New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-06
MISLED PROHIBITIONISTS.
.1ETrER FROM FREDERICK DOUGLASS.

ramrant tendency to faction which threatens hoV
only the stability of political parties but popular
government itself. reducing society Z" cohnl'ion
of chaos that winch proposes TO organize
National Prohibition party and to give us vote III
,be present election for Ex-Governor st. John, OF
Kansas is perhaps best entitled TO respect IL
certainly is more worthy OF consideration than that
other party which, incorporating in the sham OF
Independence is laboring might and main TO Drihg
hack TO power the old Democratic party, ana Is
willing TO assassnate great and good party merely
from personal dislike to James u. Blame lhoush
TO this hour Il has not proved single charge IL mas
made against the object Of its spite
The Prohibition party stands upon Il uiner'"'
footing. and IT is actuated by different motives
Though as l think, it is manifestly wrong ana
abunIant in mischief, its members are among the
most conscientious and phlanthropic OF the
American people.
There is no DENYING that these people, though
manifestly in error, actuated by pure motives
Dominated by single idea, detached from all cues
tions affecting the general moral and material III
forests of the country, having before them an oo'
iect which excludes all else, assuming to follow III
tbe footsteps of those noble men and women VINO
,yoged a thirty years moral warfare against sav-
cry. and were instrumental in making possible the
overthrow of the slave system these Prohibition
isis think to do the same tOr intemperance.
Such a people are not to be rdculed OF de-
nounced out of their convictions. Against them no
veapons should be brought less effective than rea-
son. truth and humanity.
Lest what am about TO say shall be rejected on
the presumption that 1 have leaning toward
Iiopor. Imav say that l am both q temperance
man and prohibitiOnist. | neither drink SMOKE
cbeu nor take SNUFF. Yet | am not in party
sense n prohibtionist or in favor of erecting
potIcal party upon that single issue; certainly not
M the present time when the practical elect OF
The organization of such party Is 10 Wl'"H'"
votes from the Republican party, and thus 10
strengthen and place in power the rum and slay
erv Democratic party
From the nature and composition of the Repub-
licau party composed of the most moral and phii-
anthropic of the American people, the Prohibition
party will naturally draw ten votes from that
party. to one from the Democratic party
If is notorious that the strength and prestige of
fhe Democratic party IS due to the solid vote of
tlc south aud almost equally due to the SOLID vote
OF the dram-shops of the North.
When. therefore am asked to vote for Mr. St.
John. am asked to assist, not the cause of tenn
perancc or prohibition, for at present such assist
auce J., impossible. Int TO place IN powera party
distinguished for its sympathy with intimidation,
lawle,, violence. and the destruction of the free
dol of the ballot in the South, while II supports
the ,kcy-jrnkng customs of the North
il isuothiug against this that Our friends OF the
Prohibition party are at heart opposed alike TO the
gro,.,hop and the bulldo1er's whip | speak only
o. tlc effect Of their political action and of the
oeicucc that they make Of that action
They say suppose we do defeat the election of
James g.. Blaine and John 4. Logan, and thus
overthrow the Republican party, and bring INTO
power Grover Cleveland and Thomas \. Hendricks,
and the old Democratic party, the final result will
bo good since out of the runs of the Republican
part, there will rise a Prohibition party, which,
four years hence. through disgust nj the wicked
moss Of the Democratic party, viii como INTO power
and destroy the manufacture and traffic in ardent
spirits altogcther;' an assumption about as wild
aud irrational a. il is possible 10 conceive.
Suppose the main fact in this prohibition argu-
meut bee grau'ed thing utterly opposed to reason.
what bctters that argument than open, undissuiNed
Justification of doing damnablc evil in order that,
BY some mysterious way, good may come
Man, mission in this world is 10 do good, and to
leave 10 the inscrutabc wisdom of Providence the
mission of bringing good out OF evil Any other
moral philosophy than tins leads to moral coniu' on
md TO the bottomlcss PIT Bur there is not the
slightest shadow of a probability that the defeat OF
Ne Republican party in the approaching election
will d,.troy that party OF that the Democratic
rarty. once in power would DC hdrlcl from il at
Tho end Of four years by a Prohibition party. by
it. principles ITS antccedcnts and the character OF
Che men who compose IT, ~ we'll as 10y the spirit Of
nror-ts.s that pervadcs II. the Republican party
gives the strongest assurance of Its permanence.
II is nothing against this position that the old
Abolition party defeated and destroyed the Wing
patty nor is the point well taken when 1t is smG
TINT iay position is that of the old Wings as
against the Abolition laty Of forty years ago
NV answer Is that there force IN the supposed
analogy between the cases.
The similarity lacks likeness, for the cases are
fundamentally different. The Abolitlonists had
reasons for opposing both the Whgand Democratic
partie which do not apply u any Just sense, to the
Republican party. Both the Wing and the Dem
ocratic parties were openly and shamcle,slT com
nittci by their platforms and by their candidates
10 The maintenance Of slavery and to the suppress
sion OF every manifestation of opposition to SAY
eY. Both icIry Clay AMI James X. Polk were
Shareholders.
I'm regard 70 prohibition, the Republican party
occup.c, mo- such position. II neither condemns nor
approves q man for being prombtlom't. II
simply awaits "a settled Augment 81 the people IN
respect ol that issue, and meanwhile does nothing
b. hinder thc growth of public opinion on that sub
iect ltsnIp,y does what every party which be
hc,cs 100 o government of the people and Icy tine
people should do TO wit: executes the popular
vi
m. idea That few men can get together and
say. " Go To-. now. we will make political party"
Oh this ar that separate ISSUE and succeed, j, lus
take Wendell Phillips said the trnth when he
said Parties are not made-thoy grow party,
e. succeed must not only have ideas. but numbers.
few men, combined together may work m ,clici
by deriving good party of power and putting
bad party i'm power But u order TO accompl .sh
any good end. IL must itself have either a majority
prarc..onahlc probability of becoming "a majority.
Fiat Ialt.cs. no more than rat money, can Joe
popnlar under our Government
NL,n. by discussion and the iopIaton OF moral
forces. Il shall be the settled judgment OF th"