Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-10-01

1hs par ~ ~ stoou ny the country
during the war, and with Gods
blessings upon its efforts, suppress.
sed the rebellion, saved the Union,
and emancipated the slaves. 1t has
been recognized during all its his
tory as the party of freedom, and
law and order. 1t has been the
friend of the colored people, and
the champion of their rights. 1t
numbers among its members an
overwhelming majority Of thefriends
of temperance and prohibition in
United States. 1t has during its
history made for itself a record
honorable to the Nation, and of
which any party might be proud.
The other and antagonistic party
numbers among its adherents large
numbers of intelligent and patriotic
citizens, who stood by the Nation in
time of peril. But the party, as
party, was never loyal during the
war. 1t extended aid and comfort
to the traitors in many ways. Here
in Chicago in the very crisis of our
history its National convention de-
manded the cessation of the war,
and peace on almost any terms.
Prominent actors in that convention
denounced Mr.. Lincoln in coarse
and brutal language, and strongly
limited at his assassination. There
was on the part Of the rebels of the
South an intense desire that McClel.
Ian should be elected President in
the place of Mr.. Lincoln. This
party that made war for the preser-
walton of slavery has been the per-
sistent oppressor of the black man
since his emancipation.
tits In power to-day only because
tens of thousands of colored citizens
in the South were not allowed fair
and honest vote at the last Presi-
dental election. This party has
been and is the avowed enemy of
efficient temperance Legislation. 1t
wisely stigmatizes prohibitory laws
as sumptuary, and arrays against
them the whisky and agrarian infiu.
ence of the country. To attempt to
place these two parties on the same
plane as to temperance and loyalty
to the country, is as absurd as it
would be to claim that there is moth
ing to choose between the treason of
jeff Davis and the patriotism of
General Grant The people of this
country are not ignorant of the fact
that this third party movement has
been so managed to assist The De
mocracy and iuhict the greatest
possible injury on the Republicans.
The leaders of the third party
seem as much against Republicans
as Saul of Tarsus was against the
early Christians; and like him they
breathe out threatnings and slaught-
er. When the Republicans are de-
feated there is joy and exultation
among the political prohibitionists.
Should Ohio elect a Democratic
governor next month we are pre-
pared for rejoicings among the men
of the third party, such as we heard
from the copperheads when the
rebels won a victory during the war.
The fact that Democratic success in
Ohio means the triumph of the
whisky party and the ascenden-
cy of the worst elements in society
would not interfere at all with these
rejoicings. 1t may be that all this
signifies nothing. 1t may be that
good men believe in encouraging the
saloon and promoting drunkenness
is the best way to advance the cause
of sobriety and virtue. Possible
that help is made up of innocent
meal, "only this and nothing more"
but it looks very much as if it was
designed to conceal a large sized
feline of the male sex. Persons are
Justly held responsible for the re-
suits of their acts, when such results
are what might reasonably be eX-
pected. What ever this third party
may desire or propose, there IS a
wide spread conviction that, that up
to the present time, its course has
served to weaken the cause of tenn
perance and encourage the old
whisky and pro-slavery party of the
country. X. Nj. HATFIELD