The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-08-21
s>PERSOSAL LIBERTY..
What "a New York Paper thinks of the
American Constitutional UniOn--


From the N. Y Times, August 18th
Much was expected of the mass con-
vention of Germans calling themselves
the American Constitutional Union. y
held IN Milwaukee last week, but it is
not probable that the results of this gath
erlng VIII have any effect npon public
OPINION. The speech of the gentleman
who welcomed the self-appointed dele
gates, the platform which was adopted.
and the expressions which marked the
closing moments of the convention were
altogether too Intemperate to take any
hrm hold on the public mind, Most SEN
slble people will agree with these dele
gates that temperance is virtue which
cannot be promoted by legislation but
very few will for that reason admit that
those who believe otherwise are fanatics
bent upon michief, who should be crush
ed by organized public action. 1t is we'll
enough for those who hold that such leg
1slatlon is vicious and useless, to do what
they can to prevent it; but it does not
become them to do SO in avindictive spirit.
nor to deny to others that personal liberty
which they claim for themselves.
1t IS, however, in their arraignment of
the Republican party that these Germans
are most open to criticism They could
INTO their preamble, for they could not
POM a single public act of the party
wh1c-- would support their charges
They have no proof that the Republican
party has changed its character from an
organization for patriotic purposes to
an engine IN the hands of a selfish few
TO RETAIN power and position to them
selves. They declare that corruption
is manifest in all branches of the Gov
eminent, . and would have us infer that
the Republca1f party is responsible for
TINS state of things. There are no facts
to prove the assertion. Corruption is not
manifest IN all branches of the Govern
ment, nor IN any, for the simple reason
that whenever it has happened the Re
publican darty has rooted it ont. These
Germons, however, go further and say
that the national domain and resources
are voted opolitical parasites and mighty
corporations whose overwhelming and
constantly increasing power is giving Just
alarm Where is the political parasite
who has been thus favored? If they
have hun III Wisconsin they must have
hidden HIM III some remote wilderness
where he has remained unknown to the
world. As for the mighty corporations, ,
the charge is one that has become famil-
lar OF late. 1t refers, doubtless, to the
land grants to railroads, which were pop
ular enough when made Because OF
these grants, Wisconsin with all the West
has been more developed ID decade
than 1t would otherwise have been in a
century. To attain a great and benefi-
cent end the Republican party, Years ago,
granted wild lands to help build railroads,
and thereby vastly increased the riches
OF the country. Since the railroads have
been completed, and much more than
the expected benefits realized, it has be-
come fashionable to denounce the party
Tor dong what the people have repeated
| ly approved. 1t i'll becomes the Ger
mans OF the West who owe so much to
this policy of the Republican party, to
| JON IN cry so unjust and so senseless.
Nltuperaton is always the readiest, as
1t IS the least effective, weapon in politi-
cal warfare. 1t was evidently the pur-
| pose of the managers of the Milwaukee
| Convention, under cover of a movement
! against temperance legislation, to make
a general war upon the Republican party
III their State. In so doing, they should
have rememembered the fate of the Lib
erals last year, and sought for something
better than exploded ISLANDERS to support
them III their position. The Greeleyites
| SotiIi give lll6Iu Nf1udDle hNiN1C6 On tIils
subject. Having INDUCED in these SLAM
| ders IN their preamble, the Germans can
expect little benefit from the fact that
| their succeeding platform contains moth
ing exceptionabie, There is nothing IN
it that the Republcal party has not only
professed but practiced Indeed, but
for the fact that the Republican party
has r1lled this nation for the last thirteen
years, the Germans of Wisconsin would
not have been able to promulgate the
principles they did the other day. But
the,r great grievance, and the chief crime
of the Republican party in their view,
is the curtailment of personal liberty
On shis point they resolve to this effect
Freedom of industry and freedom o.
trade are essential elements of republi
canform of government. Therefore, while
we deeply deplere the evils of habitua
and excessive drinking, as well as intem
perate habits and excess in any Other
mode of life, and while we are ready anc
willing to use all reasonable means te
eradicate them, we earnestly oppose al
laws which, under the pretense of polics
: regulations, or of remedying moral evils
interfere with the inherent rights ane
fundamental principles of American citi
zens, as guaranteed by our Constitution.
There is no Republican who will no
mdorse this resolution. Republican,