The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-16
Wendell Phillip. ON Prohibi,ion.

No man has stood finer in defense of Pro.
hibtory legislation than Wendell Phillips.
As this is one of the questions involved in our
coming election, what he says has meaning
for us. We make some extracts from his last
article in the National Standard: =
This year Massachusetts, will follow the old
lead OF Maine and divide at the ballot-box on
the question of Prohibition. 1t is full time
that it should be so. The Temperance move
ment lies at the very root of popular govern
ment. This vice is tine tool by which bad
men WELD our cities for every vile purpose.
The money power buys up Legislatures. In
cOrporated wealth is the great danger in the
time to come, threatening to swallow up Leg
islative Independence. The struggle between
that and the masses will yet be terrible, and
how much popular victory in that struggle
may destroy, besides its single enemy will de-
pend on the education and selfcontrol of that
day. Unless we are to be a calmer and more
discriminating mass than any history shows,
the victory will be mad one and make
wide ruin. The growl of Reputation few
years ago is Indication enough to warn the
most listless. The Government, or any other
"cock-boat built of bank-notes' will find it
hard to
"Sail those fiery seas.''
But there is lower tier than Legislature
is the readiest means to manipulate these.
You cannot TEST ballot box on drunken
people. Neither the, wealth of New York
nor its virtues will ever redeem that city from
the control of its criminal classes while these
last can undermine law, defy Justice and mo =
nOpOlize office by making an election a
drunken riot. Without the help of ten thou
sand grog-shops Crime would never have put
its agents into the City Hall and Police Office.
Paris is ruled by despot, and London by a
company of titled cousins. New York is ruled
by drunkaIds. Men whom murderers serve
that they may, and because they have, escap-
ed the gallows-rule the city. The ribald
crew which holds them up coud never stifle
its own conscience, nor rally its retinue but tor
the help of the grog- shop. Republican inst-
tutions, undermined by this social vice, are
obliged to confess that they have never GOV.
erned great city on universal suffrage in
such way as to preserve order, protect life ard
secure free speech.
The People have two enemies, Wealth and
Rum. The first grinds them up into diyi-
dends. The second betrays them sborn to
their enemies. The battle against this has
begun. But the truth will never get frankly
poken TIL we launch the discussion in the
poltlcal arena. The Anti-Slavery cause
SHOWS the cowardice and shallowness o.
what styles itself the educated class here
No social question ever gets fearlessly
treated until we make politics turn on it
Our piliered science, spoilt in the stealing
begs us to wait till it proves that slavery i;
only one stage OF human progress, and that
Intemperance never beegared one man oil
murdered another, because Alcohol is not
technically poison
The advent of Temperance and labor into
| politics will secure mastery sitting OF the
two questions; and make to the real liteia,
ture of the world such contribution as our our
Revolution and that OF England in lGio' maue n,;'
touching civil liberty; and such as the AMI
slavery canse gave touching personal nee
the next ten Years y,Is rsaon, we Ga iaf Of
to get few rays OF Sd gh' reacb ON "s some satsac.
tnrp t%p Conclusion as to the right society has 10
prohibit pro poisons and shield itself against vol
pntary madness. Temperance men open
their great College at the Ballot box; and
working men groan out from under their load
truths Adam Smith and Stuart Mill never
saw. WENDELL Phillips.
1.-The Due de Grammont, whose name has