The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-12-08

Nessrs. Editors Of the Adrocate-Dea,
Sirs In answer to the catachetical questions
of ga Temperance Democrat allow me Ia
submit the following:
| suppose ] shall not be reckoned to have
too much of the ego by accepting my position
/ from our Temperance ally of New Windsor as
one of ''the three leaders. The readers OF
| the Advocate are acquainted with the ssNew
4 Cateehism,' and | need not write it to answer
/ il. | will make the number and write the
answer TO follow.
1st. Yes; and we are not ashamed Of it or
its purpose.
End We are all three Republicans, aud vet
we all cut our tickets and voted for a Demo
/ crat. We should have been glad to have had
the opportunity To vote for temperance can
didates to the Legislature on the Democratic
| ticket. but, alas for reasons too apparent the
Democratic nominating convention had no
honors of legislative kind to distribute
among temperance men. The public can
answer if we are partisan. We are for the
party that will favor temperance, with which
we shall be assured Of pure morals, and
/ against the party that favors whiskey, with
which, sold under license, high or low. or
given free, as at our recent election, to carry
their wicked purposes, there can be no pure
morals.
3rd. We were at the Court House; saw an
awful picture of Democratic ruling in this
state, according to the revelations made by
Gov. Hamilton, Wallis and others, the
''odelT" of which had gone far and wide, and
had reached Westminster before S. Matthews.
via the daily press. We did not, but should
have accounted it no disgrace to have shaken
hands with Mr.. S. Matthews. To have been
still under such eloquence Of truth to nature
would haye been mark of stupidity equal to
the 'New Catechism" and its author.
4th. We expected to aid the candidates of
the Republican ticket to the Legislature, be-
cause they were known to be temperance
men. We wanted to deliver temperance
Democrats from the odium of ''praying for
temperance and rOtiRg for achiskyn Will "a
T. b. tell the public how long we shall be in
delivering the people from the curses of intern
perance while we vote with the whisky element?
We are not disposed to straddle the crack
1t is dishonorable position to be on neither
side of the fence. The temperance issue
is in politics, and you cannot get it out until
you get intemperance out. 1t is the most
live issue of the times, and he that is not alive
to it is dead to the moral veal of this country.
9Th. Here is the essence of impertinence.
Have not the ministers who are Democrats
who signed the appeal sufficient intelligence
and conscience to know what they ought to
do? After a careful reading of the appeal
one of them said: ''The only objection have
is that it is not strong enough | suppose
that "a TEN. D." would have us speak
smooth things, and not in any sense be too
hard on public wickedness. We are not in
the habit Of carrying water on both shoulders
We do not try to dupe anybody; we do not
propose to be duped. "These things have
not been done in a corner,n and the more
daylight we can have ON them the better they
will shine, so give us the sunshine.
9th. Whatever letter was written in answer
to inquiries, it was in the spirit of temperance
and local option, and nothing beyond There
was no double dealing
18th. We are Republicans, and glad to hear
good news from the family, though we be
ministers. We expect no Office or state emol-
uments from any party; we have our hands
full; yet we are not willing to be reegated to
the status of criminals and lunatics. A repeal
of the law that forbids a seat in the Legisla-
ture to a minister of the Gospel would be n
good removal of a dark page of the history of
politics in this state, and would save our Leg
islators elect and their posterity from the
odium that rests with its trainers.
8th At the Republican headquarters we
heard no profanity. Though we have keen
scent and disgust for the fumes of whisky, we
judged 1t absent. VI the Odeuf Eth1OpleR
we are not experts in the business. 1t takes
such as like to hug them out of the Republ-
can ranks to know. Republicans need not
get into such close proximity
9Th. What are politics? Let Noah Webster
answer: "The science of government, that
part of ethics which has to do with the regu-
lation and government of nation or state, and
the protection of its citizens in their rights,
with the preservation and improvement of
their morals" Have we nothing to do in
ethics? Is "a Temperance Democrat so
ignorant? Is the preaching of the Gospel to
be separated from morals? | hope ga Tenn
perance Democrat is not good specimen of
our Legislators elect Where is the ''mire of
politics?'' The dirty pool as by Vindex?
| suppose he refers to those of this state and
county. Are they in the ''mire ?" Has not
sixteen years of rule been sufficient to cleanse
chem, even if they were dirty before? BY
keeping them dirty / suppose his hopes are
to keep our ''clerical robes out. We expect
to do our duty for the future, to urge all good
people to go and go ourselves to the prima
ries, and cleanse and remove the "dirty pool
if we can. JOHN EDWARDS.