West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1884-12-17
OCTOGENARIAN INJUNCTIONS
Give Conscience Fair Play at the
POIls.-Let the Petitions be
Circulated.
EDITOR FREEMAN:

EDITOR FREEMAN
At almost every religious Con.
vention or Association in the State
there was a report on the subject
of Temperance followed by speeches
and Temperance resolutions result
ing in a pledge to vote Temperance
at the polls, preachers and people
unanimously adopting them. At
the past election November 4th,
there was fair opportunity of
testing these professions of loyalty
to the Interests of the Temperance
cause. And how were these reso-
lutions carried out at the polls ?
The temptations was too strong to
fall in with party, lest the other
party should triumph. Every
vote cast for St. John will be that
many taken from Cleveland and
may elect Blaine" says the Demo
crat; and the Republican uses the
same argument against voting for
ST. John lest Blaine should be de-
feated and Democracy triumph, and
these arguments turned many votes
on both sides from voting for Pro
hibition. Now the man who can
resist all such party arguments
and act his own convictions of
conscience, reveals an element of
manhood that may be trusted in
every emergency. But what of the
men who favor Temperance when
it has no opposition, but as soon
as opposition sets in are ready to
abandon the cause?
And history but repeats itself
in the recent efforts to fix stigma
and disgrace upon the name of St.
John and the Temperance cause,
by burning him in tffigy and in
displays of heathenish mirth and
hilarity around the scene.
Centuries ago a similar scene
transpired near Calvary when the
embodiment of everything noble
and enrolling was made the jist
of such heathenish treatment. The
cry was, Away with him, away
with himl Cruelty him" And
for the time they seemed to tri
umph. But what was the final
result? This same Parsonage, up
on whom such reproach was cast
was soon exalted to a throne Of
dominion and glory and every OPP
posing force comes under his ON.
nipotent sway. And long after
these fires have consumed these
paper effigies, and the smoke clear
ed away, and these shouts of hi
larity are no longer heard, the
Temperance cause will sit enthron
ed in the judgment and conscience
of every one who loves God and
man, home and country, and op-
posing forces will yield to its sway
"Thewolf and the leopard, the lion
and the bear, the asp and the cock
atrice shall so far yield, that the
lamb and the kid, the calf anc
the young child, shall dwell secure
ly, nor feel their power; "for they
shall not hurt nor destroy in al
my holy mountain; for the earth
shall be full of the knowledge O
the Lord as the waters cover the
sea-" Isaiah XI, 8.
No friend of the Temperance
cause need be in The least discour
aged by the small vote cast fol
st. John and the cause of Prohibi
ton. 1t is really no index to pub
lie sentiment on the subject. Lei
petitions to submit the proposed
amendment to the vote of the PEG
pie be circulated and the name O
every friend of the measure secured
and give the people chance to ex
press sentiments at the polls ane
then we shall get the proper index
on the subject. M. ELLISON.
Anderson, w. Va, Dec. 1884.