNOR FOSTERS LETTER.

STATE OF OHIO, EXECUTIVE DE-
PARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE
Gown, COLUMBUS, July Is, 1881.
Rev. Mr.. Hirst:
In answer to your inquiries, | have
the following to say:
My personal relations to the M. E..
Church you understand from the con-
versation we had upon the subject.
In regard to the charges made
against me for the purpose of affect
ing my standing with the temperance
people, all of which $50 far as / know
them) have appeared in The Alliance
News. have to say, that they are
one in all without foundation, and so
far no pretense of proof has been of
fered to sustain them, but | am asked
to deny them upon my oath.
L may be pardoned for referring
specifically to some of them. The
charge that l used my personal and
official influence to defeat temperance
legislation was denied by me in let
ter to r. E. Doan, Esq, of Whining
ton, O., in May last, which letter was
generally printed in the Republican
newspapers Of the State at that time.
n Notwithstanding this fact, good men
have been imposed upon to such an
extent as to give currency to this
slander from the pulpit, as we'll as
others equally groundless.
l am charged with meeting saloon
keepers in conference for the purpose
of defeating temperance legislation,
while in fact | never had conference
with saloon-keepers, for any purpose,
or at any time.
am charged with saying that ''the
Methodist preachers ought to be snub-
bed," while such thought never oc-
Cured to me.
L did not caucus upon the temper
ance plank in the Republican plat
form.
Colonel Tucker has, so far as have
any knowledge, given truthful history
of its adoption. [ presume it was
conceived by the Colonel, and carried
through by his efforts.
am charged with refusing to de-
liver the welcoming address to the 10
cal option or Temperance Congress
that met here last winter.
AS [ was not invited to deliver such
an address | could not have refused.
am also charged with holding a
reception in saloon in Sandusky, on
the night of the 4th Of July, 1879.
This story also has no foundation in
truth.
You will not expect me to take up
all the charges made against me. |
repeat that so far as have seen them,
there is no foundation in truth for any
Of them.
The plank in the Republican plat
form is assailed, and the criticism
made upon it by the ultra temperance
people, is, that inasmuch as license is
now prohibited, its only effect will be
to again open the doors to the license
system.
Is this it's only effect, and how does
the question Of local option or prohi-
bition stand under the present Consti-
tuition?
1t is the opinion of well-informed
lawyers that local option or any form
of prohibition is not now constitution
al-that the legislation now on the
statute books well nigh exhausts the
power to legislate in this direction
under the present Constitution.
Good lawyers are of the opinion
that tax law like the Pond Bill is
constitutional.
| am not lawyer, and of course
my opinion upon constitutional ques-
tion is not entitled to much weight
Nevertheless, do not believe that
either local option, or prohibition, or
tax law is constitutional.
1t seems to be clear then, that the
Constitution must be amended if it is
desirable to secure further legislation
in the direction desired by the local
optionists and ultra temperance peo-
pie, or, in fact, in any other direction
other than existing legisl tion.
1t is urged by the friends of local
option that it is but fair to give the
people by popular vote the right to
say whether or not they will permit |
liquors to be sold in the several locali-
ties. 1t is urged with equal force that
it is but fair to permit the people of
the State to determine the kind OF
legislation they want upon this ques-
tion-which they can not have under
the present Constitution. This [ un-
derstand to be the theory of the advo-
Gates Of the plank in the Republican
platform. Yours very truly,
CHARLES FOSTER.
By this time the Convention was
getting hot General Hurst obtained
the floor after some effort on the part
of his friends. He mounted the stage,
and commenced by declaring himself
a practical and consistent temperance
man, but he operated with the Repub-
lican party. You come here, gentle
men, as knifers to whip that party,
and what do you expect to gain by il?
Do you expect to put yourselves into
power? No; but you would elect Mr.
Bookwalter. There are 10000 tenn
perance voters in the State Of Ohio,
and Of these fully $4,000 vote the Re-
publican ticket. The only effect of
withdrawing these $4,000 votes would
be to defeat the Republican party and
establish the Democratic. You offer
a resolution to-day expressing sympa-
thy for President Garfield, and sorrow
over his wound. But you Methodist
ministers here would inflict a greater
wound. You want to ALLEVIATE from
him the support of his party in his
own State, and you would turn the
State over 20 the Democrats, and you
know it.
A delegate-That's lie!
Laughter backed up the interruption
of the delegate, and yells were heard
from among prominent gentlemen all
over the hall. Hes said enough
Hes not in sympathy with us"
"Oh, stopr' "Time's up!"
The din became deafening and con-