The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-08-14


the subjects Of temperance and,keeping the
sabbath, interfering with their ,eSnstitu-
tiOnal rights as American citizens. w do
not understand them as complaining of tho
existing laws in relation to these matters,
but they express fear that these win DO re-
pealed and more stringent ones enacted. Is
this fear well founded, and does it justify,
in advance, separate and national move
ment Of all Germans against any supposed
attempts to alter the present laws bearing on
the subjects Of temperance and the Sab
baths We think not. The Germans are
not alone IN their views Of Sunday
and liquor laws. We believe largo
majority of the people of Texas are
opposed to any material change in the ex-
isting laws, regulating Sabbath keeping and
liquor selling. With regard to the. first, we
took occasion some two months ago, Just
after the adjournment of the last Legisla-
ture, to express our own opinions frankly
in an article on the ''Day of Rest, which,
if it attracted no notice or comment in
Texas, was repubiished in several newspa-
pers out of it, thus indicating appreciation
of the sentiments ayowed As the late Ger
man convention in this city make these sub
jects prominent by the adoption of their
eighth resolution, we think it proper now
to succinctly repeat them. We think there
should be day of rest, established by law,
on which no legal, except criminal, process
shall be enforced. That Sunday, Gas recog-
nized by all the Christian world, is the most
suitable for this day of rest from either men
tai or bodily labor That the laws of nature,
independent of the laws of God, demand
this day, and it is right and proper for the
Legislators of any country to fix it by stat
ute. But the day being thus fixed, the peo-
pie have right to keep it according to
their own consciences and judgments, 50
that they do not interfere with the rights Of
others. We prefer going to church on that
day, and, afterwards, to read, walk, ride
and visit our friends, at our pleasure, max
ing it as profitable and pleasant to both
mind and body as we can. If our German
or other friends prefer going to the Turn
Verein and spending the day to suit their
own taste and feelings, it is their privilege;
it is none Of our business, and we have no
right to complain. We may or we may not
think them wrong, and they may think US
wrong, but we have no right to force them
by law to church, as they have no right to
force us to the Turn verein. That is our
view of Sunday and Sunday laws, and we
believe it to be the view of large majority
Of the Democrats Of Texas. Can our Ger
man friends object to thisl Do they desire
any greater freedom of conscience than they
now have in this respects We believe not.
Now, as to liquor laws, VIC shall be
equally explicit. We know temperance TO
be good thing, and we arc opposed to in
temperance of all sorts. We think il the
duty of all Christians and moralists to incul-
cate temperance, and to do what they can
to promote it, but we also think that all
laws, intended to force temperance upon
the people, arc futile and wrong in princi-
pie, and against the spirit, if not the letter
of tho Constitution of the United States.
We suppose this is plain enough, and that
our position cannot be misunderstood
That a large majority of tho Democratic
party of Texas hold the same opinion, we
have not doubt There may be few---in
fact, we know there arc some pious, good
people, who entertain a different view oi
this matter, and are anxious to re-enact here
the Maine and Ohio liquor laws, for the
supposed suppression Of intemperance, but
the number is small and their influence less
There is no danger that these good, but, al
we think, misguided people will get the
political control of the Democratic party,
or the preponderance in the Legislative halls
of the State Our German fellow citizens
need not be alarmed, but if they are, the
best thing they can do is not to attempt
separate action, but to unite cordially with
the Democratic party, which is the only party
in the country, north or south, east or west,
which has made any successful resistance
to fannticism of all sorts, religious,
moral and political And while VIC would
remind them of this, we would call theil
special attention to the fact that the old
Democratic party, from its start, has always
been the true friend Of the foreigner of ever,
nationality, and has done more to encourage
their immigration, to confer on them th'
early rights of citizenship, and provide fo
their general welfare in this new home o
their adoption, than all other parties to
gether, whatever their names orprofessions
Let our German fellow-citizens remembei
these things, and not be led astray by the
Radical tricksters Of Texas to take ground
against their best friends, and the onl,
party, judging from the past, on which the,
can rely for the maintenance Of all their
just rights and privileges.