New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-19

church with which the Wing party IS In
that State popularity identified. In times
Of langMd interest in Politics, this influence
has been sufficient to make Connecticut
turn her back on herself
But other distractions are likewise
potential, and all adverse to Wing ascen-
dancy. That which is now most formida-
Bile, is the Temperance agitation. A large
proportion-we believe large majority
of the voters of Connecticut have become
convinced that the moral and social evils
resulting from the Liquor Trffiac are so es-
sential, so palpable, so overwhelming, that
it has become their imperative public
duty to do their utmost to place that traffic
under the ban of the law. They can per-
ceive no purpose of Government more i'm
portant than the legal Introduction with
view to the immediate limitation and Ill
innate suppression of that desolating traffic.
Now the Temperance men are not all of one
party any more than the liquor dealers and
drinkers are, but it is a notorious truth that
a majority of the Total Abstinents and per-
haps larger majority of the Legal Sua-
sionists are Wings, while majority of the
Rumsellers style themselves Democrats.
Of course, this fact has weight in shaping
the impulses and the course of the rival
parties, political and spirituous. The rum
seller or free drinker is naturally inclined
to go with his friends that is, with
those who are most likely, in the nature Of
things, to protect his business or his induI-
gence. And, as Interest and Appetite are
apt to be quicker of scent and step than
abstract Principle, the diversion thus eff
fected in behalf of Loco Focoism has not
yet been cOunterbalanced. Wing liquor
dealers were most active and efficient in
electing the present LOco-FOco Governor,
while few or no Temperance men have as
yet been gained to the Wing standard.
And the tendency of the Liquor-selling in
terest to array itself in solid column under
the Loco Foco standard is stronger this
Spring than ever before. Every invet-
crate abuse, every tolerated iniquity, in
stinctively feels that, as the popular atten-
ton is drawn to its nature and consequences,
and as the moral sentiment of the good
is brought to bear thereon, there will, there
must be a natural tendency to test the
efficacy of Legal Repression in shielding
the community from its desolation and
that in such case the natural refuge of such
iniquity is under the guns Of the Loco-Foco
citadel. The fundamental maxims of the
party respecting the nature and sphere of
Government vvnoPiIo with the PorSon~l
appetites and interests of large portion
of its votaries to invite and insure that
resort.
On the other hand, the question pre-
scented to the Wings by this complication
of issues for the election is one of eonsid-
cradle difficulty. Undoubtedly, a large
majority of them are Temperance men,
and most willing to aid in interdicting and
SURPRISING the Liquor Traffic. But even
these may fairly say, as many of them do
say: The practical question is not wheth-
8 er we shall forbid Rumselling by law, but
whether we shall vainly attempt it, and
thereby PROSTATE the Wing cause without
aiding that of Temperance For, though
the Wings are a majority, and the Tenn
perance men also majority, yet cOmbi-
nation of all the Wing devotees of Liquor
with the unbroken Opposition party is too
much for the Temperance Wings, es was
proved by last years election.
But while we admit that this view of the
subject is plausible, it seems clear to our
mind that another is more profoundly Just,
and that to walk safely in circumstances
so critical it is needful to walk boldly.
Two considerations must not be overlooked
first, that, whatever others may do, there
is a considerable proportion of the Wings
whose votes ,ciU be influenced by deter
mination to suppress the Liquor Traffic,
while a number once Wings have gone
openly and thoroughly to the other side
solely to uphold and protect that Traffic;
and, in the next place, the Temperance
men now lingering in the Opposition ranks
have an excuse for so doing, in the irresO-
Lutte, shilly-shally attitude of the Wing
party. Thus the question is not whether
Temperance shall or shall not influence
the Election, for it has been decided that it
shall, and that decision cannot be reversed;
nor whether the Wings viii not lose more
than they can gain by the Temperance