Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-21

JUDGE PITMAN's AcCEPTANcE.-Judg Pit
man has accepted the prohibtory nomination
for governor in the following letter:
NEW BEDFORD, Oct. IS, 1871
Gentlemen have your note informing me of
nv nomination for the office of governor at the
prohbtory convention held in Boston on the
4th inst On the eve OF your convention | wrote
to my friends "GOG must not nominate me for
any place on your ticket" meant exactly
what said; and my first impulse was immedi-
atev to decline Il nomination conferred not
only without my consent but against my
protest But have felt myself compelled to
examine the question as to my. course in the
broader light of personal duty. In the princi-
pies policy and necessity of your party
thoroughly believe. A few plain propositions,
to my mind, cover the case. That intemper-
ance and its twin satellites, pauperism and
crime, are vsibly diminished under policy of
enforced prohibition is not matter of theory but
of proven fact, of which my own city has
for the last TWO years furnished as clear
the chemists laboratory. When we consider
that drunkenness is the great enemy of Anglo
Saxon civilization, and the special peril now re-
naming TO our republican government; that it
is the chief debasing element in the physical,
material intellectual, moral and spiritual life
of the commonwealth, it is mere truism to say
that no living political issue approaches in So
lemnity and impOl lance that which concerns
the attitude in which the state is to stand to the
dram shop. The beer shop is the dram shop in
disguise, and something worse for the disguise.
The dominant party in this state has fostered
the beer shop by legislation, and tolerated the
dram shop by inaction. In the future. as in the
past its leaders will carry out the
policy of the party; and no officers elected
by a party which fears and ignores in
its platform the policy of prohibition, can sue
cessfully enforce that policy. A Credulity that
to Srrnn no fraff fg fba nef
powerful interest in the country, without an
open, courageous issue, and pronounced YER
dict of the people, is painfully absurd. The re-
publican party refuse and fear the issue; il is
the clear duty Of the hour for us to tender it to
our fellow citizens. This way only, victory lies.
IL is for the good people of the commonwealth
| to say how many weary Years must pass before
| ITS light shall break upon those who now sit in
| darkness and in the shadow of death. In fine,
| the argument is exhausted We need the logic
| of votes to convince, and the moral SuasiOn of
| success TO win those whose duty ii is to act.
With these convictions have been compelled to
consider whether il is my duty to surrender
my personal wishes and sacrifice my personal
tastes by accepting your nomination. could
not at first feel that il matered much who
| among your true men was chosen to represent
your principles; and you certainly could find
among my associates on the ticket more than
one tried and trustv man to be your leader
But the representations InadC to me have been
numerous, urgent and weighty that a change
now would be disastrous TO the vote; and ii may
be that a disappointment as to a candidate
| would more diShcartcn Il new party than one
long established. However, that may be- feel
that must give force to the impartial judy
ment of others; and therefore reluctantly ac-
| cept the post Of honor which you assign me, as
post of duty. Very truly your friend
ROBERT G. PITMAN.
To Hon. Whiting GfiswOld and Others.