St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-09-18

party, the final result will be good,
since out of the ruins of the republican
party there will arise a prohibition
party; which four years hence, through
disgust at the wickedness of the demo-
cratic party, will come into power and
destroy the manufacture and traffic in
ardent spirits altogether )" an assump-
ton about as wild and irrational as it
is possible to conceive.
Suppose the main fact in this prohi
bition argument be granted, thing
utterly opposed to reason, what better
is that argument than open, undis-
guised justification of doing a damna-
BILE evil in order that, by some mystic
riOus way, good may come
Mans mission in this world is to do
good, and to leave to the inscrutable
wisdom of Providence the mission of
bringing good out of evil. Any other
moral philosophy than this leads to
moral confusion and to the bottOmless
pit. But there is not the slightest
shadow of prohabilitySthata the de-
feat of tIle'republican parity the ap-
preaching election will destroy that
party, or that the democratic party,
once in power, would be hurled from it
at the end of four years by prOhibi-
ton party. By its principles, its an
tecedents, and the character of the
men who compose it, as well as by the
spirit of progress that pervades it, the
republican party gives the strongest
assurance of its permanence.
1t is nothing against this position
that the old abolition party defeated
and destroyed the whig party, nor Is
the point well taken when it is said
that my position is that of the old
wings as against the abolition party OF
forty years ago. My answer is that
there is no force in the supposed anal
Ogy between the cases.
The similarity lacks likeness, for the
cases are fundamentally different.
The abolitiOnists had reasons for OPP
posing both the whig and democratic
parties which do not apply, in any Just
sense, to the republican party. Both
the wing and the democratic parties
were openly and shamelessly COM
mitted by their platforms and by then
candidates to the maintenance of slav-
cry and to the suppression of every
manifestation of opposition to slavery
Both Henry Clay and James X. Polk
were shareholders.
In regard to prohibition, the repub-
lican party occupies no such position
1t neither condemns nor approves a
man for being prOhibitiOnist. Il
simply awaits settled Judgment o.
the people in respect of that Issue, anC
meanwhile does nothing to hinder the
growth of public opinion on that sub
ject. 1t simply does what every party
which believes in IA government of th'
people and by the people should do, t.
wit: executes the popular will.
The idea that few men can get to
gether and say, "GO to, now, we vii
make political party" on this or tina
separate issue, and succeed, is mis-
take. Wendell Phillips said the trutl
when he said, "Parties are not made
they grow" A party, to succeed
must not only have ideas, but mum
bers. A few men, combined together
may work mischief by depriving
good party of power and putting a ba
party into power. But in order to ac
complish any good end, it must itsel
have either a majority or reasonabl
probability of becoming majority
Fiat parties, no more than fat money
can be popular under our government
When. by discussion and the opera
ton of moral forces, it shall be til
settled Judgment of the American peo
b. pie that the traffic in ardent spirit
shall be abolished, the republican pan
I ty will be as ready to register tina
Judgment and put it in the shape {
wise legislation, as any party whlc
NAV now or hereafter be formed.
The mistake our prohibition friend
5 are now making is full of mischief an
u possible disaster. 1t is based upon tt
D assumption that we no longer have
I southern question, and that the missio
: of the republican party is endet
Both propositions are erroneous. Ul
ID til the constitution of the Unite
} States, in all its provisions and amenc
:, ments, is respected in the southel
u states as in the northern states, "
shall still have southern question
{ Until the gates of education shall
equally thrown open to colored an
: white people alike, in the southel
e states, we shall still have southel
u u question. Until the pathway to tt
!, ballot box in the south shall
II straight, smooth, and safe to a repu
> lican as to democrat, we shall sti
II have southern question, and one Wi
l, II which only the republican party h
u thus far shown the needed wisdom al
disposition to deal.
e We ask our prohibition friends.
e the name of their old time anti-sla
'e cry sentiments and their love of ju
e tice and liberty, to stand by the +
publican party now, and until justi
Il and liberty shall be established al
s. the ballot box securely establish
e and respected in all the land. Let
n' do one work at time, and begin
new work only when one already b
'G gun has been properly finished.