The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-08-28
The Good Templnts and the Third
PARTY.

hhu tue HIFu
Party.
Tue hockiand Free Press we'll says that it
is unjust to the organization called the Good
Templars to charge that its members are for
the most part supporters of Mr.. Hichborn
1t says:
The lodge in this city, which has contained
more than six hundred members we believe,
has among its voting members scarce more
than halt.dozen persons who will vote Tor
Mr.. Hichborn, or who approve the Third par
ty o. G. Hall. Esq, who presided at the
late Republican County Convention, is one OF
the prominent members of the Good Tenn
plars, and has filled its highest offices. The
present w. G. T., is an equally prominent
member, and both these gentlemen regard the
organization of the Third Prrty as an unfor-
funate and ill-omened proceeding for temper
ance. Inese are only prominent instances.
The same feeling pervades the lodge with few
exception. 1t is injustice to the Good Tenn
plars to charge upon them, as organizations,
responsibility for the Third Party. 1t was
the original intention to form this excellent
institution ON such basis that no temperance
man and friend to the cause should be exclud
ed. If kept upon this basis, they will con-
tinue to be means of much good, especially
TO the rising generation.
What is true in Knox county is true in
Cumberland. 1t is we'll known here that the
mos. prominent members of the order in this
city are true to the Republican party, and re-
gard the bringing forward of third candi-
date this year as at least premature.
The Sons of Temperance and the Temple of
Honor should also be exculpated form the
charge of participating, as organizations, in
the Hichborn movement. Moreover, leading
temperance men who, either form dsinclin-
alton to associate themselves with secret Or
ders, or from some other reason, do not be-
long to either OF these societies, stand aloof
from the illadvised crusade against the Re-
publican party,
Mr.. Hichborn's friends are accustomed to
says-and the Democratic papers echo them
that the time is past when it is of any avail
to appeal to party allegiance and loyalty to
the principles from devotion to which the
Republican party was formed, This is a mis-
take. 1t is of great deal of use to call the
attention of Thoughtful and patriotic men to
the fact that the 18th amendment to the con-
stitution has not been ratified and that it is
in jeopardy. Without its ratification the work
OF the Republican party is incomplete and I'M
satisfactory. Without the amendment it is
yet in the power of Southern Rebels in the
States already admitted to the Union to undo
all of that great work we call reconstruction
In Tennessee reconstruction is imperiled in
Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia and Texas it
is yet Incomplete. There are thousands
of men yet excluded from the ballot box on
account of race and color. Until their rights
are secured We have no excuse for disbanding
our forces. The temperance men admit that
heretofore they would not have been justified
in forming an independent organization on a
new issue, yet they might have done SO with
as much propriety five years ago as now.
These considerations have their weight, how
ever great the effort to ignore them, and the
course of majority of the Good Templars
in adhering to the Republican party proves
il,