Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-05-10
THE TOWN MEETING.-LICENS OR
NO LICENSE.
The MYSTERIOUS WOMAN.

Gov. Briggs, of Massachusetts, i'll Speech
Albany, related the following thrilling Incl
At a certain town meeting in Pennsylvania
the question came up whether any person should
be licensed to sell rum. Tho clergyman tho
deacon. and physician, strange as it may now
appear, all favored it. One man only spoke n
gainst 1t, because of tho mischief it did. Tho
question was about TO be put, when all ut onco
there arose from corner of tho room. n miser-
able female. She was thinly clad, and her mp
pearanco indicated the utmost wretchcdness, and
that her mortal career was almost closed. After
moment of silence, and all eyes being fixed
upon her, she stretched her nttenuated body its
utmost height, and thon her long arms to their
greatest length, and raising her voice to n shrill
pitch, she called to all to look upon her.
'Ycs.' she said, 'look upon mo and then hoar
mo. All that the last speaker has said relative
to temperate drinking, rs being tho father of
drunkenness, is true. All PRACTICE, all export
cnce, declare its truth. And drinking of all alco
hoc poison. n beverage in health, is EXCESS.
LOOK UPON ME. You all know mo, or once
did. You know was once tho mistress Of the
best farm in tho town. You all know, too, had
of the bcst-thc most devoted of husbands
You all know had fine noble-hcartod, industrious
boys. WHERE ARE THEY NOW! DocroR,
WHERE NOW? You Ill know. You all
know they lie in row, row, side by side, in yon
der church yard; all-cvery one Of thom Fill
LING THE DRUNKARD'S GRAVE!-They
wero all taught to believe that temperate drink
ing was safc,-cxccss alono ought to be avoided:
and they mover acknowledged excess. They
quoted YOU. and YOU, and YOU, pointing with her
shred OF hngor to the PRIEST. y. aid ;:ds-
TOE. as authority. ''Thoy thought themselves
sa TO under such teachers. But saw the gradual
change coming over my family and prospects,
with disinay and horror;-I felt were all to
be overwhelmed in one common RUM tried to
ward oil tho blow, | tried to break tho sDeII. the
delusivc spoll-In which the idea of the benefits
of temperate drinking had involved my husband
and sons. begged, prayed; but the odds were q
gainst mo- The Minister said tho poison that
was destroying my husband and boys was good
creature of God tho Deacon (wHo SITS uNDEK
THE PULPIT THERE, and took our farm to pay his
rum bllls) sold them the poison; the Doctor said
that a little was good, and EXCESS ought to be
volded. My poor husband, and my dear boys
fell into the snare, and they could not escape; and
one after another, was conveyed to the sorrowful
grave of the drunkard. Now look ut me again.
Y on probably sec for the last time-my sand
has almost rum have dragged my exhausted
frame from my present home-FRoM YOUR POOR
HoUsE-to warn you ALTO warn you, Deacon
to you false teacher of Gods word,'' and
with her high flung, and her tall form
stretched TO its utmost and her voice raised to
lnearthly pitch-she exclaimed:
81 SHALL SOON STAND BEFORE THE
JUDGMENT SEAT OF GOD-I SHALL
MEET YOU THERE, YOU FALSE GUIDES.
AND BE A WITNESS AGAINST YOU
ALL,''
The Miserable female vanshed-a dead ST.
ence pervaded the assombly-the Priest. Deacon
md Physician hung their heads-and when the
he President of the meeting pot the question.
..SHALL ANY LICENSE BE GRANTED FOR THE SALE
oF SPIRIrUoUs LloUoRsa" the response was unan-
mous-.NO''