The Portland daily press., 1869-09-24
Is The Iriehsorn sor,,o be Coo,,vucs,

The Boston Tribune is supposed to repre-
sent the temperance people of Maine, as well
as those Of Massachusetts, though it is ex-
tremely doubtful If it actually speaks for any
body except its propretors. But giving it
credit for the representative character it
claims, the following paragraph in a letter
from its Maine correspondent is significant:
'Advices from every section of the State show
that the temperance party will still keep up
an active organization, and renew with
stronger allegiance than ever their adhesion
to Prohibition. Before the approach of an
other fall campaign you may expect to see
some earnest work. The true temperance
men of this State feel that, in order to accom-
plsh their desired object success of Pro-
hibition,-that the question must be fought
outside of the Republican ranks. With the
Prohibi.ionists matter of principle is higher
than that of party, and with this view the
battle already opened will be continued to the
end. The different temperance orders of the
State also hold regular meetings, which are
enthusiastic, and well attended"
We shall not stop to consider the incohe-
renee Of language displayed in the above, be-
ing too much impressed with the incoherence
of its ideas to attend to any secondary mat
ter. 1t would be curious inquiry for any
one who thought it worth while to consider
where the temperance contest could be
fought, when taken ''outside the Republican
ranks" since that party embraces all but
about five thousand of the temperance men
of the State. Will it be in the Democratic
ranks, where nine men in every ten are in ia
vor of free rum? Or will it be in third par
ty that is so feeble as only to be able in any
event to act as allies of Democracy and elect a
few of its adherents to Office, as in the late
State contest? 1t is as if class of Protes-
tants, agreeing in the main with the great
body of that church and bitterly opposed to
Catholicism, should resolve that the only way
they could carry certain ultra Protestant doc
trines would be to unite with the Catholics.
Mark, too, the expression 'the true friends
of temperance" Are there, then, only five
thousand "true friends of temperance" in
Maine? The temperance organizations alone
have double that number of voters! Most of
what we have been accustomed to call the
"true friends Of temperance" are still active
members of the Republican party.
But when the correspondent adds that
with prohlbitionists matter Of principle is
higher than that of party" the measure of
his stupidity is full Parties have to do with
principles, and the Republican party notably
with those that are highest and most sacred
Even it this were not the case the writer's
language is mere play upon words, for pro-
hibitionists, in their secession from the Re-
publicans, form third party to the interests
of which they devote themselves with vari-
GUS degrees of disinterestedness and devotion
to principle.
No, the Hichborn bolt cannot be contin-
ued, if those who have entered upon it and
made onetrial, are as honest men as we have
given them credit for being. They will not
persist in the course thoughtlessly begun
after 1t has become certain that the only
effect of persistence must be disaster to the
cause they cherish most. -.-