The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-11-29
TEMPERANCE AND POLITICS,

The results of the recent elections have
no doubt disappointed many, yet at the
same time they may well serve as a warn
ing to our politicians to look to their course
of action if they wish to control public
opinion longer. New issues are coming
into being, old ideas are being lost sight of,
while men are inquiring what the future is
to give us as political issues. The Demo-
cratic party seems hopelessly welded to
all it's old prejudices, still praying with all
the devotion of which it is capable for the
triumph of the confederacy. Though
their cause has been lost. they have not
abandoned it. The great southern empire
that is to he, is still the first object of their
hopes and prayers. So intently are their
eyes fixed upon this imaginary possibility
that they cannot see the new issues that
are crowding up for solution.
The Republicans have lost sight of the
old ideas that have held them together.
The Democrats boast a resurrection this
fall, but it is an Elusive one, as returns
everywhere show no gain in their party
vote, and the only possibility by which they
can ever again become dangerous as
national organization is through Republi-
can divisions.
While sympathy with the rebellion and
hopes that at some time it may become a
reality is the one controlling idea among
the leaders; none the less ready are they
for determined fight with any new idea.
The temperance movement has yet to re-
ceive tie lirst sign Of sympathy from any
Democratic leader. No matter how high
may be the private character of men who
may sympathize with that party, in action
they are the same devoted friends Of the
whisky interest. No class of men have
probably ever been cursed by drink as the
Irish have, yet controlled as their votes are
by few leaders to vote solidly for party,
to take any decided action in favor of Tenn
pcrance would be to lose this vote. Still this
is but an incident of the question; it is the
hopeless dislike of the leaders to any limo
vatons on established order that is al fault
To organize the Temperance element as
an independent party has everywhere
proved failure, yet our State Legislatures
are busy with such legislation. Every
where that Republicans have control, more
stringent regulations are being made for
the control of the whisky traffic, but no
where yet have the Democrats made such
regulations. The Ohio, Illinois, Indiana
and Wisconsin damage laws were passed
by Republicans and against Democratic
protests, and their papers boldly point to
the defeat of Washburn in the last State
as Il consequence of the dissatisfaction
with such legislation. This is evidently
untrue; yet it shows the animus Of the
party. In the Legislature of New York
no Democrat was found to advocate giving
the people the right to decide the question
for themselves, and the d" Local Option y
bill passed by an almost strict party vote,
but four Delegates and no Senator of that
party voting in the affirmative. In the
Legislature of Pennsylvania the same state
of facts existed when the g Local Option y
bill was passed, and while the temperance
uiCu SdillCu q h"I"ii'y u 'hS So"AoiSs'
those old Democratic ones, such as Berks,
Carbon, York and Monroe were found vot-
ing solidly for license.
Such facts show how the sympathy of
that party is directed. The hopes of Tenn
perance action any where is in Republican
success. In Maryland this fall the ques,
ton of Local Option " has entered more
or less actively into the contest all over the
State and the result has buried " Local
S Option" under the weight of 10000 ma
: jority of whisky pledged votes not to have
, resurrection for years. How much OF
this vote has been fraudulent can never be
known, how much the majority has been
increased by the meddling of well-mean
ing, but ill-iudging temperance men is a
8 question for their decision. do not mean
? to say that there are not temperance men
who are Democrats. l do mean to say
!. . that those temperance Democrats will vote
, blindly their party ticket, no matter what
5 drunkard's names may disfgure it, while
temperance Republicans will not.
Another fact this election has proved, is
that Republicans may be found who viii
Q vote the Democratic ticket out of dislike
to temperance legislation; while on the
other side, party is the first consideration
y to which all scruples Of temperance, NOR
4 ality and religion must give way. The
writer met with rather amusing illustra
ton of this fact OH the day of the election
, A gentleman who is among the noisiesi
t Methodists in the county, a professor o.
specification, class leader, and exhorter in
his church, and as far as words 90 a tenn
, perance man to whom Pencil Coombe is 6
t moderate, was making himself very active
at the polls and among others offered me
ticket. Pointing out the name OF man
& on it who on the Friday night before at
tended a meeting of his party, and got sc
drunk before time for it to begin that he
could not stand up even with holding on
and who when in the Legislature before
= was drunk almost the entire session,
asked him if he, holding the position he
', did, was not ashamed to vote for such a
man?
= "No!" was the response "you and
have been drunk many time, and if We
had not, would VOC that ticket solid if the
decI was on it."
/ While doubling the justice of the charge
, against my sobriety | had no doubt that he
would vote freely for his Satanic Majesty,
could he secure Democratic nomination.
t This gentleman is representative of his
party. AS far as words go their temper
) ance is dangerous. but they are opposed to
. Legislatures meddling with it and equally
opposed to the minister raising his voice
f against drinking. They forget that the
duty of the Legislator is to act for the
good of the public; that no minister is fit
, for his work who does not raise his voice
e steadily and increasingly against evil in al
its forms 1t is idle to raise the cry tina,
prohibtory laws are useless, because some
5 times violated: so are the laws against