Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-05-03
THE GRAND RIVER TIMES.
GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN.
wEDNESDAYlEyENING. MAY 3, 1854.
The Temperance Question.


cal matter during the next campaign. We re-
greet that this is the case. The movement seems
to us unnecessary, unwse and even hazardous.
It is one happy circumstance connected with re-
cent legislation respecting the liquor traffic that
the question Of prohibition has been brought
before the people entirely disconnected with
other considerations, and the true sentiment of
the country obtained independent of prejudices
There is no doubt but what the majority of
both political parties, in this State are in favor
of the doctrine of prohibition, and there is GER
tainly no good reason why its friends should
desire to have the question brought into the Or
binary politics of the day. The will of the peo-
pie has already been expressed, and that, too,
under the most favorable auspices. 1t could
not be rendered more significant, and as the sub.
ject now rests duty has been imposed upon
the next Legislature which it would be impossi-
BILE for them to evade. But should those who
are now at work succeed in making opposition
on the temperance question test of democra-
cy, then we certainly have enough to warrant
us in saying that the fate of that question would
be involved in uncertainty, Notwithstanding it
has never to our knowledge failed of being tri-
umphantly sustained when submitted to pop.
ular vote, isolated from all other issues. DEM
ocrats will not easily be persuaded to sacrifice
all the advantages to be gained by firm alegi-
ance to their party, and will not, as general
thing, for the sake of a single ISSUE purposely
thrust upon them, go over to party which has
never yet successfully established single prin-
ciple for which it has struggled and which is on
ly held together by a resort to temporary ex-
periments. But we deprecate the present
movement We deprecate the attempts which
are being made by certain distracted politicians,
of the opposition order, to force this test, y
with which the Detroit Free Press, as well as
few other violent opponents of a stringent
liquor law, would accept that test and thereby
attempt to make the most powerful political
organization of the day subservient to pur-
pose which is repugnant to the moral sense of
the people Of the State. The democratic party
has always adhered to the doctrine of strict ac-
countability on the part Of Government to the
popular will. Let us now have no departure
from this cardinal principle. Let us rally under
leaders who are imbued with all the popular
ideas of the age and who will put forth an up
right effort to bring about all such reforms as
may be demanded. Hitherto, the democratic
party has been popular with the masses. Since
the organization of the federal government it
has maintained an almost uninterrupted SUI
premacy in the national councils. No question
of national, and, with us, of State policy has
been finally settled unless through its nstru-
mentality, and the principles which it has estab.
lished, have, without exception, proved to be
wise, never failing to be in accordance with the
well settled sentiment of the people. Let it re-
main true to the policy which it has thus far
followed, and it will still maintain its glorious
ascendancy, ard still be made the means of en-
suring the success Of all such measures as the
interests of the country may require. 1t will
then continue to be invincbe and no pretexts
can be found that will sustain coalition pow
erful enough to stand against it.