New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-08

We print in another column the letter Of Mr..
Edward C. Delavan with reference to the state
and prospects of the cause of Liquor Prohibition.
In this letter he cOrrects two erroneous statements
which be attributes to us--namely:
l. That he voted against Messrs. Wood and
Mullin, Republican candidates for Appeal Judges
in 1866. He did not vote at all at that election,
bu. thinks be should have voted for Messrs. Wood
and Mullin if any how.
2 He says that the Court of Appeals last Winter
did not decide that Liquor already in our State be-
fore the Prohibitory Act was passed could not be
destroyed under that Act; though he admits that
" the belief that they had done so was universal
"when the judgment was rendered"
AS to the first of these points, we desire only
to say that it lie just notorious that Mr. Delavans
course with regard to the election of 1855 power
fully contributed to the defeat of Messrs. Wood
and Mullin and the election of Nc. COmstock as it
is that such q man lives as Edward C. Delavan.
1t seems that we were in error in surprising that
be vO'ed for the ticket that had the full benefit of
bis ibNuence-he did not vote at all, having recent
" changed his residence. How much he desired to
vote, it is not worth while to inquire. We will try
to remember henceforth that he did not vote in
1855.
Not having found time to study Mr.. M'COy's
demonstration that the Court of Appeals decision
on the ProhibitOry Liquor Law means just the Op-
pOsite of what everybody else has hitherto supposed
it to mean, we cannot say how convincing it may
be; but this we do kn0w-that decision practically
psralyzed and broke down the PrOhbi.Ory Act, and
every body has since sold rum who chose to do
and is still selling. If Prof. MCoy has discovered
q new reading of the decision which makes it up
hold instead of overthrowiDg Prohibition, We trust
be and Nr. Desvan will proceed to make that read
ing effective forthwith, by prosecuting and shutting
up the Observation-Disclosures Do hurry up the
sorey needed fruits of that reinterpreted decision
We waive all question as to the sOundness of Prof.
MCoy's demonstratiOn-we will take its correct
ness for granted if it will only restore the efficacy
of Prohibition.
Mr. Delavan is "glad to see" that We "recog-
" nize the truth that the friends Of Temperance
"and Prohibition are not limited to one political
"party" We are very glad to find ProhibitiOnists
in any party and to act with them if they will be
faithful to their professions. But, throughout the
recent struggle to enact and sustain Prohibition,
we found this state of facts steadily existing
/. While most Republican Prohibtionis!s made
Prohibition paramount and Politics secondary, the
Prohibitionsts in other parties generally put their
patty first and Temperance second;
9. Wherever Prohibition was in question, the
Liquor interest rallied all its forces and spent large
sums to defeat any restrictive law and such forces
such disbursements, uniformly told against the Re-
pubcans;
8. The leading Democratic canyassers, such as
Horatio Seymour, John Van Buren, and Amasa j.
Parker, uniformly represented Prohibition as Re-
publican (or Whig) principle and called upon all
who liked to drink or sell liquor to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket on that ground We challenge any
one to name all election while Prohibition was
urged in which nineteen-tTentieths of the run.
sellers and voters under their influence did not
vote against the Republican party. They knew in-s
stnctiyey how to vote to further their main pur-
pose Mr.. Delavan, we think, has been less sa-
gacious or less intent on the main question.
A. We were perfectly aware from the outset that
Prohibition could not be carried and maintained
without damage to tina. party with which we we're
identified All reforms cost something; and they
who urge them must be prepared to pay the dam
aye. This We were and still are willing to stand,
if the Temperance men in other parties will act up
TO their professions. But We cannot help seeing
that they will not and do not-that both Demo-
Gratis aid Americans who protested an earnest
faith in Prohibition have stood by and chuckled to
see their respective parties make capital out Of the
Rum interest at the expense of the Republicans.
This has gone on until the Prohibitory Act which
the Republicans passed has been broken down by
combination of Democratic and American judges,
with the general approval Of their respective par
ties. We, therefore, seeing no practical good to
be attained by attempting III to, face of that decs
ion, to reenact Prohibition, propose TO wait and
consider. Convince us that Prohbl ion may be re-
established, enforced and maintained, and We will
work for IT, vote for il and take the risk Of its po-
htical consequences; but to any blind, needless,
headstropg attempt to reenact Prohibition, in the
face of strong probability that it will fail, and
that its only result will be the overthrow of the
Republican ascendeucy in our State, we are de-
cidedl, opposed. Mr.. Delayan, who wrote against
~