The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-11-14
A WORKING MANS SPEECH.
Al the Manchester Temperance iSociety's
Tea Pdrtu.

VI a scran of The Manchester tEng.l Times
June 10th, containing an interesting aco
sount of "a meeting of upwards OF 4oo
members and friends of the Manchester
Temperance Society in the Exchange NUM- =
,ngs, where they Partook" of beverage %
tea instead of alcoholic drinks Inc sever
al speeches are given, but we pass 'ie't a','
for the present, TO give the following Wn'o"
will be found highly instructive, as wen us
graphic and amnsing.
.Nfic YORK Temperance agent.
Robert Rimrner, jouTneyman dyer 10
Stafford. thpa addressed the company 20 the (
following efsaet:-Mr Cheerman, and ladies
md oe,,lemcn-I have been as drunSen
fellow ,s was ever known in Manchester OF
Saifotd. BEFORE knew of the temperance !
societies was without employment
roul1 qet no work and ] was like poor |
los, sheen wandering abont in the streets.
,h. dav twelve months; and had it not been
for Temparanre Societies should have been
like n Vasal,ond in the streets yet There
was master silk dyer who had started in
tho country. | went and AIRED the master
fn- - situation. Then he went 10 inquire
in,n INV character. and when he had gone
thought to invse my jobs done. laugh
tory He soen cnme back ana said We
don't want any," then went up 10 man
who had gone with me there and said, "
,neet AS well be a thief as a drunkard,
have Couud that out" This man said he
had been at temperance meeting in Camp
field. and had heari some very good dis
courses from gentleman from Eccles. |
said whats meaning of these temperance
meetings ?" and he told me that they Were
meetings of men who had reirainei from
ardent spirits. | said 10 him, " When is
there another meeting z" and he said he
could not nell me. But as we were going
up Stafford he saw a bill on the wall, and
he read 1t for me, for could not read my
sci. But now cun read a blt. (Applause.)
The hill said that the meeting was in
Broughton-roah, on Tuesday meet went
to it and liked it veiy well. | attended the
next meeting in Gravel-lane. and liked
tuat better; and the next meeting was in
Bloom 81. and liked that better still. The
next meeting was in Canal-street, Oldield-
road on the fist of August last, and there
| was convinced il was n good thing, and
sigued the pledge, and prayed to God to
keep nae TO it. (Cheers.) | thank God
did do so. An old master oc mine was the
cheeerman that Atet, and he said to me,
" K INNER if thou had taken my advice three
wears ago. thou would now have been worth
one hundred pounds" and have since
found his words were true. Now ! can
draw my wages comfortably, and when
get the money ] throw ii in my wiie's lap,
because | know she will lay it GU. to the
hest advantage. (Applause.) For twenty
six or twenty-seven years before joined
the Temperance Society, she was plagued
with drunken husband, and she has not
had one moments comfort only since join
Ell. Before joined had neither tables
nor cheers, nor any pots in the house hut
now have plenty Of cheers and tables, and
good fat pig in the cote. Laughter and
applause.) have left off drinking alto
geiher, except a gill of beer at my meals,
which send for to the Tom and Jerry
shops. Those Tom and jerry shops. sir,
are big nuisance: men are rolling about
from them on Sabbath mornings, and they
are worse places, sir, you may depend upon
than II gin-shops. (Laughtef.) ! thank
tod that Temperance Societies were rais-
ed in Manchester. | thank God have
Joined. | have now a good coat on my
hack, and | have the honor to say il is paid
for Cheers and laughter.1 Every thing
have in tie house is paid for, and am
never without shilling in my pocket. IRE
newed rheering.) My Misses says and de-
clares she never knew comfort IN the house
until joined the Temperance Society, and
she tells her neighhUrs she is sure sic has
got new husband. (Luughter.) | press
ell on her to come to the tea party: but size
sa1 she could not come, but she said.
shHil be quite comfortable when thoH'rt ost,
lot shuft "------ '.tlere thou art, and that
thou wilt come home sober. {CSaars I
viii say this Of her, there is not a better
wife in the land. Cheers and iaughter.)
/ have served in tie army for many wears,
int | would not tHke 10000 pounds 10 part
from the Temperance regiment. When my
wife used to travel on the haggage-cart, the
other women would say, come Mrs Rim
lner. ana take glass of gin" And my
wife wo;id never tax it, bat she said, it al
ways starved her and il does starve peo-
pie, sir, you may depend on il. Loud
laughier.) | think that the happiest meet
of NV life that signed the pledge in Old
field Road. lost one of my Lads about a
month ago; he was drowned al BiougbtOn
Bridge. When was H drunkdrd he used
% get off to he'd bed before / got home, for
ear of me; hut when ] iecaiBe sober
nan he never would go to bed TIL his father
anne home, he loved me so. tIIear. hear,
md cheersi | have another son. about 1S
ears of age; and a man tchot works
With me said to me one day, What 5ene-
i hast thou, RiInmer, in tie Temperance
society Z" ! said to him, AK our Char |
~, what benefit there is" He said, Wei. |
charley, is there any benefit in these Tenn !
eIance Societies 2" And Charley said, /
Ave, get more bread AMI cheese now" /
| thinks to Bsysel very often
that can do to make my wife amends for
ny ll-usage TO her. She has had the sonrs,
nd now she shall have the sweets. She
ow often says, {" never passed such a
eaS since | was tied 10 thee" | read new
1 the spelling book, and when she has done
et wors she gives me lesson. have
1und il easier to engage doDnreet drinB-
r than a moderate one. | am raising re-:
ruts. have formed a section and soon
ope to get division, and even company.
here's many folks have said that Rim
ier often gets drunk now, and that they
ave seen me rolling out of Jerry's shop;
ut don't mind them. for they think they
re doing Temperance Societies harm, but
THAT they say is doing them good.
The speaker, after a few more remarks,
ellred from the platform amidst thunders
{ applause.
hPoRTAIioSs OF Ardent SPIRITS Tine fol-
owing schedule u from official returns in differ
hi years. Except in 1923, so much of the quaint.
imported as was afterwords exported is deduct
bar -, laf. ti.f