The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-06-29

In order to accomplish what is necessa-
r. to be done, ne must rote for IT. ! repeat,
re must r0te for n. Public opinion IL the
sure corrective Of all abuses in a free gov
iernment, and the ballot-box is the medium
through which public opinion is felt and
known. We must let no ide issues Of
minor importance distract us. We must
take prohibition as our guiding star and move
right forward; and to those who would at
tempt to ridcule by calling US zone idea
men, we may suggest that the possession
| Of one good idea (while in their case it would
be novelty) would be the greatest earthly
blessing that that could possibly befall
them. We may expect TO be called dsor-
ganizers, boilers. &c, 10 this we can reply.
If tie people want railroad, they vote for u
railroad man; if they want bank, they vote
for bank man; ilno bank, they vote + an
ant-bank man, md SO in everything else.
Now, we want Prohbitory Liquor Law
the whole country is suffering for lack oft
the greatest good of the greatest number
clamorousiy demands, and in order to get it
we must vote for men to make AMI execute
our laws who are decidedly and uncompro
misinglv in favor Of the passage and enforce.
ment Of such law.
Party has been defined By statesman
Of some celebrity, to be ''an organization OF
The many for the benefit Of ths few" bu,
both political parties ofthe present day say
that they are in favor OF that policy which
will produce the greatest good to the great
est number Now, the destruction of the
grog shops will produce great good, and in
jure no party, for certainly it is n OF supPosa
bic that any party will acknowledge that
any vital principle, for which they contend
is in any way connected with the prosperi-
t. Of the drunkcries of our State. This,
then, IS what we ask: this the country re-
qlires. The wall Of suffering which comes
up from the grog-shops Of our land urges
Us forward in this work. If the political
parties OF the day will give US candidates,
"tried and true" in favor OF this policy,
there need be no bolttng, no dtsorga'aizlng;
but ifthey do not, then upon their heads be
the consequences. We have petitioned and
prayed and urged them by considerations
and arguments, drawn from both worlds, to
redress the grievances, and abate the evils
growing ont of the liquor traffic. To all
our petitions and semonsirances they have
turned deaf ear Our wives and children
have, with all the earnestness, symp athy,
and innocence of their natures, supplicated
the law-making power of our State to inter
pos. a shield between the heartiess liquor
seller and his victim, To all these, the on
" return has been neglect, insult and nju-
". II only remains, then, for US to act to
take the matter INTO our own hands, and
not longer BE- found aiding and abetting an
-, M 10 rff ha nF
'7G. We will hold the political parties Of the
day. "enemies in war, in peace, friends -
In this we must exercise caution Our po-
ltical preferences must not make US blind
in this matter The Judases, Arnolds, and
Seymours, are not all dead yet. Time
servers, sunshine friends, criers Of Hosan-
sat to-day, cruciliers tomorrow, lurk around
the enclosures, within which Offices are kept
and unless vigilance characterize all ouI
actions, VIC shall be dc ,eired. We should
remember that Giving dog is better than
dead lon.' That is, Wing in favor OF
prohibition is better than Democrat op-
posed, and Democrat in favor is better than
a Wing opposed.
Give US wholesome, effective prohbitory
liquor law which will operate as perfect
grog- shop exterminator, and as temperance
men, We pledge ourselves to retire quietly
from the field, and allow the old political
parties to pursue the uneren tenor of their
way as in days gone by
In this contest we must guard against
enemies in disguise; open opposition we
are prepared for and can defeat.
If the advocates of the liquor traffic will
only rally around their own bloody flag, and
fight under their own colors, the victory
might be considered az already ours But
this they dare not do; therefore we find
some of them protesting great friendship
for temperance, but they are afraid we are
carrying things too far;' they are" afraid
we will injure tie good cause OF Temper
ance !" they are afraid "that more liquor
will be drank with prohibitory law than
without one" (Very strange that liquor
sellers are opposed to prohibition If such is
the result.) Now to those we may reply,
in the language OF one who understood all
such cases
aOf all mad animals, if the learned are right,
1t is the siobbcr kills. and not the oite!F
We saw to them, then, bite, but don't slob-
beru We can stand your cuts and tlirusts.
but vour slime has already injured, and
would eventually XIII US
Again, BY different species of patriots,
the sacredncss of the constitution will be
ruar,lea. Every grog-seller in the land
considers himself specially delegated to
guard that instrument from mutilation. 10
hear them talk, II would be supposed that
they knew much. more about the Constitu-
ton, Estate and Nationally than the men
who made them. They do not like pre-.
hibtory iqnor law "because it IS unconstl'
tutional." Life, liberty, and the pursuit OF
happiness are prominent reasons given tor
the establishment Of our Government, and
the constitution might naturally be supposed
to guarantee and guard those rights. Every
body knows that the destruction OF all these
is the legitimate fruit Of the liquor trafhc.
and vet the liquor seller. from the Keeper o.
n richly furnished saloon to the mcanest
three-cent drunkery in the land, will prate
;,bout their Constitutional Rights, aud Gov
ernors and Legislators, with professions OF
love for the people, warm upon their iips
and the sacredness of an oath upon Their
Gf they have any.) Will be
found panderng to the whiskey power, and
oivipr aid and comfort to an enemy whc
ticy Iao,c is doing more to destroy lie, no
orty and happiness, than all other causes
combined. Then is it not time to wake .
energetic action in this matter! we a'
not, and need net expect the liquor sellers
to approve of prohibitory law: their crai'
lis in danger: by this they have their living
They naturally and Coastttuitoaatfy dislike
lit, because
,So roosurr.ur fsit the halter draw,