Connecticut western news., 1871-12-08
THE THIRD PARTY.

our local paper is neutral in politics, and l do not wish to interfere with that neutrality in the least, unless to speak of the proposed third party which IS advocated by some friends of temperance in this state, be po- litical. presume it is understood that the movement is intended to be in. the interest of temperance. There may be political sore-heads in the enterprise, but the pro- fessed cause is the better promotion of tenn perance. The present assigned reason for such action is, that the last legislature failed to establish State Constabulary, or to pass the Truman Smith bill. The fact is, that the erection of third party. to be known us temperance party has been agitated for two or three years past. can see no good to arise from the proposed movement. As an earnest temperance man, as an earnest willing worker for tenn perance, forsee much harm.
 In the call for the proposed convention at New Haven, these is as it seems to me, captious spirit manifested. By the word ing of the invitation, am kept from that convention, and so is every temperance worker in the state, who feels as l do. Il was evidently predetermined that the con. vention should be in no sense 0 conference of the friends of temperance, but that cer- tain work sh0uld De done. l desire to interfere with the personal liberty, or the conscience of no one, and acknowledge the legal right of few men to meet and do what they think best, but desire them to remember that there is such thing as moral accountability. Individual judge ment is good thing, but no man has g right to set up his individual opinion, and say that the community in which he lives shall be governed by it. So in the com munity atlarge, in the state; few mer have no moral right to say that their judge ment shall be followed, or they will take ! course which shall hazard the cause all art trying to serve. If the movers in thi: matter propose 10 say that none are tenn perance men, but those who favor dis tinct political organization in the state then think time will prove the number tt be indeed small.
 What we need in Connecticut, is thu establishment of tenaperGnce se7ltaan cot which shall reach and pervade all classes We need temperance work in every town village and hamlet. We need an active church; an active christianity in this mat l ter. We need to invite and convince men We cannot drive them. The stream can not rise higher than it's fountain. It i worse than useless to enact laws which thu people will not enforce. The whole people or rather, the people as whole, are il favor of the enforcement ot every lav which is carried out. And all laws mad which remain dead, are worse than useless It is said by some persons, that stat constable, stranger in any given com munity, would carry out the law. Granted but if by some special combination a con stabulary law should be enacted, it coul, not be retained upon our statute book unless n majority of the voters of the stat were in favor, heartily in favor of it. It enactment and its repeal would be all in jury.
 We have in the state now, good tenn perance law, and it arrests and entirel prevents rumselling In every town, whe. the sentiment of the people is so strongl, in it's favor that it can be carried out. Ther is at the present time temperance revivs going on in many parts of the state. Il this town, during the past IS months, 66 have signed the pledge. Now, MT. Editor take the strong partizan and tell him tha fealty to his new obligation demands con trol of his party action at once, and he vii bolt The temperance cause loses tim and thereby suffers, and the man himsel suffers, for he will in many cases, prov being too weak to withstand the deman, of appetite, and the seduction of old part, influences. In short, when the time come l for political action in favor of temperance independently of every other consideration there is no doubt but the great body 0 earnest temperance men will be ready t. | join in the movement. That time has no arrived, and desire to protest against sucl action as, taken by limited minority, shal embarrass and roll backward the gran, movement. XXX,