Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-01-28
Temperance Column.

put. III you had taken more pains 10 obtain a
more accurate report. your article might posi-
bly, have been more discriminating. l am re-
ported as denouncing the cowardice Of the
League, when. as yet, it has taken no action.
has not even indicated what its line Of action
will be. What did say was this ITO stand
in the face Of such an evil rs this (intemper-
ancel and confess ourselves unable to do any,
thing 10 remedy il. is cowardice." viii any
one show 10 the contrary; The statement was
purely hypothetical. and cannot be tortured in
TO an application TO anything which the League
has done, unless, indeed. il has made such
confession. II was certainly intended TO in-
fluence the sction Of the lie ague, or. rather. TO
urge it on TO action.
"ie disavowed any faith in moral or legal
suasion." How any man who ever heard me
talk five minutes ON the Temperance question
could 80 misrepre.ent me unintentioHdHy. is
more than can understand.
I was reported in the Ellsworth American.
in its report of the first Of these meetings. as
advocating the formation Of Temperance par
ty, which should occupy the same attitude
toward the Temperance question. a the Re-
publican party has toward the slavery question.
/ announced at that time, my intention OF
voting straight out prohibition ticket, even
though voted alone.
AT the last meeting but one. stated that, if
were TO be held responsible for the entire
suppression of the liquor traffic. would give
more for one man who would vote and act po-
litically against it, than for ten who would only
sign the pledge not TO drink. And my reason
for taking thi, ground /, that however many
may sign the pledge, enough will drink. while
liquor is sold. to fill the world with crime and
misery. This was certainly A. strange posi-
ton for man 10 take who has lost faith in To-
gal sua>ion. What really have lost faith in i.
lack OF legal ,uasion. There are many who
have suffered long years Of misery from intern
perancc. while this hollow mockery Of prohi-
bition has been Carried on. who. like myself.
have lost faith in it. Mothers who have lived
10 see their sons die drunkard>; drunkard,'
wives. whose whole live. have been rendered
dreary waste Of wr'tchcdness. belong 20 thi-
class. They have waited patiently while poll
tician> Were trading in their misery. until hope
long deferred ha. made their hearts sick.
Ny disregard Of Statute law amount, simply
judge how serious matter it is. The Prnhi-
bition law wa, intended 10 suppress the liquor
traffic. This law cxprc>sc, the will Of the mass
Of the people. but through it, faulty provisions,
or the workings Of party machinery. or for
some cause. has practically failed 10 accomplish
il. object. Therefore. while urging the forma-
ton Of the Temperance party. which perfect
and carry out measures for the complete and
permanent suppression Of thi, traffic. | have
not hcsita;cd 10 urge. here and clscwhcrc. A. a
temporary moan, Of lcs>cning the evils " hich
spring from lnteinperanc". more summary
process. California. ~ everyone know. en-
ploycd IDuch more law,es. - means 10 ct nd
Of horse thcve, and gamblers, and instead Of
going back to the Dark Ages has been in a
healthier condition ever since. The Judgment
OF the whole country has been that the
course pursued justified by the circum-
s;snoc,. With California il wa. mainly qur,-
tion OF property: with u-, OF human life and
happiness. Certainly, one would suppose that
a. much liberty might b. allowed in protecting
the latter Is the former.
have one more correction 10 ma Ike. and ihi,
has to do with the editorial article on temper
ance n,naticism." VIII you explain in Whist
part of the report. wrctchedly CARRIED a, it
Wa. any claim Sc; up that everyone was
10 execute his will on those whom he may
dem cvildoerss lie cxhorted the men Of
Ellsworth reads the report, and in thi- one
point II was correct. II is quite A different
thing for Congressman TO urge the expansion
Of the currency, from wha; it would b. il he
should proceed TO expand it on his own indi-
vidusl responsibility. The report did more in
-.----s~~s-..s-s err ers5'~-rrcr7n cSnrr fn.Trrs
had failed. which he hy no means admitted
But he does not need n defence by me.
IL Is barely possible that the above /. be-
heved 10 be- the substance OF what wa, ,ail.-
by some one; but ! very much doubt whether
the reporter himself would undertake 10 rcpro-
ducc the sentences from which the substance
Wa taken. Do not care 10 reply 10 vour M
plication Of the cpithcts ..yilc. degrading. ruin
ou- and cursed YOU are entitled to whatever
credit they may bring 10 YOU with thi, coInrnu.
nity.
We cheerfully give place to the above
from Mr. Larnprey, Teacher Of the Els.
worth High School. We bespeak for II the
attentive perusal Of our readers, so that
he may have all possible benefit 10 be de.
rived from his explanation. All we hay.
TO lay In reply, is, that the gentleman
comes out Of the same hole that he went
In AT; or, in other words, that the above |
article, II ii means anything. means that /
moral and legal suasiou are failures in his
estimation. and that mob law is the soyer-
eigm remedy for the evil. II he does NOT
-ee II, We cannot help it, We have once
before characterized the advocacy of mob
aw by teacher Of the young. as little less
Tile. degrading, ruinous aud cursed than il
he business Of the runseller, and we
igain repeat it. We say what We mean.
md We mean what we say. By both our
correspondents. the report OF the speakers
II the Temperance meeting is virtually ad-
nitted TO have been correct. and we see
10 necessity for further explanations