The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-27
PROHIBITION.

pAI.o Afro. Mss, Aug. I'd, 1881
EDITog CLARION: When any new qHes-
ton is sprung before the country that
will create contest and excitement, it is
right and proper that both sides should be
heard that the people may properly can
yass the question and come 10 correct
conclusion. / see from yours and other
papers in this State that prohibition and
Total abstinence IL again to be sgitated be-
fore our people. I have always believed
that such an agitation vas detrimental 70
the country. and that to say to man ne
should not hare wkisky, sharpened his appe-
tite for 1t, and that such law would
create an opposition which would cause
its repeal, and the people, then 10 show
their freedom and independence. would
run into the opposite extreme. | never
was drunk in my life, never expect to be;
yet, took bold ground against prohibition
thirty years ago, and have never changed
my position. am opposed TO it yet, just
as am opposed to Radicalism. Tor l re-
gard it as an auxiliary TO the Radical
party. The Democracy has been defeated
| in the last two Presidential elections by the
flank movement OF the Greenback party,
and now Prohibition Is designed to take
its place to defeat Democracy in the
present campaign. | therefore regard il as
Radicalism in disguise, and will oppose it
as SUCH Prohibition in principle is wrong.
1t proposes to deprive SO good men of a
| privilege, a comfort, because the hun
dredth man abuses that privilege. This i
unjust, and comes in conflict with all good
government in all enlightened. ages. The
absurdity of the doctrine is well illustrated
by the farmer who muzzled all his cutie
because old Pidy sucked herself.
| | oppose prohibition because it does not
accomplish the object of its advocates
1t is a spirit of fanaticism, advocated by 6
few fanati ,al preachers who would carry
the world to Heaven by the hair OF tbs
head if they had the power or would I'll
their churches by force of Law in Older tC
give themselves an easy place and a fat
salary. In a word, prohibition contain.
that same overbearing, bigoted and tyrani
cal spirit that once burned the saints a
the stake, drove Huguenots from France
and the Puritans from England to Plymouth
, Rock; hung witches in New EDgiand viii
Cotton Mather, fanatical preacher at Ii,
head of the prosecutors of those unhappy
creatures It is the same ,lonineei in.
, spirit that built up an abolition party il
the North, which resulted in a civil wa
| lldl COSl lalc biOOu OI 4 million OIL GU
r American citizens and the ruin Of tin
/ Southern States. Is this not enough t
satisfy Southern men? Or will they ruI
after Neil Dow, down-East Yankee, VIII
+ is the father CT prohibition, and thus ait
in a fanatical crusade against their owl
kneighbors and their own people?
Prohibition is wrong because it saps th
e foundation of liberty; it attacks the in
alienable rights of man; it is at war witt
!, self control, the great principle upol
which our American system of government
o is based. Yea, more, it is at war witl
p Democracy itself
In the old world it is the popular doe
, trine that man is not capable OF self goY
1 eminent, but must have kings, prince
r lords and mobiles to govern him, and he
the dutiful subject or slave Of his mas
ter. But when Washington and hi
a patriotic army triumphed over tlF:
t naughty and tyrannical spirit, they re
=, versed this order of things, and said, ma
is capable of self government Not onl
= is he capable to govern himself and hi
e private affairs, but he is capable OF govern
# ing the broad land, and directing til
, affairs OF this great government; so tbs
our officers are not our master, but on
!. servants.
L: If prohibition is to be forced into ID
politics of our State, shall boldly tax
l. my position against it; though ] am ne
:, an advocate of drunkenness, but ] oppos
l. prohibition because it is not the pr0pt
remedy. The Bible condemns drunken
ness, but there is not word of prohibitio
in that sacred volume God was not
prohibitionist. Had he been. would Law
cut down that evil tree and thrown it o,
J. of the garden of Eden, and Adam and Es
is would have been in Paradise to this goo
/: day. Christ was not a p-ohibitionist, /,
! we find him at the Wedding changing watt
d to wine. when the guests we're baviIl
st a good jolly time and had exhausted Tie
! supply of that sparkling beverage, he fu
: nished them a new and better qualit
d, That is not all, he established the Eucha
is ist and ordered the use OF wine in II
. name. But we find then that the Pariset
called him wine-bibber. | wonder il i!
Is prohibitionist OF our day do not belong
], that same sect of oyeFfighteous Pharisess
" / am a Democrat, but il ti.aEa j. ar
! democracy in prohibition | not able
u find it. But OH the contrary, its object
10 to divide aud confuse the party that j
"A enemies may triumph as heretofore. III
ffspopulur sentiment throughout tie State
= against il when properly tested. The pc
k pie will never consent to pm. muzzle Q
St 4 free mans nose OF . gag in hie month.
II FABIus.