The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-11-21
COMMUNICATIONS.


since the election, we are reminded that
'Those whom the gods would destroy, they
first make mad" These Republicans are
certainly mad enough, and it is a madness,
we believe, presaging the destruction of
their party. The origin ofthis madness must
either be with their gods or in themselves.
The Prohbitonists, who are the subject of
their anathemas have done nothing what
ever more than lies in the right Republi-
cans claim for themselves, and which they
concede to every other party except the
Prohibition Do Republicans think that
the Prohibitionists are their property, and
that the latter have no rights that the for
mer are bound to respect? Prohibitionists
are as much entitled to their convictions as
Republicans, and have as good right to
express them by their votes at the ballot
box In expressing these convictions upon
the great question of temperance, the only
moral issue before the people in the late
campaign, Except that affecting the per-
sonality of the candidates. in which re-
spect the Prohibition candidate had the
only clean record) they followed the exam
pie of the Republican party in Its earlier
and better days, when it was the repre-
sentative of moral ideas" Republicans
now are following the example Of theirpro-
slavery antagonists. who ridiculed and an
athematized them, and not only hung their
leaders in effigy but led some of them
through the streets with halters around
IL, Ia, Nv
to-day, who were of the handful who
led Republicans in face of as bitter oppo-
sition as the Prohibitionists now meet, are,
in turn. acting in the same spirit as Gheir
pro-slavery opposers. But this is in keep
ing with the present spirit of their organi-
cation. which has altogether ceased to be
''the party of moral ideas" and is now the
upholder and supporter of the worst Gle
ments of corruption in the land, and which,
in June, 1884, at Chicago bowed down to
worship the rum-god. As men and parties
who prostitute their gifts and opportuni-
ties. always in the Providence of God meet
just retribution, 50 party and a candi-
date who prove recreant to their trust. and
act as cowardly as the Republican party at
the Chicago convention. and as its candi-
date, James G. Blaine, at the October Maine
election. deserve defeat.
Some have attempted to defend them. by
telling us that they acted from the
standpoint of wise eTpedtency; but
expediency has defeated them in con-
fusion and shame. How much better
it would have been to have suffered
temporary defeat for a principle, and, as
good Abraham Lincoln expressed it, to
have had ''the faith that right makes
might. and in that faith dared to have
done their duty and to have realized, as
Chas. Sumner said that 'As the oak trees
roots are strengthened by its shadow, so de-
feats in a good cause are resting places on
the road to victory at last
We frequently hear from some of
the clergy this monstrous peryersion of
Gods word-the teaching of erpedjeRcy in
question of morals Right is right,
and wrong is wrong, and God never sane
lions the latter, even that good may come.
The command is, ''touch not the unclean
thing"
As we have already limited, history is re-
peating itself in the Prohibition movement.
In 1910, the Abolitionists laid the founda-
ton of the Republican party, by the nomi-
nation Of James G. Birney for the Presi-
dency. In the election of that year he re-
cevcd l. 059 votes. In 1874 he was again
nominated and received 60. 300 votes. In
1S4S Martin Van Buren, received 291 263
votes. John p. Hale received 1856, 149 votes
in 1852. John c. Fremont received 1 ,341,-
Lincoln was elected. AS John p. st. John
said at the Academy of Music in Philadel-
phia, last month, The nomination of
James G. Bimey by thc Aboltionsts in
1910 made the election of Abraham Lin
coin possible i'll $780, The foundation of
the party which shall sweep the rum-curse
from the land was laid in 1872, when
James Black was nominated as the Tenn
pcrance candidate for President of the
United States, and i'll that year received
) Cos votes. In 1876 the Prohibition can
didate for President, Gen. G. c. Smith, re-
celNeu J,02S votes. IN loSU Neal DOW re-
ceived 10, 30j votes. John p. St. John, the
Prohibition candidate at the recent election,
received over 200, 900 votes. At this rate,
and with the experience of the anti-slavery
leaders to profit by, we shall reach our
goal sooner than they did theirs.
Prominent Republicans in our neighbor-
hood who claim to have been temperance
men half a life time, and who have been
notorious for some years past for their in
difference to temperance work, threaten
now to have nothing more to do with
temperance Like their party, they are
showing how much genuine interest they
have in the temperance cause. We shall
heed neither the advice nor the threats of
such men, but rather take counsel from
those like Neal Dow, who, with half a
century'S experience i'll real temperance
work, tell us that we have at last resorted
to the right policy-independen political
action, and that the more vigorously we
pursue that policy, the sooner we shall win