The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-09-18

Ulafk President anu new We -. a S"S4
Secretary. A committee was appointed
consisting Of Rev. A. @. George aud Rev
]. W. Carter, TO prepare an address Il
the temperance and christian voters o
the State. The following address was sub
mitted and adopted;
ADDREss.
We are in the midst Of an exciting polit
ical struggle. Great questions are involv
ed. The interests Of men are deeply stir
red. The desire for partisan success leadl
to strenuous exertions, and sometimes tc
the use Of unwarranted means and
agencies. In such heated strifes the tone
| Of morality is lowered, the caure OF tenn
perance languishes, and regardfor decency
and honesty diminishes, il 1t does not
wholly disappear. At least there Is always
danger that such cad results will be real.
lied. 1t Is because OF these perils and
possibilities that we now address you.
We do not speak as partisans, and We
seek no political ends. Our aim Is higher
and nobler. Representing, as we do, the
different political organizations, we ad-
dress you as citizens and christians. We
entreat you, therefore, to receive what We
say without prejudice or passion, and 70
give candid consideration to our appeal.
We do not dissuade you from the exer-
else OF the franchise. On the contrary,
we consider It the imperative duty Of
every citizen to aid in the maintenance Of
civil government. We believe that you
ought 10 vote; and we hold II TO be the
consistent obligation OF every temperance
man and every Christian, 10 remember bis
principles when he casts his ballot. We
are persuaded that there are certain prac-
tees and demands connected with our i'm
portant elections which ought to be
avoided and resisted, with persistent pur-
pose and TO the last extremity.
The increased use oil intoxicating drinks
Is a marked feature in every political con
test. Many reformed men are led back
sgAin into drinking habits, many young
men and bows are there first induced 70
use spirituous liquors, and many moderate
drinkers become confirmed drunkaIds.
Some candidates for Office furnish free
drinks to their supporters, the baletu!
habit OF treating" gains in strength and
frequency, and the favor OF saloons and
rumshops Is diligently cultivated by 3
certain class Of political aspirants and
managers. We insist that 1t is the unmts.
taxable duty OF every good citizen-ot
every patriot, temperance man and Chris
tian, to set his face as flint against these
practices. No man ought TO Unsupported
for any Office who resorts 10 such means to
obtain an election. We believe that It Is
fully in the power Of sober, reputable,
Christian citizens, to administer TO such
reckless effice-seekers and corrupt parti'
sans Tebuke which will prove ettectual
and which will not be forgotten.
There Is, moreover, q constant tendency
to employ at least portion OF the Chris |
tan Sabbath to advance political objects.
All intelligent, conscientious citizens will
regard such tendency with alarm, and
will defend the sauctity OF the Sabbath as
the safeguard OF the Republic.
Il Ia often demanded OF temperance men
and OF Christians to support for Office men
of drinking habits, and even OF notorious
immoral characters, because they have
been regularly nominated, and must be
elected 10 ensure party success. But
such men will never be put in nomination
by political conventions when 1t Is known
that the upright Christian voters will not
sustain them with voice or ballot. The
presentation OF the names OF such candi.
dates is an insult TO Christian citizens, and
ought to be resented at the polls.
Every one who votes to put an immor-
al and incorporate man into an honorable
and lucrative position, votes TO make indie
cency respectable, and dishonesty infuen.
tial. He practically declares bysuch vote
to aspiring young men that, II they have
smartness and partisan strategy, no matter
how immoral and dissolute they may be-
come, it will not prevent their political
advancement. The general prevalence oil
such sentiment would destroy the foun-
dations OF morality, and would reduce
representative government, sooner or Ia
ter, to hopeless wreck and ruin. We,
therefore, urge all good citizens to refuse
their ballots to incorporate and immoral
men, and to all candidates who resort to
corrupt and deleterious agencies and intu.
ences TO secure nomination or election to
any Office or position OF trust, whatever.
We do, moreover, respectfully request
all ministers OF the gospel to preach on
the duties Of citizenship and to press on
their hearers the obligation oil regarding
God and his law, in all their relations and
engagements in life. And we implore
all ciuzeus, who desire wise and worthy
rulers, the maintenance OF social order,
the maintenance Of public morality, the
preservation OF constitutional liberty, the
right training OF young men as to the
duties and responsibilities Of the franchise
in republic OF law and in Government
by the people, and the success generally OF
righteousness and Temperance in all our
borders, to hold up the hands Of such
faithful ministers, and TO cooperate dill
gently with them, in q testimony and
work TO humane, patriotic and religious.
We also appeal to all conductors Of pub.
lie Journals TO remember, In the heat and
tempest OF partisan strife, that the highest
ia always the hest, that the success which
is deserved, ia the only genuine success,
that 1t ia better for party to be defeated
than TO be demented and debauched, and
that scrupulous morality in all public re-
lations Is the safety OF the Republic, as 1t
Is the glory Of political organization.
Let all good citizens unite In demanding
and maintaining sobriety, honesty and
purity In partizan warfare, integrity in
private life and in official trusts, an incor-
ruptible franchise, the solemn duties Of
citizenship discharged in the fear Of God,
the repro6ation OF bad men and their dis
missal from all offices Of profit and honor,
and the perpetustion OF good government
founded on the teachings and doctrines Of
the Holy Scriptures, as priceless heritage
10 our children, and 70 all future genera
tions:
4 4; ) : :. S s s,s:s: Committee.