The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-10-26
TEMPERANCE MEETING.

TEMPERANCE MEETING.
The Anniversary of the Worcester Tenn
perance Society was held on Wednesda,
evening last, on which occasion very ex
cellent and appropriate Address was deliv
cred by A. D. Foster, Esq. The other ex
erciscs of the evening occupied SO mucl
time that the choice of officers was deferred
till Friday evening, Nov. A, to which time
the meeting stunds adjourned
After the conclusion of the Address
Thomas Kinnicntt, Esq, read the following
ANNUAL REPORT.
The Constitution of this Society makes it the du
ty of the Executive Committee 10 report at the
Annual Meeting an account of their proceedings
and such facts in relation to the cause of Temper.
ance, as they may think proper.
In compliance with that requistion, the commit
tee ask leave TO submit the following Report -
The cause OF temperance in this town, had pro-
crossed considerably before the formation of this
association The facts published tothe world, by
societies in different parts of the country the rep
reservations made by them, and the appeals made
to the community at large, had reached us, and
were not without effect. Efforts were made here
by those friendly to the cause, and resulted in the
q
alton in the first parish Of this town. Taking cour-
age from the success ofthese efforts, many ndvid-
uals deemed it advisable to consolidate the strength
of the friends of Temperance Societies here in one
Society which should include the whole town.
This was accordingly done in the Spring of the
present year.
Since that time, your committee hatter them
selves that the object of the Society has beer con-
sideraby advanced. The existence of such an as
ISOLATION, extending into every part Of the town has
caused inquiry TO be made; inquiry has been fol-
lowed in many instances by conviction of the
magnitude of the evil produced by ardent spirits
and of the practicability of dispensing with their
use Many who used them, not from any supposed
necessity, but merely through habit. have readily
discontinued the practice MANY others, who sup
posed it was scarcely practicable, to prosecute GER
tain branches ofbusiness, without their aid having
been induced to make the trial, have found to their
great surprise, and equal qualification not only that
they were not indispensable, but that their business
prospered far better. ,DithOut than nth their aid
The farmers, the mechanics and the manufac-
turers, who have tested the experiment, uniformly
assert, that their workmen not only more con-
staGt III their attention 20 their business but that
they can actually perform more labor of any kind
than when under the influence of any artificial
stimulus. These facts have often been stated be
fore, but they were received generally with incre.
dulty as the fancles of enthusiasts, the schemes
Of shallow reformers. They have now been tested
W 81 anu 81 Respectfully NOuCHeu Dy tnOS0 IN
our immediate vicinity, that they begin to be gen.
orally received as true.
Many who have not yet become members of our
society, seeing the example set, and finding that
Others have succeeded are about adopting the same
course. We have reason to believe that the amount
of good actually done, is by no means confined to
those who have subscribed our constitutions; that
the influence of example has extended much far
ther and that it will eventually be followed with
extensive and happy results.
The number of inhabitants of this town is about
four thousand-of these more than four hundred
have already joined our society. This fact alone
speaks loudly in favor of our success--f in six
months we have been enabled to withdraw one
tenth Of the population Of our town from indul-
gence in pernicious and destructive habit, may
we not indulge the hope, that by persevering exer-
tons. we shall greatly exceed this proportion
From particular inquiries made of the merchants
oil this town, land your committee take pleasure in
stating that such inquiries we're generally answer
ed with great cheerlulness,l we are satisfied that
the amount of ardent spirits retaled by them to the
inhabitants of the town, during the last year, is
nearly one third lesst han the average of former
years. The amount disposed of by large quantities
Is perhaps increased and the fact is accounted for
by the increase of the business of this town with
other and distant parts of the county, which for
merly made their purchases elsewhere. From &C.
counts received from most of the public houses
within the limits of the town. it is estimated that
VIC dlouut VI Sdie6 al tNtlT OARS, wien compared
with the average sales the last four years. is about
one third less.
The number of farms in the town is estimated at
about one hundred and seventy-five. Ofthese your
committee rejoice to state that thirtyfom are cul-
tlvated without the use of ardent spirits. Some
have been thus cultivated for four years, and with
conviction on the part OF their owners, erery gear
confined, that much is gained by adopting that
course. II has been heretofore generally thought
by farmers, and it is still supposed oy many that
during the hay season. the OF spirits cannot we
be dispensed with. The peculiar exposure of the
body to the heat in that season. is thought to re-
qure some internal stimulant to prevent injurious
consequences. Such acas the opinion of the gen.
tlemen whose farms we have here referred to- But
they are satisfied from repeated experiment that
the opinion is erroneous Neither is there any in
convenience experienced in procuring men to la.
Dor at that season, upon tie condition of total ab-
stinence from ardent spirits. Men thus employed
generally admit themselves, that they endure the
heat and fatigues Of that season better, without
than with them. We would earnestly recommend
to all the arme Of this town TO with those
who have tried the experiment, and we doubt not
that many more will be induced to make the trial
1t may not be improper here to state, that ply
scsns hold it to be mistaken notion that the blu.
man system can endure heat better, or undergo
greater iatigues with the assistance of stimnlsnts
They uniformly hold them to be injurious in such
cases. Your committee would further add, that in
the cotton growing regions, where the laborers
arc exposed during the day, TO a vertical sun, no.
thing OF the kind is furnished to them Their regi
men, both inyregard to food and drink is Of the
most simple character--and IL is notorious fact
that the laborers in that region, are more healthy
and live to a much greater uge than their luxurious
masters. This fact alone is sufficient to prove thai
spirtuous liquors not necessdIyo enable the hu
man frame to endure the extremes Of heat and "a
tigue.
There are within the limits Of the town twenty
six mechanic shops of various kinds, three wooller
manufactures, one mandatory Of twine, one O.
cutlery, and one of paper,--empioyng in the whole
about two hundred hands, to whom spirits arr
furnished by their employers, nor with their knowl
edge United to be used in their several places
business. 49,
Nine buildings have been erected within the las
year entirely, and the carpenters work Of four 9th
er houses performed, without the use Of spirits.
fonr committee state with great pleasure, tina
they are assured, that all the work above the fotH
dalton wdtls, both brick and wood, Of the spaeiou
Hospital no. being erected in this town. has bee
pero'm without the aid of this article, heretofor