The Richmond palladium., 1874-07-22
For the Palladium.
TIMELY LETTERS.

The Temperance Question.

TIMELY LETTERS.
No. L.
The Temperance Question.
Now that the great political parties
of the State have had their conven.
tions and made their respective ''dec-
laration of principles" the issue is
fairly made, and is now being submit
ted to the people for verdict. Ques-
tions are involved in the contest that
will excite some Interest for the rea.
son that they affect moral and social
conditions and individual habits. The
most important, and the one that will
perhaps attract the most attention, is
the temperance question. Here the
lines are drawn, and it may as we'll be
admitted in the outset, that the COM
ing campaign will be no political mas
querade in which any person can dis
guise himself with mask. Upon the
temperance question as a political is
sue, the Republican party has arrayed
itself on the side of soberness and mo.
rality, while the Democratic party has
gone into the field arrayed upon the
other side, and thus does one become
the defender Of right, the other the
champion of wrong. Choose We this
day whom ye will serve" Such being
the issue, no sincere temperance man
can long hesitate in determining his
course, and, on which side of the scale
he will cast his influence. The sin.
cerity of any man man be doubted
who will now make an effort to inaug-
crate an Independent temperance
movement. Such a man might we'll
be arraigned as conspirator against
his friends, and traitor to the cause
he advocates. A movement of this
kind can only tend to the accom-
plishment Of but one end, that of the
complete triumph of the enemies Of
the temperance reform, and the re-
moval Of restraints upon the liquor
traffic. It is evident that in the CON-
ing election, either the Republican or
the Democratic party must succeed,
and through these instrumentalities
the cause of temperance must succeed
or fail. A third party cannot hope
for success. Mere adhesion to princi-
pies by individuals, without regard to
power, can accomplish nothing. Sue
cess flows from power, and under our
system of government all political pow
er comes from the people in the expires.
sion of majorities. A political party
that does not possess this power can
accomplish nothing. If. then, the ad :
, vocates of temperance wish for sue
cess, they must by some instrument
!. tality, clothe themselves with the
, power that the majority of the people
can alone confer. If it is a principle
that they are seeking to enforce, and
the Republican party declares that it
will enforce that principle. il the pow
er is given SO to do, then consistency
plainly marks out the course of every
man who at heart desires the success OF
temperance reform. If certain princi.
Piles are advocated by the temperance
. people, and the same principles are
advocated by the Republican party
!, then are their interests identical, fo1
: principles are immutablc. Suppose
9 an independent movement is inaugu.
/, rated and the Republican party is de.
feated thereby, what will the friends
| of temperance accomplish? Every
!. worker in the temperance cause who
: lends his aid to such movement al.
q lies himself with his enemies, betrays
q his friends, and brings ruin upon the
e cause he pretends to defend. This
and nothing more" He is not safe
counselor nor true friend of the cause
S who will advise such a course. A
;. true reformer desires success, revo
lutionist merely seeks to change-on.
= is benefactor the other is not. L
d must also. be borne in mind that intem
t perance has been long in the worlt
J. and is deeply seated. In contendinl
= with it we necessarily strive with tn
O bitterest preiudices, and we need no
o expect to accomplish much by relent
g less persecution-yet frmness is re
. quired. Great reforms are frequentl
J. retarded by the blindness of fanatic
3 ism. Reformers must not be unreas
enable and seek to bring about spas
r. modic changes, especially when deal
IS ing with the wrongs and habits of cen
l. turies. Great reforms are plants q
I; slow growth, greatly depending upo
T the soil in which they flourish. AS a
Y. individual may be judged by his char
t. actcr, so may a political party b
80 judged by its record. The history {
= the Republican party in this, as We
10 as in other States, proves that in a
I'd it's efforts to restrain and control il
q, temperance, it has, as rule, been rt
y ~ sisted at every step by democratic il
n. fuences. This fact, taken togethe
n. with the platforms and the declar;
'l. tions of the leaders Of the respectiy
e. parties, should be sufficient to detel
II mine the course of every ardent ten
be perance advocate. 81 UNUs.