South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-09-01

How Temperance Men May
Become q Power I'm the
Land.
A writer in the Athens Messenger
lays down means by which Tenn
Perance men may become q power
in the land, as follows:
L would have you Temperance
mem become a power in the land.
Do you ask how that Is to be &C.
complIshed2 l answer unhssltat-
ingly, BIZ THE BALLOT: and il no
other wayl Oh, that will never
do say you. IL would help the
Democrats. Or, If you happen TO
live in a Democratic precinct, you
fer it will help the Republicans.
Well, suppose 1t does; what of 1t
Is your attachment to a party
stronger than your attachment to
the cause of Temperance? If so,
then you are an arrant hypocrIte
In donnIng the regalia of the Sons"
or "Good Templars;" and r bear
ing false witness when you pretend
to be ProhibitIonlsts. Have you
forgotten thas We taught the four
million ofliberated slaves that there
is virtue and power IN the ballot ?
That without the ballot they were
powerless 10 defend themselves
against the evil m~achinatlons of
their more enlightened white broth
ers; but with 1t they might protect
themselves at all times and IN all
placesl
If it were true, that the ballot
could be of such service TO the COL
ored man, (and no one doubts it)
is it not also true that it may be
made equally serviceable In the
cause of temperance? Why is 1t
that less than thirty short years
since an Abolitlonist could not lec-
ture in this place without being
mobbed? and in those days Wings
aud Democrats We'd with each 9TH
er III displaying the accuracy of
their aim in hitting Abolition
speakers with rotten eggs; while
to-day you Q walking your streets
with the proud tread of freemen,
hundreds of colored citizens, who,
at that time, were languisbIng in
the chains of legalized slavery =
Why this change? Was it not the
power of the BALLOT that wrought
this great reformation
Look back TO the organization of
the old Liberty party" They
would not average ten voters In
each county throughout the State
for years after their organization.
But, by determined perseverance,
careless which of the other two par
Ties might have the power, they
gradually increased until finally
they carried one or two of the
northern counties, and thus found
themselves IN possession OF the bal
ance of power in the Legislature,
with a United States Senator to
elect. Then came the counting and
coqueltiDg of the other two great
parties-the Wings and Democrats
with this Goddess of Liberty who
held this balance of power; all OF
which resulted In her uniting with
the Democracy aud sending SAL
mon 2. Chase to the Senate Of the
United States, and repeating the
so-called Black laws of OHIO. From
that day forward, the Liberty
party became a power IN the land
flirting now with the Democracy,
and then with the Wings, until the
demise of the old Wing party, when
she married The son and heir ard
became the great Republican party;
and to-day nearly a million of en-
franchised slaves cast their ballots
TO keep her / n power.
Is there any reason why the
ProhIbitionists shall not be equally
successful, if they employ the same
means? Let the Temperance men
of to-day but be as true to their
cause as were the AbolItionists of
the old Liberty party, and their
triumphant ucces in the end is
Inst as cartain