The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-15
and jealousy, whether it is exercised over
"incendinary" correspondence OF The South,
or political communications at the North.

70 The subjoincd extracts aro from ON
article written by Hoy. LUTHER SEVERANCE,
and published in the Kennebec Journal
Their application to the present condition
Of things will not escape the observation of
intelligent, men. Mr.. Severance secs tho
practical wants with great clearncss, and
eniorces the necessity Of men conducting in
political matters with view Of obtaining
practical results, rather than party suprcm.
acy:-
"Therc can hardly be found twenty in.
telligent men who think exactly alike on
any subject of public concern, or in their
estimates OF public men. Hence II they
did not unite in parties there would DO fifty
or hundred candidates for Office voted for
at tho poles, and no election by majority
The plurality system would DO indispensable,
and the worst man Of tho hundred might
get more votes than any ono other. Men
who think alike on tho most important
questions must therefore unto their SUI
frages against those who differ, and yield
some Of their opinions that they may pro.
vail in others. Yet there is tyranny in
parties which leads men to absurdities.-
Having joined q party with n particular
name, they are apt to hold on to the name
long after tho principles it originally de-
scribed have ceased to exist, or been arbi
trarily changed dozen times by papers and
caucuses, for temporary exigcucies or selfish
purposes"
Against the encroachments Of slavery
Mr.. Severance thinks -
" II such compromise as that is to be
broken up; If democratic doctrine will moi
even last from one Presidential caucus t.
another; it is high time that Northern mer
should unto, whether wings, democrats
know nothings or know something's, freesoil
ers or liberty men, to trample in dust every
Northern doughface who has yielded his vote
to this iuiquity and then take care to make
no moro compromises on tho question o
slavery, but to return inaoxibly to tho policy
of Washington, franklin and Jefferson, ]. o
Of limiting, restricting and finally abolishinl
slavery, instead Of extending it over th'
continent. 4" .
In regard 10 the question Of Temperance
as connected with politics. Mr.. S. says:
"Such connection Is now inevitable. Alto
twenty years continued effort by the advo
Gates Of moral suasion, 1t is seen that mer
enough can DO found to make and sell rum
while they can make money BY it. and tn
law allowait by license or otherwise. TIT
question now is, whether tho law shall
continue to allow II. Great!numbers believe
II should not. It is idle TO tell such mer
they must not carry such matter to thu
polls. that they must not mix 1t up will
politics, &c. Everything necessarily goes Il
the polls where legislation is required, ant
Especially matter of so much importanc,
rs this. We cannot. for instance, vote 70
the temperance cahdi1ate fer Governor, ant
the anti.Nebraska candidate for Governor
also, unless they are united in tho sam,
person. Those who want both must hay
one ticket, or else waste their suffrage
Both questions must DO met, ono way or tn
other, 1t is scarcely possible that any re
tlecting man can hesitate in coming to ,
conclusion, which side of the Temperance
question is the one which the interests o
humanity, the interests Of tax payers, an,
the peace and welfare Of tho communt,
should uphold.
Parties are continually changing with nev
exigencies. They were made for men, no
men for parties. New issues will always b
coming up and must be met, while old one
are growing obsolete. Twenty years henc
the country may DO agitated by question
which nobody now thinks anything about.