Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-09-10
BISHOP MERRILL.
He Writes a Strong Letter Against
Third Party Prohibition.

Third Party Prohibition.
The following are extracts from let
ter written by Bishop S. NJ Merrill and
published in the Chicago Inter Ocean OF
August 30, 1856
There are two methods of procedure
open to the friends of prohibition. The
one is with and the other is without sep.
arate political organization. Which is
the preferable? Undoubtedly that
which promises the permanent success:
of the cause, in the shortest time, and
with the least friction and animosity.
! 1t NAV be that some cherish the con-
lecture that both methods, substantially
can be employed; but this is delusion
If we adopt the party method we must
adhere to it, and make it successful by
party methods, or we must fail. There
is no such thing as securing the sympa
thy and cooperation of the good men in
other parties without inducing them tC
abandon their party affiliations and join
the new party which we propose fol-
them. IL needs no argument to show
that this is an undertaking of such mag.
nitude that generations will be required
to accomplish it.
The usual argument in favor of this
method is that the separate party organ
iZation was successful in the old contest
with slavery. This is unsupported as
sumption. The separate party vote ont
| ly strengthened the hold of the pro-
slavery power, and gave it such assured
control of the government as to intensi
| fy the contempt it entertained for the
deposition. The separate party did not
succeed Providence interposed, cir
cumstances changed. old party lines
were disrupted, and the slave power was
broken by Influences which no man can
trace to any separate political organiza>
tiOn. The analogy is not complete. The
precedent does not apply. The fallacy
! is manifest. 1t remains that no great
reform, involving moral elements, has
ever been successfully carried out in
this country through the agency of sep
arate political organization.
| This does not prove that such an
achievement will forever remain i'm
possible, but it suggests the necessity of
serious inquiry before assuming the
practicability of movement incumbered
with so many grave difficulties. and
| fTaugEt with such questionable elements.
| One of the serious objections to this
plan is that it cannot concentrate the
Temperance sentiment of this country.
In spite of fate and good affections it
will ALLEVIATE men by hundreds and thou
sands whose moral instincts and right
and whose influence might be secured
for prohibition ON any plan that simply
| IN
citizens, and as Christians.
This battle is too great to be fought
by factions. 1t requires union. wisdom,
prudence. as well as courage and persisr
tence. The old Liberty party, OF which
so many fine things have been said,never
enrolled more than small fraction of
the anti-slayery sentiment OF the coun
| try,and therefore never became fOrmida-
ole. The Prohibition party in its party
organization includes only about per
cent. of the prohibition sentiment. The
votes it casts will not amount to that
much In the State of Ohio, for instance,
under very unfavOrable circumstances,
the direct vote for constitutional prehi-
bition was $685. 900, while the vote for
party candidates was about 900. This
is less than 8 per cent, and the propor>
tion is not better in other places.
In such leading Prohibition States as
| Kansas and Iowa the ratio is much
smaller. 1t is a mere faction. Its lead
ers are earnest and Jealous, but they do
not command the following needed for
success. Modesty is virtue which in
itself is not less beautiful because the
leaders of this faction fail to cultivate
it. 1t is not to be assumed that wisdom
| is always with majorities, but it is
scarcely to be believed that this very
small majority in the ranks of Prohibl>
tionists have acquired monopoly of
this grace In the multitudes of the
non partisan friends of the cause there
are some whose judgment ought to enti-
tie them to respect; yet in the clamor OF
politicians all voices are drowned which
do not shout the praises of the manage
ment." Prudence is pronounced coward
dice. Conciliatory methods are derided
as compromises with sin. Every practi-
cal measure which seeks the cO-Opera>
tion of those who abide in their old pO>
litical associations is set at Daught as
lacking in principle. The result is that
much the larger number of prohibition
lists are ignored, and the small minority
stand out before the public as the repre-
sentatiyeS and strength of the cause,
while the chief supporters of the public
sentiment which must ultimately achieve
the victory, deplore the unwisdom of
this state of things, and patiently and
sadly wait the coming of the day when
the battle for prohibition will be pitched
upon ground broad enough for all its
real friends to stand upon, and where
they can fight under a leadership strong
enough to concentrate all available
forces.
| Constitutional provisions should never
be made the basis of party organizations.
The organic law of the State and the
nation ought to have the support of the
patriotic citizens in all parties. The on
ly way to secure this end is to avoid
thrusting platforms into the Constitu+
ton. Prohibition of the liquor traffic
cannot be permanent till it is IN the Con-
Stitution, and it cannot go into the Con-
stitution as party measure. 1t is too
broad for a party. Like the fundameD+ .
tai principles Of the government, it must
be the common ground of the better
classes in all parties; like the common
school system, it touches interests too
vital to the common veal to be made
the foot ball of politicians. Parties dir
vide on interpretations of the Constitu-
tion, not on the Constitution itself In
terpretations form politics, and party IS p
sues relate to policies. But there is a
realm of principle beyond the conflicts
of parties, where the moral character
of the government rests upon the foun-
datien of right--where enduring ele-
ments of Christian civilization crystal
ize in organic law-and to that broader
realm of essential right this question of
prohibition must come.
Another serious objection to the party
feature is that it renders it inexpedient
and improper for the churches to take
the active part in the advocacy of the
cause that is desirable. When the party
| is organized, with candidates in the field