Smyrna times., 1855-10-24
Communication,
Correspondence Of the Smyrna Times
The American Party and Prohibition
In Delaware.

| 'iu " IheI union with the " LIQuo
League and taking the ground, that it was
great mistake in the friends of Prohibition j,
Delaware' to urge upon our Legislature las
winter the passage of Prohbtorv Law. an,
greater mistake in the Legislature to mass if
l nave no time, sir, to follow the Editor through
this editorial, If | am permitted to gather from
'what Is to be the future course of the Ameri
can party in Delaware-it is to raise the crv n
repeat against the Prohibitory Law, and pro
mise the friends of temperance some modi6co
tion OF the old License Law. Such an edito
f'al' from such source, is too significant to b,
permitted to pass by without notice. The Edi
tor of the Sentinel, doubtless, did not yentur,
to take such high ground against the law pass
ed last winter, without deep and earnest CON
sultatlon with those he deemed leaders in III,
American ranks, and greatly fear that the
editorial foreshadows the future policv of tbe
party on this great question. 1t, then, become,
us TO meet the crisis with the nerve and reso.
iu'lon OF men who know the right, and, know
ing, dare maintain it. 1t is open and mani,
for us, who have so long fought the battIes d
prohibition, to let all men know where TO ind
u.s. Very many of the friends of Prohibition
IN Delaware Joined the American party. first
because we were in favor of its princioles. and
secondly, because we were induced to believe
1t would favor law prohibiting the sale of in.
toxlcatlng drinks as beverage And we were
not disappointed. After long and doubtful
struggle, that party did pass Prohibitorv Law.
but before the law really goes into etfect-be-
tore the grogshops, created under a former
license law, cease to sell liquor, the Editor OF
the Dover Sentinel, published in the capital OF
the State, comes out and denounces, and repu.
dates the law cowsrdy turns his back upon
the dolngs of his own Legislature, and. under
the influence of the panic created by the shouts
OF victory from the rummies and Democrats Of
pennsylvania, abandon the gallant men who
passed the law in the Legislature of Delawar6
have neither time or inclination to follow the
Editor through his objections to this law ::
neither have | any authority to say what will
be the course of the true friends of Prohibition
under the new aspect the subject presents (if
the American party takes ground against it y
but desire to say what / think ought TO be
and what believe, will be, their liue of CON-
duct First-I desire to say what | Conceive
the interest and true tolicy of the American
party is. That, believe, was we'll understood
by the gentlemen in the Legislature who mass
ed the law. They had as good an opportunity
OF learning the public sentiment on this sinh.
lect as the Editor OF the DeLauare SeotiocI
ana they were as anxious to consult the true
interests of the party as he. The ONLY differ
ence Is, they adopted the best means for carry.
ing out their object, and he the worst They
passed the law under the solemn convicton
hat there was large body of influential men
n the State who had voted the American ticket.
Who would vote it no more unless tbey passed
Prohbitory Law, or unless the party at the
lext canvass came out open and square in
aVor OF 1t. They decided to pass It then, and
lave two years time to prepare for the next
anvass. They acted wisely. would be glad
could say that the Journals of the partv
nd many of the leading men of the party had
cted as wisely since. That law pledged the
American party to the support of Prohibition,
nd the true policy of the party from that in
tant at least, was to 60 for a firm and earnest
uPport of the law, using ell the influence of its
MEMBERS and its presses to induce the commu.
ity generally, and the members of that party
specially, to give the law fair trial, and an
onest support at least till such trial was had.
cry different has been the course of manv of
he men OF the party, and very different how
the course of the Editor of the Sentinel
etore the law is tried he takes ground against
:, and talks as if he spoke by authority on the
inject! Wonder what he expects to gain bv
1t Is coquetting very obviously with the
I'm influence that went everybody, soul and
the Democratic party during the last
lnvass, and cast their full vote dead AGAINST
ou; and yet, with that vote against YOU, Won
lrrled the State by an overwhelming majority
tter having passed Prohbitory Law, do you
INK to win back these men from the Demo-
-atlc party by raising the cry of repeal? | I
III you, nay:-you may bawl "repeal! re-
'al :" till your lungs give way, but they will ,
'te the Democratic ticket still. You will not :
I'm their votes, but you will lose the votes of c
that class Of men who believe that the oniv
medy against the evils of intemperance, is, q
e prohibition of its sale, except for medicinal
rposes, &C.; and you will find they are votes
at you cannot do without. And do verily n
lieve, that, if you raise the cry of "repeal," b
at there are one thousand men in the county a
Kent, who voted your ticket in 1854, who a
II not vote a man on it in 1856. But go in p
the support of the principle of Prohibi- II
N openly, manly, and fully-write it upon . .
ur banners, and unfold them TO the breeze, =
this thousand men will become your active, D.
luential, zealeus partizans. Now, / beseech I
j to pause--count the cost before you move Ia
ther in this matter, and determine where you I
Il fill up the gap they will make in your g.