Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-04-23
JOSEPH COOKS MOTIONS.

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"Now, some of you think it must nee
essarily be Il very long while before Pro
hibtion will have party behind it. So
thought the Wings of Abolition. 1t was
forty years exactly from the defeat of
Henry Clay to the defeat of Blaine. some
of you know what defeated Clay. He
wrote a letter during his canvass which
was very unsatisfactory to the uncom-
iSing AbOlitionists. and as Il consequence
several thousands of them in this State
voted against him, and elected the pro-
slavery candidate. People denounced
that little band of Abolitionists with un-
parallclcd bitterness for their behavior,
calling them miserable featherheads-
men with no sense of what is practical in
politics. But under Birney and the 9th
ers IA party was beaten up which made
possible a vote for Fremont in sc which
startled the South. Looking back now
do you blame the irrecOncilablcS of 1884
[Cres of Mo- 1t is true that the I'M
mediate results of their act was to greatly
extend the slave territory and to entrench
the slave power in Congress as it never
had been entrenched before. But was
not the final outcome good: And ask
yourselves whether the men of 81 may
not, in forty years from now, be similarly
excused. | am aware that some say the
Republican party was never Il third par
ty. Mrs. Foster says that. | believe.
But did not the Wings oppose the organ
ization of the Republican party? Did it
not have to grow up from a small germ !:
| think no one will dispute that. The
Wing party itself came into being as Il
third party. 1t was built up silently
from the remnants of the FederalistS,
after the FederalistS had lost their one
controlling issue, opposition to the war
of 1872. Now. let the liquor traffic aSSail
Il few men here and there. create IA few
more street riots. do Il little cannonadimg
and we shall realize how true is that
maxim. Whom the gods would destroy
they first make mad am not. after
all. 50 sure that the liquor traffic will not
go down in blood: perhaps not in great
mass of blood. but in fire and flame
and thunder, which amounts to much the
same thing. 1t is sure to resist terribly.
And in the hour in which God inspires
US. let Us unite our ranks and declare it
an outlaw. Applause.
"Political necessity may yet compel us
to make the liquor traffic a felony under
State and national Indictment. My friend.
Neal Dow, at my table at Lake George
last summer, said that he had loved the
Republican party and fought with it
with all his heart. yet he recognized that
in every closely contested election it
dared not offend the liquor power He
said its attitude towards the temperance
people reminded him of a story. \ man
of his acquaintance was showing him the
clever antics of "A pet spaniel. lie took "A
and holding it up ordered the
animal to turn over. The spaniel obeved.
and turned over again and again; but
each time its master ordered it to turn
once more. When the spaniel had turned
seven times the master put the cracker in
his pocket. Are you not going TO give
him his reward:' asked Mr.. Dow. Oh
replied the other, I'll save the cracker
for another time My friends, it is the
same way with the Republican party and
he temperance voters. We have turned
over and over and over again for our
'racker. and we do not propose TO turn
my more? Laughter and applause
John b. Cough, speaking at the end of a
career that has been like that of the sun
through the zodiac Applause John b.
Tough, who has always been a conserva-
i've man, and never-swerving Republic
AN, has taken ground in favor of not
urning over again. Applause. At IA
great meeting in Boston, he related an
lnecdote which very much amused a cler-
cal visitor from England. An old farm
,r, he said, had seven times been prevent
ID from bringing in his hay by wet
Weather. When at last IA fine day came.
le drove his wagon aticld, took good
zig load and started for the barn: bur i'm
'rossing brook on the way, the wagon
upset, and the hay was again soaked. He
pulled it out on the banks, scattered il
bout in the sunshine, and after it was
dried, again loaded it on to
he wagon and pulled for home. just as
lie was driving into the barn the doors in
ONE mysterious way became detached.
nd not only knocked off his load, but
Duried him with it. He slowly drew
himself out, Strengthened himself, and
cry deliberately said, Under the present
circumstances, | think it is about time
or me to express my mind Laughter
Veil, under the present circumstances,
Onsidering the provocations that YOU
nd have had as temperance men from
ur respective old parties, | ask you. my
riends, is it not about time for us to ex-
ress our minds? [Renewed laughter
nd applause.