The Portland daily press., 1867-11-13
sons Nv. d." has now given forhis own OPP
| position, have sustained the veto or would he

rum -sympathizcrs have persistenty asserted
but, If my memory serves, it is what "w. ID y
and his compeers have until quite recently as
persistently denied; indeed they have indig-
nantly branded il rs a foul Islander willinliy
invented by the enemies of the cause. Is il
possible that :" W. d. has been nine years
finding out that after all they were right anu
he was wrong? Certainly he suggested no
such penalties in 1853, when the whole sub
iect was carefully examined and he was spe-
cially consulted in view OF permanent pro-
hibitory law. Ii " fines only increased the
price of liquors but did not prevent the sale" !"
why did not Nv. d." tell us so, WHEN asked.
in 1858, instead OF waiting till 1867, TO volun-
teer the information?
0. W. d." informs us that " If the law Is
modified next winter, the Republican party.
having more than two thirds of both branch
es of the Legislature, will be responsible for
it; therefore, If the question gets into politics
there will be no mistaking the parties who
carry it there Who, We ask, were response
BILE last winter for making law which "W
ID" admits he opposed, when we had the whole
of one branch and 80 per cent. of the other
Also, If the passage of the constabulary act
did not carry the question into politics,
will w. D." indicate why its repeat will DO it ?
6. "W. D." AYERS that il the law is modi-
fled, it will not be by the advice OF some OF
the soundest, oldest, wisest and best known
prohibitionists in Maine" What is his au-
thority for this assertion? Whence does be
derive the right to brand men as lnsOund, an
asise and enemies Of prohibition, simply be-
cause they favor the repeal this winter OF a
law which he opposed last? Is it becoming for
him to announce oracularly, that ''the idea of
modification of such legislation is sustained
neither by reason nor common sense" and
that if the laao is changed this winter it will
be done to please rumseliers and rumdrink-
ers," when he admits that its defeat last WIN
ter aooatld haze pleased him?
Z. "W. D." finally admits that he 'speaks
only for himself" am glad to hear this, for
1 confess had labored under the impression
that he was undertaking to speak for the
Temperance men of Maine," and 1 think
those who have read his former communIca-
tions and reported speeches will pardon my
mistake. Speaking, however, as he now says,
for himself only, L understand him to admit
substantially that the Issue on Prohibition
here in Maine transcends in Importance the
National ISSUE" Although the idea is vei,ed
in much circumlocution and inserted as Mr..
Benton said Of Douglass Kansas bill, " in the
belly of a Temperance lecture, this, under
stand to be his final admission.
In view of this last position, the only one
in the whole article which approximates to-
ward an answer to any of my inquiries, /
once more respectfully PROFOUND to "W. D."
the following questions: =. =
I. Admitting for the sake of argument, tho
truth of all his previous assertions and the
soundness of all his inferences and opinions,
granting that the late amendments to the
law of 1858 and the Constabuary law are the
perfection of human wisdom, also that the re-
peal of any act designed to advance prohib-
tion. however unwise the act may prove to
be, cannot be tolerated for fear that it would
be regarded as "a step back" and thus impair
the iniallibility of its original advocates, an
idea as old the Medo-Persian empire, granting,
l say, all this, and that the Legislature next
winter should Notwithstanding repeal the
legislation of last winter, does wv. d." in
such case intend and counsel bolt next
fall from the regular Republican ticket, State
or national? This is fair, plain question, re-
nuiring but a monosyllabic answer; will he be
candid enough TO answer
III. If Nv. D." in such case favors bolt
or separate ticket, will he indicate the ben
eft he anticipates to the cause of temperance
by so doing? Does he expect to carry the
State in favor of the re-enactment of impris-
onment and the Constabuary law against the
Republicans and Democrats together? Or
| does he anticipate any aid to the cause oI
prohibition as he understands it, from either
| of those parties, after the special friends OF
that tissue" have taken the field and beer
defeated by them? In other words, viii
"W. d." and his coadjutors, after the repea
of last winters Legislation, set up for them
selves, continue to act with The Republican:
or affiliate with the Democrats? "Uhde
which king, Bezonian?"
| III. But, suppose once more, that in thei
despair, The Democratic party of Maine shoul'
offer to adopt the most advanced Legislation
of "W. d." or his prohibitory friends, in con
sideration of their support in ''the Nationa
ISSUE" And suppose, by such a combination
| the State could be carried next fall agains
the Republicans by the Democrats and th,
desired legislation effected, will "W. D." avov
himself in favor of such a bargain with the
| party which has been hitherto not only the
enemy Of national Republicanism but, a.
Nv. D." says, has been "openly against pro
hibition?" If not, why not, in accordanc,
with his theory that the issue on prohibition
is more important than "the national issue !?
Nv. Suppose such coalition effected sue
cessfully at the polls and faithfully carried out
in the legislature, would wv. D." contem
plate his finished work with self-approval
Suppose the constabulary law and imprisen
ment for the first glass preserved one yea
longer ON the statute book of Maine, at the
| price oil the loss of Maine Senator, five Maine
representatives and the electoral vote of Maine
in 1868. Suppose further, that Democratic
| freSlue1t anu DeIuocratic maJOflIy III Con
gress is thus secured by the vote of Maine
| Would''W D." be prepared to justify such a
resul. to his co Republicans or co-Prohbition
lists even of other States, especially in his Off
cial capacity, as incumbent of one Of the
most valuable political national offices in
| New England?
v. If he objects that this is an extreme
| case, 1 admit it, and have selected it as such
| to test the soundness of his political ethics
for the strength OF any chain is only equal to
| that OF its weakest link under the highest
possible strain. And in reply ask him if the
case supposed, however. improbable, isnot pos
sible.
the numerous friends of "W. D." expect Of
him better things than idle threats, or
vague menaces. The great body of Maine
Republicans fully realize the impossibilty OF
serving at the same time two masters; conse-
quently they will not insist oD keeping more
than one dominant issue before the people at
time. The Presidential election is upon us
with the dastinies of the nation hanging on
its issue. No local tests, however intrinsical-
ly important, will at this crisis weigh with
the people of Maine other than as "the small
dust of the balance" and those politicians
who attempt to force such tests upon them
will be blown away like chaff before the wind
ID ,o.,t alactinnc Indicate that +l,o ponnhli-