Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-25
B |-B-
VOTERS, READ!
AN ADDRESS FROM THE CAMPAIGN
COMMITTEE, ANTf.LOCAIs-
OPTION PARTY.

AN ADDRESS FROM THE CAMPAIGN
COMMITTEE, ANTf.LOCAIs-
OPTION PARTY.
HEADQuARTEBs CAMPArGS CoNwIrrEE)
o. ASTI-LOCAJsOITfoN PARTY.
RICHMOND. VA, April "a, 1883.
This address TO the white and colored
people OF Richmond viii be little more tnan
asiatement OF facts which may be verihed
by official records.
Dealers in wine, beer, and spirits pay an-
nuaDy 10 the Safe, In round numbers soi'-
600: TO the city. $4,000. The annual sa'e
assessments on this class OF dealers is about
$3.50 COO. As the Legislature will not DE
likely to meet Till 1887. there VIII be TWO
years deficit OF say $4,000 II prohioiuoh
shall generally prevail.
What effects viii follow In this bypothe-
tcaI case The latter sum will hoat az
debt Incurred to meet the necessary ex-
peuses OF the State government. Inc
school fund will again be Invaded and
1000 schools. more or less. Will be closed
The states bonds will further depreciate'
industrial arts will languish. business suffer
| n check and panic possibly prevail.
victory for prohibition In Richmond VIII
be tantamount To lis success elsewhere I'm
the state. One million dollars invested In
this city as capital I'm liquors and other &C.
cessories will be swept away In four days
Between two and three hundred stores. sa-
looms, and restaurants will b. estopped
from legitimate business In four days;
Many dwellings whose rentals are depend
ent upon these Industries viii be 10 let.
Two thousand eight hundred persons in
sla. taIx rf d hos
establishments will be thrown upon the
streets without livlngs and without homes.
Those who have means will convert them
and fly to capitals more forbearng than
ours. Houses will be for rent by the score.
building will stop. enterprise take wings,
capital Will follow. the law Of supply and
demand thus rudely disordered Will com.
municate It's paralysis TO every industry.
Winyour city Hall be built the sooner by
reason ola dmlnution OF the city revenue?
VIII your city bonds sell higher In the mar
ket because OF a depicting treasury VIII
your police be curtailed, with the prospect
Of do niclliary visits made obligatory RpOn
them by an inquisitorlal lave
Atlanta walls In sackcloth and ashes her
recent folly. She would give millions to re-
cover her lost prs-ige. The bare apprehen-
sion OF sn evil not yet realized threatens
ruin To her business houses.
The sweeping charge that prohibition
prohibits is denied by the large number OF
United states revenue stamps sold IN every
prohibition State. The sweeping charge
that prohibition eDyfies the prisons the
poor houses, and the luuatic asylums" Is
met by the official tables OF the United
mont. the two Oldest prohibition states,
give much larger percentage or criminals,
paupers, and lunatlcs than Virginia. which
is now asked to try the experiment OF pro-
hbition.
These are facts within the reach OF all.
They will not be denied by respectable au.
thoTities.
students OF our sociology will look deeper
for the causes OF crime, pauperlsm, and
lunacy. The larger percentage Of those
cases in Maine and Vermont, as compared
with Virginia, Is symptomatic OF "0rSe
condition OF society In Maine and Vermont
than in Virginia. There are other causes
besides ntemperanc which we should look
for. Candid inquireTs viii not be content
10 accept the dicfd OF fanatics rs against oil.
clai records II intemperance causes per
| cenlum OF crime pauperisn, ami lunacy IA
States which make official record OF II, then
there are 90 per centum attributable 10
other causes not yet made apparent. But
per centum is, as every statistlcan knows. u
large average. II is thought that 8 per
centum will he nearer the mark If we allow
the law Of average 10 operate In every
state and over a long period, rs say a de.
cade Of years.
Prohibition proposes 10 despoil the citizen
of his property and his living. Nay. more
II touches his character Dy Implication and
strips him OF those vested rights which, In
the opinion OF our wlsest Statesmen, are
secured by the Constitution.
VIII Vnginians vote away at one fell
syoop the rights and liberties OF the citi.
zen?
II a State has not authority to despoil
lis citizens OF their rights and liberties
how shall II become a city TO do 1t?
A new doctrine is now taught by the
Puritan. IL is substantially this: A minor
ity may be permitted TO make aud to exec
cute law however oppressive. in Opp0si-
lion to the wishes OF n aJOrity OF the peO-
ple. Richmond. for example, may refuse
TO pay its quota OF revenue TO the State. II
every city and county shall do likewise.
low long will II be before we shall see
hundred or more petty soveregntles exer-
cising power by leave Of state that Is not
sure OF It's own sovereignty?
The rights OF minorities are recognized In
all our constitutional and legislative assem-
blles, but minorities are never clothed
therein with mandatory powers. These
al f,aF to
lions which need not here be mentioned.
This new.fangled doctrine. so pernicious
To our we'll being, is supplemented by al.
other novel and dangerous innovation upon
the established usage of our people.
The intermeddling OF faction OF the
clergy with our political affairs is deplored
by every lover OF his country. The new
gospel OF the propaganda is TO supersede the
old COS mel OF JefieIson and Lincoln. Religious
frenzy is invoked IN behalf OF cause that
Is said TO be of God. oar people. white and
colOred are invited inside and outside OF
the Church To debate questions which
clearly belong 10 the domain OF civil poll
tics. Even the sabbath Is desecrated for
this purpose by those who OF all Others
should uphold It's sanctity
Neither Jefferson nor Lincoln used the
Church as a political instrument 10 effect
reform of the state. To the Church was re.
mitted the duty Of converting souls to God
by the gentle ministration Of the Tesla
ments. To the State was intrusted the task
Of governing society by formulas expressed
| IN declarations bills OF right. and constitu-
lions. The wisdom OF the separation was
seen in the growing prosperity OF either.
..r. IN A.
State multiplied Its resources. The inde-
pendence OF each was the strength OF both.
Now all is TO be changed. A faction OF the
clerical power aspires TO rule both Church
and State as one dominion. This departure
from long.establshed precedent is q start
| ling symptom OF the revolution. We use
the word revolution advisedly. Tanning It's
flame with all his wonted energy,