The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-04-02
Tsmperanoe Politicians.

Temperance Politicians.
It is sometimes openly charged, but more
frequently meanly insinuated, that offices
of trust and profit are the objects WHICH
leading temperance men are seeking This
accusation not only imputes baseness Of
motive, but destitution Of intellect to the
active laborers in this great field Of reform.
Who such an ignoramus as not to know
that the way to secure popular favor and
political preferment, is to cater to the vulgar
preiudices, vicious appetites, and corrupt
passions of menH When ard where was
leader in any great moral reform elevated
on this account to positions Of trust ana
profitP The man who combsts the vices
Of his age must look for proper aPPrecia-
ton Of his worth to posterity. We do not
say that good and worthy men have NOT
been elevated to office, and that such viii
not be in future. This would impeach the
virtue and patriotism Of the people; but
we do say that aspirants for preierment, II
they would be successful, should not openly
and vigorously assail any popular vice or
error When the cause of Temperance
shall be universally popular, and when a
drinking man shall be regarded as unit for
Office, there will doubtless be politicians
who will avail themselves of the temper
auce sentiment 10 secure office, without
having any love for the cause themselves;
but in all such cases those who were active
in combating the evil when it was general
will not be the favored ones. They VIII
have rendered themselves Odious, and the
preiudices originally inspired will never be
entirely dissipated. A new set OF men
those lust born into the kingdom OF tenn
perapce-will get the rewards. There has
been a class of men who joined the cold
water army with an expectation that they
could avail themselves of its triumphs to
aggrandize themselves; but they long since
found ont their error and deserted to the
enemy, preferring the pleasures and emolu-
uepts of sin to suffering affliction with the
people of God. These very men may yet
avail themselves of the popularity OF lem
perance to secure their hearts desire. They
ioined our ranks too soon, and they under
stood human nature well enough to know
that a protracted struggle, even though 1t
should be a successful one against prevail
ing vice. would not result in their own dis
tinction. If temperance men were now or
hereafter to cast about for candidate for
high office, it would be impOlitic and un-
wise in them to select man who had been
very prominent as an advocate Of the great
reform, and who had from every pulpit and
every stump declaimed against the vice OF
drinking, and the guilt and criminality OF
the liouor traffic. They would rather
choose an individual who had been quiet,
but upon whose integrity Of principle they
could rely.
We repeat the idea. No matter how soon
the cause of temperance becomes unlver-
sally popular, those who have borne the
burden and the heat Of the day-who have
been in the " forlorn hope must look for
their rewards to another generation. 1t
must be glory for them to have been III the
front ranks in a successful battle They
must content themselves with the reward
of such as are prosecuted for righteous
ness sake" for theirs is the kingdom OF
Heaven" and not the honors and emolu-
ments of earth. If by any means the State
of Ohio should be suddenly reVoluuonized,
and none but thorough tetotaller could be
/ elected 10 Office, we would rather have the
chances Of success of the present Executive
of the State, if his conversion was as sudden
as St. Paul's, than those of any man Of his
party who had fought for Temperance
through years Of discouragement and toll
The accusation, then, that the leading tenn
perance men are seeking office, is libel
upon their intelligence, to say nothing OF
the vile calumny upon the purity of their
motives. Those who make the charges
would be the first to mount the temperance
hobby, if success was probable.