Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-08-20
For the Journal. .

L
l rejoice that you have at length defined your
position on the obsorbing question of temper
ance, as you have clearly done in the Demo
trat of August lath; not that think your
position right or in any way calculated to
enlighten your readers on this important
question; but that you as leaders of the
democratic party of Sandusky County, have
in thus defining your position, shown most
clearly, not only the low estimate which you
place upon the temperance reformation, but,
the extreme acuteness of your obluse vision,
in so clearly discovering, the Ito your party
much dreaded "clap-trap OF whiggery" We
did not suppose that whiggery, dead twice,
dead and puckcd up by the roots as it is in
this county, was capable of constructing
trap possessing all the terrors of that which
you have discovered, and to beware Of which
you so earnestly warn your readers Blu.
as you have been so fortunate, as to discover
amid the ruins of whiggery a "trap" Of such
huge dimensions, threatening as it does, the
"fuson of parIes," and have Numbered the
alarm we cannot but rejoice and feel that
all is safe.
Democrats will now march in close order,
to demolish this monster "trap," which your
fancy has created.
Now Sirs, will not every sober, candid
honest, rejecting man, say that the position
taken by you, is virtually saying 10 your
brother democrats, aOe aoW sustain and per-
petuatc the abomanable liquor traffic? Will
not every sooIr and rejecting democrat, feel
that his party is slandered in thus making
them the supporters Of a tralhc which scat
tiers disease and death on every hand Did
you not know, when you declared thai you
was willing to ego us far as any one socially
and morally to promote temperance, and de-
crease the evils pertaining to intemperancc."
that you only expressed willingness to en-.
% in such manner as has hitherto been
very inefficient N suppressing intemperance :?
Did you not know tina, all the sH''a' ana
m )ral power of the union combined, eau. ,'t
arrest as it were, for one moment the rolling
and swelling food Of vice, of misery, Of deg
relation, which is sweeping with such fury
over the land? Did you ever reflect that not
withstanding all the efforts of the hitherto ex
sying temperance organizations, intemperance
has most iearfully and rapidly spread itself
all around US? If so, how can you as temper
ance men, deem il of so much importance to
keep the temperance reformation involabIy
separate from political organizations, and
above all, from political nominations? Is poll
itics of SO high and holy nature as that tenn
perance cannot be connected Herewith? Is
temperance Of too low and groveing char
acter TO be introduced as an element into the
political arena? Is it teo degrading for pol
itcians to engage in, 80 holy an enterprise as
that which promises to remove from our land
a system which every year robs thousands
of families of fathers, brothers, husbands and
friends? Every year widows and orphan;
are multiplied, and grey hairs are brought
with sorrow to the grave, every year chill
dren are reduced to that condition which
makes their life living lingering death. Tc
remove system which people our jails, our
prisons and aims houses, which augments
our taxes, and eIevates drunken rowdies tc
places of honor, trust and profit? But you
say the democratic party has political creed
and standing upon that creed, you object t.
the pledgng of candidates on any but politi
cal questions. Is not temperance politca
question? Have we not had Legislative &c
ton on this subject for many years? Hav,
not the democratic party regarded il as po
ltieal question in other States where the
have voted for the Main Law? Did not thos
democrats who so strongly advocated Law
of prohibition in our Legislature last winte
regard it as political question: But 20,
object to candidates pledging themselves.
it any more anti-democratic for State officer
10 peuSe themselves 10 IeuoVe an eVl iron
the State, than it is for the Chief Magistrat
of the nation to pledge himself to perpetual
one in the nation? And while you object t
, pledges against intemperance. should you nc
object TO pledges in favor Of slavery?
Do you suppose that your position wi
r drive free democrats to vote for any an
y everybody the liquor fraternity may nom
: nate and baptze with the name Of democrat
y Will not democrats keep an eye on the enc
s mics Of right and virtue in their own ranks
It as we'll as the wings? Beware then Of th
!. position taken by you.
A FREE DEMOCR