Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-10-13

viol1 n, sshuicuse sEu UaSe. Hence tntte
are now taking the lead. They show .
malignant hostility 10 those who have la
bored long and sacrificed mucl, for the OBJ
iects they claim TO have 10 view if they re-
fuse 10 become politically subservisnt. Men
out Of repair morally or politically in their
struggles tor party advantages throw the
consistent advocates Of temperance into the
backgrounds benevolent enterprise has
fallen into the hands Of those afflicted with
"vindic.ive philanthrophy, which ds-
ranges them with the idea that they are
virtuous, because they are dsnunciatory.
The wise sod the Thoughtful are ovsrruled
By men rigging With the dslirium tremsns
Of fanatcsm, who assal the most sacred
Offices Of religion. who see foul serpsnts
coiling upon the sacfams tai altar, Il fusing
their venorns into the sacrcd elements, and
hissing amid the solsmni,iss Of the last
supper.
The vital principls Of the Christian ,sligi-
on 10 psrsuasion, 10 opposition 20 restraint.
1t makes Temperance and oil other virtues
something positive. 1t aims to make msu
unwilling, net unable 70 do wrong. It sdu-
Gates alike TIE feelings and the understand
ing, the heart and the bead. All expeYi.
ence shows that mere restraints from vice
do not reform. Our prisons are the exam.
piss OF the perfect systsm Of rsstraint.
Their inmates for long series OF years, are
in;empsrsnce Or sny kindred evil. They
lead lives OF perfect regularity, industry
and propris'y, because they are compelled
TO do 30. Yet few are reformed BY this
Our instincts teach rs that forced propriety
Our instincts teach US that forced proprie'y
Of conduct gives no assurance Of future viz
tue on the contrary, the very fact that they
have been subjec,ep to it, is, by courts and
communities, regarded as evidence Of de-
pravity.
The very condition Of restraint is found
to be positive obstacle in the way Of the
influences Of religious education, when
| brought TO bssr upon the inmates Of our
prisons. are the advocates OF temperance
law willing to place themselves on the
same footing on which they strive to place
otherss Will they give up their cow ic,ions
Of duty aud prcpriety-surrsndsr every
| positive virtue, and become Temperance
men merely because they cannot drinki
They will shrink from the application Of
principle to Themselves which they Try TO
apply to others. They know that virtues
withsr and die out under such systsms.-
The law has and does lead away from the
right enc to the wrong ono. I know that
il is difslcult to draw the line where psrsua-
sion should end and coercion begin. This
has ever been the problem which has en-
barrassed Legislatures but this We do
know, that the progress Of civilization, mo-
rality and virtue, has been marked by the
extension Of education and religion and the
contraction Of coercivs laws.
Governments emanate from the people.
and merely represent their morality or in.
tsligencs. The folly which looks to govern.
msnts 10 evolve the virtues, 10 like the ig-
| norance which regards the Thermometer %
. regulator Of the temperature, or the bar
omstsr a. the controller Of the weather.
We object, then, to this Law, because
it demorAlizss temperance men, making
them indicative and violent; because Il
arouses . spirit Of resistance, increasing
the evils Of intsmpsrance; because il 10 .
step backwards in civilization, substituting
restraints for education. All admit that il
IS better to be temperate from choice, from
thought and resolution than from coercion.
Who doubts that persuasion will win more
| than force,
But il is said in triumphant tone, il the
| -" VII 'beisasV ihtt "VVthiVsv WHY w rclt-
ers of Intoxicating liquors object to it'-
Leaving out Of view differences Of opinion
with regard to the propric'y Of their use A.
drink, this very law comedies their necessi
ty for mcdaniel, medical and all sacred
use,-but while it recognizes tho legality
and necessity Of their manufacture and use,
it strives TO make both odious, dangerous
aud degrading; and this is naturally resist.
cd b. msn whose objects are higher than
mere gain, and who do not with to see .
business pursuit Of conceded necessity,
forced into the hands Of those ind ferent to
their right Of public sentiment.
do not asss the motives of ito advocates
but good motives do not prevent the evil
results Of false principles. A good motive
(to save mons souls) originated the slave
trade. The same coed motive kindlsd the
fires of the Inquisition. Good motives and
wrong wrong principles have lain ct the
root Of almost every evil which has op-
pressed and afflicted mankind.
| The Northwestern road-which 10 the
most unfortunate road in the State for &C.
cidents and smash ups. had . terrific COL
lision near Marshalltown on tho 80. A pas
ssoger train, bearing several hundred Mar.
shalltonians to the Cedar Rapids barbecue,
collided with freight train, smashing one
engine and three or fonr passenger cars
into kindling wood, but fortunately hurting
mono of the passengers seriously.
Three white radicals--loud mouthed
Grant mcn-of Des Moinss. bearing the
names, John Goison, NJ. r. Larsh and P.
IL. Proctor were arraigned before Justice
Crane on Saturday by an information filed
against them, charging them with an as
saultto attempt to commit rape upon the
person Of Mrs. Peggy Murray, . colorsd
woman Of ripe years and unprepossesing
appearance. residing in South Dss Noinss.
The aforesaid three are counted upon sure
for nsgrs suffer-sgs.