The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-06-24
TEMPER ANCE.

secure the Adoption oi one essentially iiAe ~ J
this state.
We regret that this very distinguished an
worthy body. should have fel, il 10 be their du
ity, 10 lnteYpose their political, official and reli
gieus sanction 10 measure, which we canno
but esteem injurious 10 the object they seek I
Ipromoie, an;i-Repablican in its tendency an
Oppressive in its effect The history of all oais
latien upon the subject in this country, shows
that majority OF the people are opposed 10 po
lltleal temperance. Opposed 10 Il, because The.
believe il calculated TO eulbitter one portion o
our people against another, confound the ide
Iot mora. reform, with political progress, IN
crease. in place Of diminishing the evils OF in
Temperance, and at war with the rne spirit o
cur Institutions.
We copy the above from the Dubuque
Express no; with the traiilcss object OF al
tempting n change Of lis editors notion,
ia regard to the necessity Of enac,ing stFin
gent laws in respect to Temperance, ba'
10 show our readers the kind Of people who
advocate and who oppose such measure
The above is fair type 81 the two classes
of individuals In favor of legal enact
ment we tind Christians OF all denomina-
tons, together with those philan,hropicalls
disposed persons who are willing to make
almost any sacrifice for the well being Of
their fellow creatures. Opposed TO laws
restraining the traffic in iqnor, we occa,
sionally, it is true, find members of church
es; excellent, weil-disposed persons, but
men who have mol given the subject that
reflection which IFS momentousness dc.
manas, but the great mass OF the opposition
consists Of the wai>key dealers and their
friends
We lay j, down as an axiom, that with
in the wide spread boundaries Of the Z
States there is not one Christian who does
not advocate Temperance who does moi
only say that Temperance is very good
thing in its place, but Who uses his ability
10 Danish lntemperance from the land.
Christianity and !ntemperance are rs in
compatible as light and darkness. All
Christians are therefore upon the side otI
Temperance. Wnhth world, every maj
who is good citizen, who seeks 10 benefit
his fellow creatures, will oppose that which
induces disorder in society, that which bru
taiizes his fellow beings. Therefore every
good citizen is an advocate of Temperance.
Whom have We left! We have the strong /
opponents, the real ,rorkies in opposition
% Temperance Men with whom human
happiness, human life and human soul are
nothing in contrast with The love Of gold /
The Fee as well as the Friend OF man.
must have bis emssafies upon earth and
hese are they.
The Christian and The good citizen le-
ing united in regard 10 the object, how rash
g perli such stake -iraught y lib the pres
snt and eternal woIi-beng d man bout
Tho mode Of eiIeciing H. Those who en-
listed early and during the war" ii The
Temperance ranks, Tell Us Of The utter
lseessness of moral suasion. But 10 we
need 10 be told Of this? Have We moi the
common sense to perceive. that those shaE
frequent our Temperance meetings and
listen to our suasioa arc the moral aud re
.igious portion of our community? That
The men whom we have described above 81
ne opponents Of Temperance, are Tie very
ones whom moral suasion cannot reach.
aud if il did could not effect? Laws are
not made 10 restrain the good but the bad
Of community, and be who thinks the tad
can be governed by moral sulsion deceive,
himself
We are not in favor Of making Temper.
ance party question, but we are an alvo-
cate Of making il political ono Item
perancc men, composing as they 10 three.
foarths Of community, have moi The slami-
~ q induce Tie political parties 10 nomi. !
maize men for the State Legislature who
will aid III ressing Temperance enact
ments, then We are mistaken in our esti
mate Of mankind. BIT say sone-whoI
are more strongly weddel to party than toI
any good that party may Accomplishment
bat wish 10 carry Temperance into politics
to elect your osn men. And pray what
10 yoa wish? You desire that men NAV
be elected without reference 10 Temper
ance, as they may then be enabled to say
that they can oppose legal action in res
peci to Temperance without disobeyingI
he instructions of their constituents.
To put the whole question in nutshell
with regard 10 the means Of advancing
Temperance, moral suasion has been tried
fer twenty years and withoat avail, now
we must resort to some ether method, -
State enaetments Of all shadss Of zirictness
nave been tried and proved Of little Utility
An enactment u noY introduced II an cn
tifels pfohlhitery nature and during the
lew months il has been enforced. has prov
ed itself entirely worthy Tic confidence Of
Temperance men.
We conclude with n proposition: ifany
opponent Of The Maine Law will prove to