National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-25
NORTH CAROLINA.
LlBERALlsM AMONG THE rAR-HBELs.

TO the Editor OF THE RErunLTcAS;
There have been lately published In your journal
several communications oil assuming that there
Is Liberal" movement in North Carolina.
None Of these state very clearly what this move
nent consists of or how 1t is to be led. VIII the
eaders DO Republicans or Democrats and from
which party will come the followers9 The dis
iussions Of the question. are vague, and we
ire somehow len in doubt as to the mean
ing of tho correspondents In some mysteri-
Gus manner, however, Liberalism and anti.
Prohibition are always mixed. We are given
70 understand that anti. Prohibition, as the basis
VI Liberalism, will sweep the State at tue next
Election. But how2 Are we TO have ayowed anti
Prohibition candidates, nominated by anti-Pro-
ibition conventional Many in North Carolina
ave thought that the question Of Prohibition was
ully settled last August, when the overwhelming
majority Of 10000 was polled against H. What Is
The use of talking more about question so dccid-
eddy settledG Aud do not the managers Of
THIS Liberal" SCHEME
teceive themselves when they suppose that any
considerable number of voters will change from
bne party to another because of Il? What are the
hcts2 Early in 1880 the temperance people Of
North Carolina began movement for prohibition.
IN February a convention, composed OF respect
Iblc lpeople-Democrats ana Republicans, white
and coored, of various religions, and many Of no
religion at all-asscmbled in Raleigh. This con-
fentlon appointed business committee of which
the writer was member, and which met like
committee OF the General Assembly to discuss the
whole subject The legislative committee was
composed about equally of Republicans and
Democrats, and during the joint deliberations II
vas noticeable and frequently rcmarkedupon that
The Republican Legislators were more pronounced
IN favor Of prohibition than the Democrats, and
ome Of them were vehement In their advocacy OF
he measure. The convention respectfully pc
itioned the General Assembly to enact an abso-
lutte prohibition law and adjourned Then came
the consideration of the matterin the Legislature
and, ns in the committee, the Republcansstro
Urged the
PASSAGE or PROHIBITION BILL.
The result was not the law asked for by the con-
vention, but the abortion submitted to the people,
which was SO overwhelmingly rejected. More
Republicans in the Legislature voted for the
measure In proportion 10 their number than
Democrats. In the campaign which followed
arge numbers OF prominent Republicans, as in
he General Assembly, advocated prohibition.
Gentlemen of that party of the most eminent re-
pccu billty, some OF whom had held important
,fices In the State, and many whose counsels had
never been rejected by their party asso-
ciates placed themselves in the lead
If the movement. The popular vote In fnvor of
he bill was $4,000. No less than 10000 Republl-
cans supported It at the hustings. The mistake
WHICH, secinh ~ w iHhuo Dg lnOSt WHO hpeuk VI "
Liberal" movement is that they underestimate
he strength of the Republican Prohibition vote.
Il is an element which ought not to be ignored
and IL 1t Is attempted to disregard the men in the
Republican party who voted in this way disaster
will result.
THE PROHIBITION REPUBLICANS
AVE never, from the first, regarded this as party
measure. They have always wished, and desire
now, to keep 1t out of party politics, They love
heir party and Its principles, and would not be
ariven away for any consideration. There are
hundreds and thousands of such Republicans in
North Carolina. Those who voted for prohibit
ion are not place holders nor ofiee.seekcrs; they
ire Republicans because they esteem
he doctrines of the Republican faith
As class they say little. but, while
hey make no noise they are firm as n rock
n sustaining their principles. Is 1t right to take
uch action as will cause them to abandon their
nrty? And can the Republicans, already in n
minority, afford TO lose this Strength How will
L be made mp? Who maintains that enough
Democrats can be depended on to restore the loss
If nothing is done to disturb the harmony of the
Republican party it will maintain its strength
snd grow in power. There are enough vital
questions TO engage the attention of the people,
upon which Republicans are agreed, without
throwing in fire. brand. The Democratic ma
lority, in 1880, was only about five thousand This
may be overcome, but not by adopting resolutions
in convention which will be distasteful to 5000
Republican voters, The true solution OF the Lib
,ral movement is TO preserve the integrity OF the
Republican organization, which at the last cleo
lion polled more than 10000 votes The time Inns
rot yet come when North Carolina needs O
Malone, and If one offers himself all anti pro.
hlbition platform will be n slippery one for him TO
stand upon. The people have been ready, with
great unanimily, 10 vote down an obnoxious pro.
hibtion bill but IL does not follow that they will
willingly vote for candidates who avow them.
selves, directly or by implication in favor of the
unrestricted manufacture and sale OF Intoxicating
liquors.
CERTAIN POLITICIANS OF BOTH PARTIES,
hewing with complacency the great majority
against prohibition, assume that they created the
popular wave whereas the wave swelled up of
ITSELF and these politicians, pigmics, were simply
borne upon its lofty summit They were tossed by
II, but never directed nor controlled It, Already
ihe mighty flood has subsidized and the politicians
arc floating at an ordinary level as before. This
letter is written because Il is believed the whole
Facts have not been before presented through
the columns of your widely circulated journal
The writer aims TO be impersonal, having no de-
lire to stir up animoslues, bnt OH the contrary,
wishing to inculcate harmony in the Republican
party OF North Carolina He blames no one for
thinking differently from himself, freely recog-
MIXING tbs light Tor all TO entertain any sort
OF opinions. lie knows very many excel
lent Republicans who were on opposite sides
of this ppn-pnrty question. Many of those who
uiier with him are personal and political friends
and upon the temperance question they say, let
every man have his own opinions which do not
'"r into party politics. II Is believed the period
500 uo F,' lived when Republicans need TO go
10 tInato."l .' ~"rt of the Democratic
f'aNarf VI tg. "- BALL.