The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-06-18
Washington City.

shall pass Jnem Dys We "0iO Ah'0A
all these, but we were more interested IN the
men who have been designated blythe people
for important public trusts. We should
think that both branches of the national
Legislature we're composed Of men of tair
talents, and that the public interests would
not suffer for want of capacity in those to
whom, those interests are committed. We
were, however, more than ever impressed
with the necessity of mingling temperance
,oth politics, of securing Maine Law, not
only for the States, but for the District OF
Columbia. The number of brandy bloated
faces in the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives, is very large, and were informed
that liquor drinking was almost universal.
There are aspirants for the Presidency who
are candidates for the drunkard's grave. If
the people of the United States are fairly
represented at Washington, we are indeed
a nation of drunkards. We do not intend
to particularize; but there are something like |
a score of Hannegans in the Senate OF the
United States, and two or three times as
many in the lower House. Temperance
men, every where, have been laboring under
the delusion that their principles ought not
to control them at the polls, and especially
in the selection of Congressman. If their
candidates were only sound, politically, no
matter what their habits or temperance SEN
timents. This is all wrong, and their course
must be changed. 1t is inconsistent, hypo-
critical, criminal, to vote for drunken men,
for any office whatever, and more especially
for the office of Senator or Representative
in Congress- Millions of the peoples money
are squandered every year, in consequence
of the election of drunken men to Congress.
These eight dollars per day men, meet at IL
o'clock each day, spend few hours in
making bunkum speeches, showing their
love of the dear people, their devotion to
party, their preferences for Presidential can
didates, then adjourn to meet in the bar
rooms to drink and swear, talk politics,
tell obscene stories, sing bachanalian songs
through the night, and then, with fevered
lips and burning brain, exhausted by the
nights debauch, they enter upon the public
business on the following day.
When will decent men, of all political
parties, apply the remedy? There is a rem
edy! If the leaders of Whiggery and De
mocracy could be made to understand that
candidates of unexceptionable moral char
acter, only, could secure the suffrages o.
sober citizens, the evil would be removed
We must mingle temperance with politics
and, for ourself, we shall denounce every
man, of any party, who brings himself, o.
is brought by others, before the people fol-
their sufrages, who is a drinking man
Such a man, whatever may be his talents
or his political position, is entirely unfit fol
a post of honor or trust. He is corrupt and
is cOrrupting to others, and the more he is
exalted, the more darnning his influence
Such men understand the influence of liquor
and avail themselves of this potent agent,
to secure places to which their merits do not
entitle them. During the session of the
Democratic Convention at Baltimore, the
aspirants for the Presidency were not there
. in person, but they had their houses open
: where all could procure liquor at their ex
pense. We presume the same scenes hav
l. been enacted over again this week, in Bait
v more, during the session of the Wing cor
vention.
= When we dare to complain of this stat
e of things, we are told that We go too ia
o we are fanatical, we hurt our great mOraI r,
{ form by mingling our principles with poll
e tics. The fact is, we are driven to our pc
sition in self defence. There is no alterna
tive left for US. We call upon all temper
ance men, every where, to stand up hk
, men and contend against iniquity in higl
places. When politicians see and know
that you are in earnest, and that you can moi
be coaxed or driven into the support oi
drunken vagabonds, your influence will be
felt and your wishes respected.
These cunning, intriguing politicians
know when and how to avail themselves oi
the moral and religious sentiment of the ma
ton to answer their ends. They have their
National Conventions opened daily with
! prayer, not for the purpose of asking the
blessing of God upon their shufHing, bar.
gaining, wire-working and chicanery, but
to secure the votes of the religious world fol
the candidates they may select.
We need, we must have, higher toned
moral sentiment before we can hope for {
triumph over the great vice of the age
Temperance men must be eclectic in thei
! politics, and not suffer themselves to bt
dragooned into the service of Office seekers
who are destitute of every qualification ex
cept that of being Wing or Democrat
The country and its interests are safe il
the hands of honest, wise, sober men, NJ
matter to which party they belong. StumI
orators may talk about the importance, th'
absolute necessity of placing their favOrit'
parties in power, and the dangers tha
threaten the union and prosperity of th'
States &c. DC, but sensible men know tha
this is all electiOneering twaddle. Tn
loaves and fishes are the stakes to be los