Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-07-15
Prescription.

Rev. Henry Clay Dean, who is decidedly
the best orator in the Democratic party in the
State, has been warned out of the campaign
by his own party papers. The following
paragraph, which we clip from an exchange
explains how it has been done:
"The North Iowa Times thinks CLAW Dean
Is too much an "embassador of Christ" to be
proper ambassador of Democracy, and
therefore objects to his nomination for Gov
ernor. The Davenport Democrat concurs in
the sentiment. There is something in it. we
confess"
We have heretofore alluded to the fact that
the Democratic party expects nothing of the
better classes Of the people. Conscious of its
own degeneracy and base designs, it looks
alone for support to the vicious and degraded
Whiskyselers and whisky drinkers are
invited to rally under its banner by the anti.
Maine Law plank in the platform. Ministers
of the gospel are told openly by the organs OF
the party that their calling is too holy and
exalted to mingle in its affairs. We admire
the honesty and candor Of our opponents thus
far. 1t seems that there is not only ''honbr
among thieves" but sense of the fitness of
things among the corrupt, weak -kneed leaders
Of the Democratic party.
We are not about to attempt defence of
Mr.. Dean from these cowardly assaults of his
Democratic brethren. He is abundantly able
to defend himself from all attacks, no matter
from what quarter they may come. Our
present object is to allude to the proscriptive
warfare which the Democratic party has of
late years waged against clergymen in general
Ever since the three thousand clergymen of
New England petitioned Congress against the
passage of the infamous Nebraska act, Demo
cratic demagogues have raised hue and cry
against preachers meddling in politics." We
cannot better refute the absurd doctrine that
moral questions should be kept out of politics,
and preachers have nothing to do with the
discussion of political measures, than to quote
two paragraphs from a temperance speech
delivered by Rev. Mr.. Dean, some years ago,
copy of which VIC have chanced to lay our
hands upon:
''lf politicians claim that moral questions
Shall not interfere with political questions,
then may moral men claim that political
questions shall not interfere with moral ques-
tons, and give to the latter a precedence
which the happiness of man and the law of
his nature clearly indicate. For that which
Is morally wrong never can be politically or
legally right. Then ought every question
which is submitted for legislation to be allowed
to be clearly right, involving no moral wrong,
before 1t receives the sanction of law makers.
x
1--WE have children Our children will
mlngle in society-be taught at the same
schools with other children-subect to the
same temptations-though God forbid it, they
may be victims to the same awful habits are
we the less men because we speak in public
Has the preachers devotion dried ND the
fouatains Of affection in the fathers heart
Because most of us live in view of the eleva-
ton OF our common nature, and more for
others than ourselves, does it follow therefore
that we have no right to guard the pathway
of our children, and seek to quench the fires
OF death that open up before them to devour
and destroy them? And if members of the |
church and ministers of religion will not do it,
who will, pray, seek the suppression of the
traffic? Will bar-reom politicians 20 boldly
forth to battle for virtue? Will milk and
water office hunters speak their minds right
out? No. Who, then, but to the faithful
men of God-the incorruptible friends of
morality-may we appeal with success to lead
off in this work of mercy and love and
Mr.. Dean might have cited examples of
preachers who have been elevated to honora-
BILE and influential offices in the less degenerate
days of the party. Attorney-G General Black
is Campbellte preacher. Edward Everett
is preacher. Mr.. Bancroft, the Democratic
Secretary of the Navy, Minister to England,
and historian, is a preacher The number is
endless in the better days of the Democracy.
Now, however, preachers are out of place in
the party. Their services are not wanted, |
and Mr.. Dean, as scape-goat for the rest, is
told in direct terms, and with more truth than
was perhaps intended, that his calling lily
BELTS an exponent of the party principles.
Rumsellers, drunkards, Shareholders and gam
blers are welcomed to the Democratic fold
but preachers and temperance men generally
are prescribed Such is the condition in
which we fnd the Democratic party in Iowa
in 1859.
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