St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-08-12

Sutton, Rev. A. Z. Tracy.
Walden, John Whitcher.
Waterford, w. M. HOvey.
Wheelock, Elijah Willard.
The committee on resolutions then
presented this preamble and these res
olutiOns:
Believing that the time has come to
unite all forces in the nation opposed
to the liquor traffic in one party, for
the purpose of enacting and enforcing
such laws as shall destroy this gigantic
evil which is threatening our homes;
we, citizens of Caledonia county, met
in convention, do set forth the follow
ing declaration:
We heartily approve the action of
the state in organizing a state prOhibi-
ton party, and endorse the declaration
of principles there set forth.
We will place no men in nomination
and support none at the ballot-bOx
who are not OutspOken prOhibitionists
and pledged to support the national
prOhibitiOnist party excepting in case
an Independent is nominated.
We recognize the mothers and wives
and sisters as co-laborers in this work
of prohibition and would give them
cordial welcome to aid in our work
and whenever majority of them shall
so desire we favor giving them the bal
lot.
We rejoice in the work of the indie
pendent organizations of the county,
and welcome them as cO-labOrers in
this work especially the w. G. L. u.
whose last declaration at McIndOes
last winter was heartily in favor of
party prohibition.
We demand such legislation as shall
apply the principle of the Edmunds'
anti Mormon law to jurors in liquor
cases, viz. I: That no liquor dealer, no
habitual user of liquor and no one
sympathizing with the liquor traffic be
permitted to sit on jury in liquor
case.
Wendell P. Stafford, the nominee
for states attorney, spoke as follows
on the first resolution adopted by the
convention:
need not say that this nomination
is not of my seeking. 1t is not a nOmi-
nation which an Office-seeker would
accept. The resolution upon which l
have been asked to speak affirms that
the time has come for organized pOliti
cal action on the part of prOhibitiOnists.
Your resolution assumes as the basis OF
it's truth that neither of the two great
parties answers the need of the tenn
perance movement. Believing this to
be true, | am in favor of this resOlu
ton. | was brought up in the ranks
of the republican party-taught from
my earliest youth to believe that it
came to this nation with mission that
was almost divine-a mission which it
thoroughly accomplished. Like multi
tudes of other young republicans, |
dreamed that my party was immortal !;
that as it was in the beginning the
champion of the downtrOdden and the
enemy of oppression, it would never
cease to be such champion and such
an enemy. | am yOung-it is only four
years since the ballot was first put in
my hand-but l have lived long enough
to see the republican party bow its
forehead to the dust before the greatest
evil of modern times-tO see the grand
old party, born to be the foe of tyrants,
| lick the dust from the shoes of a worse
| tyrant than human slavery.
If the democratic party ever had a
divine mission it has not been appar-
ent in recent years. The original dem
ocratio party was based upon tho doc
trine of equal rights, free intercourse
between man and man, simplicity of
living and economy of government. 1t
began it's career as the enemy of caste
and classes. 1t has forsaken that early
creed. 1t throws down the gauntlet at
the feet of our young cause and says !:
eve believe in no sumptuary laws.
However enormous the evil of the rum
traffic it is not in the power of the leg
islature to put a stop to it,"
To which of these parties can we pin
our faith, the one in open hostility, the
other in hooking cOntempt9 Both
fail us, but the republican party is as
much worse than the democratic party
upon this issue as hypOcrite is worse
than an OutspOken man with wrong
convictions.
understand that in accepting your
nomination l am leaving the republic
can party and throwing to the wind all
prospects of political preferment, but
do not believe | am deserving the true
republican party, the party of Phillips,
Garrison and Charles Sumner. | be-
lieve this party is born with mission
equally high and that in the end it will
accomplish H.
Anumber of others followed Mr.. Stat
ford, discussing the various resolutions.
Rev. Mr.. Whitney would not have the
republican party abused but felt that
they were feeding their followers with
nothing but promises. Mrs. M. L. t.
Hidden felt that it was honor enough
to be present without speaking, but
was glad to extend the greetings of
the w. G. T. U. and to assure the
convention that the w. G. T. u. of
Caledonia county were with them. To
be sure resolutions were not passed in
the county meeting but at McIndOes
the third party was endorsed with but
two dissenting voices. Mr.. Pearl con-
cluded with the statement that for
many years the temperance republi-
cans of the county have asked for but
two offices, the states attorney and
sheriff. These had persistently been
refused them and men had been put
forward who were not at all in sympa-
thy with the prohibitOry law.
The convention was voted a pro-
nOunced success by all present. The
large sprinkling of clergymen in the
meeting was noticeable and the feeling
prevailed that the party starts off un-
der more hopeful circumstances than
could be expected.
MIR. Smith Declines.
|. M. Smith of McIndOes declines to