Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-24
Local Option. or n Third Party.
To the Editor ofHe Dispatch

To the Editor ofhe Dispatch:
In the late political contest in this
State, both parties entered the canvass
upon platforms promising to the people
local-option law in regard TO liquor
license. The moral and temperance
men Of the State accepted Of these pro-
misses as made in all honesty, and re-
NAMED faithful to their party allegiance.
Therefore, every man in the Legislature,
whatever his party, is solemnly pledged
to give US a local-option law. 4 fall
ure on the part Of the General Assem-.
bly, to give us such law would be a
violation Of a sacred contract made
with the people, and would cover the
Legislature with a deserved and lasting
iniamy, in the minds of all right-think-
ing men. The people are expecting a
faithful fulfilment Of the promises made
to them in this matter by the polite i
parties, and they will hold their repro
scntatives to a strict accountability.
There is a large and eyer-increasing
body Of temperament in the State,
who are watching with sleepleSs
vigilance every movement, or want Of
movement, on the part of the Le.isla-
tuTc in regard to the local.option bill,
and they do not intend that falthless-
ness shall 60 unrebuked and unpunish-
ed. There is a still larger body Of
men in the State, unconnected with any
temperance organization, who love fair
dealing and will not tolerate the open
violation Of promise.
Two Of the largest and most inhu-
entail religious bodies in the State have
expressed by formal resolution their
expectation that the Legislature will re-
deem its pledge in regard to local
option. The General Association of
the Baptist Church in Virginia, which
met in Richmond last fall, adopted the
following resolutions:
81. Resolred, That we gratefully re-
ccgnize a decided advance for the cause
of temperance in the fact that our re-
Gently elected Legislature stands com
mitted by the party platforms on which
they were chosen to pass general
local.option law for the State Of Viz
ginia.
80. Rcsolred, That we would urge
our iellew-citizens to use all legitimate
methods for giving assurance to our
Lawmakers in the next General Assem-
bly, that they will receive an earnest
support in carrying out the pledge thus
resting upon them.
This Association represents over H.
GOO Baptists.
The Annual Conference of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, South, repre-
senting 60, 900 Methodists, at its session
in Petersburg last November, adopted
a report on temperance of which the
following is a part
The progress Of public sentiment
towards what is called local-option
has given encouragement to many pious
and patriotic men. The committee are
of opinion that the danger to society
from the excessive use of intoxicants
can only be met by legislative interior
ence. Both the great political parties
are pleged by their platforms to such a
policy, and virtuous citizens will expect
compliance with promises voluntarily
given. The Church may expect in the
near future an exercise Of the elective
franchise in Virginia on the subject of
the liquor traffic.
Resolred, That we look with con-
fdence to Virginia lawmakers for a
fulflment of pledges so plainly given
to the people in published platforms.
This promise on the part Of the po-
litical parties to give the people local
option law prevented the formation of |
a third party. If this promise is not
redeemed no power on earth can pre-
vent the formation Of such a party in
the future. The temperance-men gen.
orally wish to keep the temperance
question out Of politics. The political
leaders profess the same wish. Then
recognize the rights of the people. give
them a local.option law, and thus elimi-
nate temperance from politics.
II. e. CHEATHAM.
January 10, 1856.