The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-08-15

expressions Oh support leCelNeu lrOul
friends outside of the convention.
Respectfully, THAD. NJ. CHAPMAN.
The Republican and the Temperance
Tickets Compared.
Editor Register and ,Jou1RdI:-l
have been much interested in watching
the proceedings of the selt-styled tenn
perance party and have been sorry to
see otherwise sensible men run after a
false light and arrive at the conclusions
they have. If | see Alright, they have
left the party that has placed our pres
ent prohibitory laws on the statute
book, the party of reform, the party
that has fought wrong in high places
and won marvellous victories over ev-
cry antagonist Except one), and are
setting themselves up as the source of
political economy, as the ones that are
always right and all others wrong, just
because the persons elected to political
position to execute the laws and see
them executed have not left their posi- |
tons and gone into the detective bust
ness to ascertain if Mrs. O'Connor or
Paddy Ryan has sold or given away a
little rum. 1t strikes me that if they
wish to see the liquor laws enforced
the better way would have been, in
stead of boiling, to secure conclusive
evidence against the law-breakers and
put it in the hands of the officials and
ask them to take legal measures, as they
are bound by their oaths of office to do.
1t is possible that this course has been
followed in some cases; but | am
strongly of opinion that they are rare,
and | know that in many cases when
the officers have made a raid on some
rum-hole protested temperance men
have hidden themselves for fear they
would be called on to testify to what
they had seen and knew. How long
ago was it that Col. Lucia, in the dis
charge of his official duties, was hooted
and insulted in broad day in the public
street in one of the villages of this
county, and so-called temperance men
stood by and encouraged the rabble,
and said that he (Lucia) had no bust
ness there? And now they have met
and made their nominations, how much
better off are they, even if their men
are elected? Does any reasonable man
expect to see Il. NJ. Chapman, if made
sheriff, poking about the country to
find some groggery that he may arrest
the keeper thereof! tell you, no. If
he or Mr.. Clark is elected and proper
warrants are placed i'll their hands |
expect they will see that they are prop
erly executed, and that is all any one
has a right to expect. Do these gentle
men expect to see the regular nomi-
nees for assistant Judges, If elected, vio-
late their oath of office and punish a
man brought before them charged with
rumselling until he is convicted? If
they expect any such thing, they give
us the very best reason in the world to
turn in and defeat their ticket, because
such action would be subversive of the
first principles of Justice. Again, would
it be the duty of these same Judges to
play the detective and accumulate evi.
dence against any offender against the
law, that he might be brought before
them to be tried on evidence they had
searched out?
We are informed in sacred writ that
the walls of Jerusalem were speedily
built because every one built over
against his own house; and so infer if
these gentlemen will do the duty devolv-
ing on them as citizens to see that the
laws are enforced there will be less noise
about the non-enforcement of the laws.
OF course concede to the gentlemen
the right to bolt bad nomination. but
if they know it is bad, why not let the
rest of the county know t,so we all can
bolt together; for do not and can not
believe that the treemen of Addison
county want corrupt men to fill official
positions; we never have had them and
| have yet to learn that the nominees
of the convention of June II are so.
Now let us look at the temperance
candidates and see, if possible, wherein
they are better than the regular ticket.
III. r. Baldwin is, as | am informed, a
temperance man, and SO is his COMPETE
tor. Samuel James is also temperate ;
but is he any stronger in the faith than
ID. w. Clark, who has been in the way
from his youth? Mr.. Doud was their
first love, so they cannot possibly find
fault with his principles and | have yet
to learn that Mr.. Lane is on the wrong
side of the question. Mr.. Lane was
not my man i'll the convention, but |
think him as good as his opponent. Mr.,
Clark, for sheriff, is one of the strong
est temperance men, is in favor of the
enforcement of the law and does not
use liquor. Mr.. Clark was not nv
choice in the convention; still claim
when we come to the test these gentle.
men have established he is not found
wanting; and when it comes to high
bailifl Mr.. Ripley,if elected, will do his
duty and that is all Mr.. Frost can pos.
sibly do, leaving only the States attor.
ney, and the most important officer OF
the list as far as the prosecution of Of
tenders is concerned. The present in
cumbent is one of the strongest (ir
princlpIe) temperance men in the coun
ty, but on his entry upon office he wa:
inexperienced, which will be the trou
BILE with Mr.. Stapleton if elected. TC
be frank,l think neither of the men thu
proper person and that the peculiar
tactics of the temperance men defeated
Mr.. Eldredge.
In fact | cannot see wherein the tenn
perance ticket is made up of any bette
material than the other, though hav,
vet to learn that il is COmDlete Will