Believing these principles to be essential to the well-being of the Republic, we submit them to the consideration of the American people.
The National Prohibition party held its national convention at Pittsburg on the 27th of May. A. A. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, was temporary chairman, and Oliver W. Stewart, of Illinois, permanent president. The deliberations of the convention were seriously disturbed by the free-silver issue, and the opposing factions known as the “Narrow-Gaugers” and the “Broad-Gaugers,” the latter being favorable to a general platform covering free coinage and all other national questions, while the former wanted the issue confined to the liquor question. The majority and minority reports were made on the platform, and the convention decided to bring both reports before the body and pass upon them seriatim. It was finally decided by a vote of 427 to 387 to reject the free-coinage plank, and the “Narrow-Gaugers” then adopted their own platform as follows:
We, the members of the Prohibition party, in national convention assembled, renewing our declaration of allegiance to Almighty God as the rightful Ruler of the universe, lay down the following as our declaration of political purpose:
The Prohibition party, in national convention assembled, declares its firm conviction that the manufacture, exportation, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages has produced such social, commercial, industrial, and political wrongs, and is now so threatening the perpetuity of all our social and political institutions, that the suppression of the same, by a national party organized therefor, is the greatest object to be accomplished by the voters of our country, and is of such importance that it of right ought to control the political actions of all our patriotic citizens until such suppression is accomplished.
The urgency of this course demands the union, without further delay, of all citizens who desire the prohibition of the liquor traffic; therefore be it
Resolved, That we favor the legal prohibition by State and national legislation of the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. That we declare our purpose to organize and unite all the friends of prohibition into one party, and in order to accomplish this end we deem it of right to leave every Prohibitionist the freedom of his own convictions upon all other political questions, and trust our representatives to take such action upon other political questions as the changes occasioned by prohibition and the welfare of the whole people shall demand.
Resolved, That the right of suffrage ought not to be abridged on account of sex.
Immediately after the adoption of the platform, the “Broad-Gaugers” withdrew, and those who remained nominated Joshua Levering, of Maryland, for President by acclamation, and on a ballot for Vice-President, Hale Johnson, of Illinois, was chosen, receiving 309 votes to 132 for T. C. Hughes, of Arizona.
The seceders from the Prohibition convention met in Pittsburg on the next day, May 28th, with A. L. Moore, of Michigan, as chairman, and the roll-call showed 299 delegates present. Rev. Charles E. Bentley, of Nebraska, was nominated for President, and James A. Southgate, of North Carolina, was nominated for Vice-President, both by acclamation. The following platform was adopted:
The National party, recognizing God as the author of all just power in government, presents the following declaration of principles, which it pledges itself to enact into effective legislation when given the power to do so: