Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-09-25


stlnate attempts are, at this time /
the more unreasonable, as their utter
futility will soon become so evident to
every sane man, that after little while
they wlll most certainly be superseded by
a more rational method of promoting Fir
tue and morality among the people
Temperance men commit a most sim |
gular mistake when they speak of the OPP |
ponents Of the prohibitory law as a set
of tipplers and liquor Dealers I am ear
nestly opposed to prohibition. and yet |
pretend to belong to neither one nor the !
other OF those two classes. You are long
enough acquainted with me to know that
the entire absence Of alcoholic LIQUORS
from this globe would cause no personal
Inconvenience to me. I am also one of
those who sincerely abhor drunkenness or
intemperanoe of any description But
am just as earnestly opposed TO the class
OF legislation which, In an arbitrary way
encroaches upon the rights of the indi,
vidual, which, for this reason, will neve-
be sustained by public sentiment, and
which will only serve to famiharize the
masses with the practice of law breaking,
thus demoralizing them, and undermin.
ing the popular respect for the laws in
general. / may have occasion. some
time or other, to set forth the reasons for
my opposition at length. These reasons
do not spring from my individual tastes,
but are based upon principle and exper-
fence, and am persuaded a very large.
proportion of the opponents Of the pro-
hibi Dry law, among the Germans, are
impelsed by just the same class of motives.
10 these men of sincere convictions the
question Of prohibition, &C., is something
more than mere question of beer and
whiskey. tsa ,.as Of gra5 te es.a
! have heard the question asked why
these men will not temporarily sacrifice
their opinions on individual rights while
the country is in danger and the national
cause needs their aid. It may be asked,
with equal, and even more, propriety, why
the temperance men, who form only a
minority in the Republican party, do not
i give up their obnoxious hobby, while the
cause OF the country demand unity of
action. The opinions and claims of those
!, who oppose prohibition on principle, are
certainly entitled to at least as much con.
sidelation and respect as the opinions of
| those who advocate it. sag rs3a z.laaa
To conclude--I earnestly hope the
German Republicans, while resolutely de-
Tending the cause of. individual liberty
where the issue actually come up, will
not permit themselves to be frightened by
the cry of Wolf! where there is no dan
ger near. i,ne excitement about this
matter in great many placesis mere trap
set for them by the copperheads, which
intelligent and consci entious men will
know how to avoid trust they will
keep In view the main problem of our
days and attach no more Importance to
side ssues than is justly due to them.
AT the same time it is to be hoped that
all Union men, who have our common
cause more earnestly at heart than their
Individual notions, will cooperate in stop
ping the efforts of the temperance leaders
in the Republican party, efforts calculated
to keep the Democracy alive; to driveun-
willing recruits into the johnson camp,
and toGbreak up the harmony and endan-
+ ger the efficiency of our organization at
50 momentousa a period.7 The Maine
election ought to have convinced them
that this applies to Americans Just as well
as to Germans.
[ congratulate you, my dear sir, upon
the capital resolution bearing upon this
subject, which forms part of the Repub-
llcan platform OF Wisconsin. It is ex-
celent in language as well as in spirit,
! and if it were adopted and practically
adhered to by the Republicans in every
State OF the Union; there would be no
danger of a diyiion between the liberal
!, American and German elements. Far
from advising the Germans ''to bid fare
we'll to the Republican party under such
circumstances. would most earnestly
urge my German friends in Wisconsin to
support the platform and the candidates
nominated upon it with the firmness
which has always distinguished them.
/ Yours, very truly, CARL SCHURZ
Horace Rublee, Chairman Republican
! State Central Committee of Wisconsin.
A Coon JoKE.-We recently heard
! this good one which has never been in
print: Last winter Lutte Taylor, of the
+ Prescott Journal, was travelling In the
stage with party Of gentlemen among
whom was noted democratic politician
from Minnesota, now a. candidate for a
State office. The day was intensity cold
and the company were obliged to stop oc-
casionally to warm up. Hating at a lit
tie inn by the road side, the democrat in
vited Lutte up to take drink of Whiskev
to which he readily assented, and as Lutte
was both dry and cold, he turned out