The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-28
Side Issuess
From the N. Y. Tribune.

F1on the NJ y Tribune.
The main question which now divides the
American people concerns primarily the future
political status of that portion of our country
men who have just been redeemed from chattel
slavery. Shall our four millions of Americans,
who are wholly or partially of African lineage,
be regarded and treated by our constitutions
as men or as brutesY Shall we count them
among the 'tall men, whom our Declaration
of Independence has proclaimed "created
equal ?" or shall they be dealt with as an in
ferior race or caste, with no rights which others
need respect, born to obey laws which they
have had and shall have no voice in making
or modifying This question must inevitably
dominate until it shall have in some way been
settled.
But our people are also divided and at va
rance on many other questions, and cOnspicu-
ously ON that of Free Trade VS.. Protection,
and that of License VS.. Prohibition for the
traffic in Intoxicating beverages. Men who
think alike with regard to one of these issues
disagree pointedly as to another; and it is
utterly useless to try to ooerce them into uni
fOTmity, Notoriously, most of the protection
lists and of the prOhibtiOnists are also Repub
licans, while most of the Democrats are free
traders and for license; but you may find
Democrats who are protectionists and prohibi-
with individuals of either party who favor
protection, but not prohibition, while others
support prohibition and oppose protection.
What is just, fair, and practicable in the
premises is simply this-leave every one free
to act in accordance with his own convictions.
Let each Republican aud each Democrat be
protectiOnist or free trader, for license or for
Prohibition, as his own judgment shall dictate.
thus we have supported Republican candi-
dates whom we knew to cherish convictions
antagonistic to ours touching the tariff and
liquor questions, and shall do so hereafter;
claiming from Republicans no conformity to
our views on these side issues, and only ask
ing that they allow us the liberty we freely
concede them.
This does not satisfy the free traders nor the
liquor men. They insist that the Republican
party shall adopt and be guided by their pecu-
liar tenets, though this should compel three
fourths of its members to stihe their own con-
Victions. They cannot be gratifed.
At the Republican State Convention OF lo55,
when the Republican party presented its first
distinctive State ticket, strenuous effort was
made to insert a prohibition plank in the
party platform. We opposed it as strenu-
| ously, and were denounced therefor as subor-
| dinating temperance to politics. The party
| was threatened with the defeat which it soon
afterwards encountered If 1t did not make pro
hbition Republican principle-still, the
convention stood firm. 1t left every Repub-
mean free to be or lot to be a probbitionist,
and TO act upon his own conviction. And in
this 1t did exactly right.
NOV the party is menaced and assailed from
srS iS1 o1her side The liquor men say, virtually,
we Tvs are not content with being allowed to
i. iiayvi OF OF oppose prohibition as we see6t. We
msist that you shall act as we think on this
guestlgs1hi on II not, we shall turn against and
upset The Republican party - And Wis tbav
have just done in California. and ysini t;e2
to do in Maine. They tried it and failed in in