Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-08-25
THURSDAY, AUGUST ls, 1862.

If the editor Of the Courier had been covered
oil over with alcohol, and lighted match had
then been applied to him, he could hardly have
bazed up more fercely than he has this week,
OH the subject Of temperance. He cuts more
awkward antics over it than bear in dance.
He first tells us he cannot sympathise with the
sentiments Of the resolutions adopted at the Bap-
tist Church last Monday night, "any more than
Greeley did with the Baltimore Wing platform"
Greeley, it will be remembered, wanted TO "SpH
on the Wing PLATFORM and has since formally
abandoned the Wing party. Yet In another col
umn our consistent neighbors quote with iour-
ish an article from the Washington Union, in
which it is charged that the Maine Liquor Law
is new plank in the Wing platform, and Gree
ley's advocacy alsne pointed 10 as evidence! In
their anxiety to intimate delcately that they
would like TO Spt on the temperance platform, our
neighbors have shown themselves aware of their
own inconsistency. They commend the Wash
ington Union fer saying ave have no business
with it as Democrats, one tray or the oiher," and
then broadly tell us that the Maine Liquor Law
will be defeated by the Democracy whenever it
is brought before the people, and intimate that
as good Democrats the Democracy of this city
are expected to paint bottle on their banners,
and march to victory! They tell US that drunk
enness is great evil but they oppose its ban
ishment until all men shall have become Chris
tians-which, to say the least Of il is very in
definite postponement. They say they are
"friends of the temperance cause;" yet they
wish to bring on our city deluge Of liquor.
They are astonished that Liquor Ldw Reform
Association should want men in office who would
reform the liquor law! they didn't expect it
they were "slruck all of a heap" by the awful
discovery which burst upon them last Monday
night.
Altogether, we never before saw such bum
die of stupid stuff in one paper-no, not even IN
the Courier! Did they overlook the following
paragraph in the article they copied from the
Washington UnionP
alt is our duty as good citizens, to submit
quietly to what majority OF the people enact
in the constitutional legislative assemblies"
The right of the majority to rule and the duty
Of the minority to submit, are fundamental Prn-
ClpleS III our lOIIh VI bO'N''HH''
The Courier closes with the following para
graphs, which we feel bound to term an outrage
upon common decency. The ministers who
have participated in this movement have charac-
tiers which are happily above the power OF
the Courier to tarnsh. The purity Of their mo-
tives needs no defense from us
The meetings Of this Association have all
been held in churches. Are Gods temples TO
be desccratGd by political gatherings The
more active leaders of the Association are MIN
listers of the Gospel. Are these good Christians
upon whose efforts in the cause OF religion
depends perhaps the salvation of many souls
about to abandon their holy calling and enter the
political arena, to give and receive the ierce
blows that characterize the warfare of parties
Are they, too, becoming hungry for the Pickiings
of Office? Are they willing te abandon their
Aocks and wander away after strange God.
the desire for distinction and political power
We pause for the Journal to reply.