Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1880 — THE TEMPERANCE CANDIDATE. [ARTICLE]

THE TEMPERANCE CANDIDATE.

Neal Dow’s better Accepting tlie Prohibition Nomination for President. Hon. James Black and Rev. A. A. Miner, D. D. G entlemen : Your note of the 18th June, notifying me officially of my nomination by the National Prohibition Convention at Cleveland as a candidate for the Presidency, is reccived. I am very sensible of the honor in plied in a spontaneous and unanimous selection by such an assembly to represent their opinions and purposes as to the relation of the liquor traffic to the interests of the nation and people. There is and can be no difference of opinion among intelligent men as to the tremendous evils flowing necessarily from that traffic to every public and private interest. Such men rsay and do differ ss to the best methods of providing a remedy for these evils, but each must judge for himself upon that point according to his light. In our country there can be no change in any public policy which depends upon law ? unless the people dosiring tho change shall indicate their pleasure through the ballot box. Parties and their policies come into power among us and go out of power only through the ballot box. There is no other way by which the people can express their will effectively. All important questions of public policy are decided in that manner only. The question of deliverance to the country and emancipation ofj from the infinite evils of the liquor traffic may well challenge the closest attention of patriots, philanthropists, and statesmen. This question touches the interests of nation, State, and people as no other does or can ; the solution of it can never come in any other way than through the ballot box. It is said by men whose opinions are entitled to the highest respect that the present is not a suitable time for pressing this issue. No man can be more sensible than I am of the magnitude and importance of other questions of public policy which are to be tried by the people at the next Presidential election, but I am confident that none of these, nor all of them, are so important as this to every national and social interest. Whatever mischiefs may arise from an unwise popular verdict upon other issues, they cannot be so great as those coming from the liquor traffic. The former can continue but for two years, the Congressional term, or, at most, for four years, the Presidential term, unless the people shall ro determine by their votes ; while the far-greater evils of the liquor traffic must continue indefinitely, unless the people shall express their will against it emphatically by tho ballot. Men who hold this question to be of minor importance can never find a suitable moment for making it a political issue. There will always be some other question in which they feel more interest that may be crowded out by bringing this question to the front. There is never a suitable time for a summer rain in the vision of everybody, however dry and parched the earth may be. There will always be somebody to whom the storm will be injurious or inconvenient. In the old anti-Rlavery time the authors and promoters of the anti-slavery agitation were always a thorn in the side of political parties. They were always a nuisance and an exasperation to those who were out of office and trying to get in and to those who were in office and striving to retain their places; tho two classes comprising almost tho entire body of politicians. But the anti-slavery men, bent on overthrowing the dreadful system of human bondage, having bo personal interests to promote, except such as might be involved in the general good, were true to their convictions and steadfast in tlio line of policy which they believed to be right and wise. They encountered and overcame all possible modes of opposition, bitter denunciation, great personal violence, humiliating and offensive ostracism ; but, against all and over all, in the love and fear of God, and in persistent devotion to the right, they won. There was never a time before the final victory when the auti-slavery movement had so large a following as Prohibition now has ; nor was it so influential, except in the great ability and singular devotedness of those who were engaged in it. Very few in numliers at first, and uninfluential, in many parts of the country they put their resolve in the form of votes into the ballot box, only to be laughed at by the politicians, and to be stigmatized as fanatics ; but they won at last. The Prohibition movement in this country is now so respectable for its magnitude, and so influential from the numbers and character of those engaged in it, that it cannot be laughed down. There is and must continue to be an “irrepressible conflict" betwee.* the liquor traffic and the prosperity of the nation and welfare of the people. As that traffic flourishes, every legitimate industry languishes and dies.

The result of the recent general election in England marks very distinctly what I consider to be the best mode of carrying on the agitation against the liquor traffic. Since 1853, the Prohibitionists of that country h ve been striving, with great ability and persistence, to procure such a change in the law as would enable the people of any locality to forbid the liquor traffic if they should choose so to do. But very little good came of the agitation, practically, until they adopted the policy of ignoring party ties and voting only for this one object. At the late election their adversaries were thoroughly defeated. I consider the object of the Prohibitionists of the country to be of supreme importance to the interests of the nation and people. Aside from its bearing upon tlie moral and religious welfare of the people, I consider the suppression of the liquor traffic to be an object of far greater political importance than any other now claiming the attention of tho country. My life has been largely devoted to the accomplishment of that purpose. Perhaps I may live to see my dearest hopes in relation to it'realizedpat least within my own State ; but, however that may be, in the future, as in the past, I shall keep that object steadily in view. While I sincerely wish that the choice of a candidate by the Cleveland Convention had fallen on some other than myself, I accept the nomination willingly, being sure that it will prove to be the humble beginning of a triumphant eud. lam most respectfully yours.

NEAL DOW.