Litchfield enquirer., 1845-11-06
THE EN0UIRER
LITCHFIELD, NOV. 6. Is45.
LrrcHFIELD COUNTY TEMPERANCE So-
GETTY.


 shen, Oct. 27th, 1s45. At this meeting the follow lowing report presented by the late Secretary, c. A. DUDLEY. adopted, and oTderedto be publish ed in the Litch6eld Enquirer.
 In presenting report of the state and progress of the Temperance cause during the past pear, l am happy to state. that the facts generally have been very encouraging.
 The society has held its regular monthly meet ings during the past year, at Northfeld. Wolcott- vile, Plymouth Sharon, Plymouth Hollow, Wood- bury. Kent, Cornwall Bridge, South Farms ELS
 worth. and New Hartford. These meetings have been well attended and most of them very interest ing. As an evidence of the benefit of these meet ings the society has at the different meetings since the month of April last, obtained ty signatures to the pledge There are now belonging to this socl- ety forty-cight auxiliares; of these, only thirty one have reported themselves during the past year, and ten of these, only once each Only one society has been regularly reported, and that IS Washing ton. The names of those who have not reported themselves, are Roxbury, New Milford, Norfolk, Colebrook River, Winchester. Bridgewater, North Goshen. New Hartford, Pleasant Valley, Hich- cocksville. There are now in thirty-fve of the societies, which have been reported during the past year, 92O5 pledged members The highest number on any one pledge, is in Woodbury, which has 800 South Canaan, 752; Winsted, 60O There are in the towns which have been reported, 57 stores, and 3s taverns where spirits sold. Also 19 distilleres, making in all. IA rum establish ments Some of these stores it is said, sell bar rel per day. Of the dstilleries, I would remark, that many of them were set np last fall, in conse- qnence of the large amount of cider made by indi- vduals who were just able to scrape together few dollars sufficient to start with. However, they do in no respect the amount of business done by such establishments before the commencement of the temperance reformation. Of the auxiliarles, many of them have been very active, and have obtained large additions to their numbers. Woodbury in one month obtained 300. Bethlem 75, New Hartford 69, Litcbfeld 65, Watertown 5s within short time i; North Cornwall 100 during the year. Other socle- ties by their activity have also been favored with large additions their numbers and believe through. out the county the progress of the cause has been as great as in any preceding year. In preparing a report it will not be improper for me to notice the passage of the license law by the last legislature one of the most important events of the year. The passage of this act notwithstanding the great DO fitical excitement, shows the powerful influence of the friends of temperance; and am happy to state that in acting under it, only six towns out of the 22 'n>+he county, have tailed to appoint temperance c"mmissioners; four ofwhch have appointed none. There were in this state in 1886, 146 towns. Ot these not rrrau @o ot oo' VI "0o"' oe ' l-.. -te..eu license commissioners. On the whole, the progress has been as encouraging as could be expected and tt is believed that if the present law is executed with resolution and prudence, it will require but few years, to witness complete tri- umph of the temperance cause. ..
 The following resolutions were also unanimously adopted: ..f .. s-..- ....
 1. Resoloed, That we view the late vote of the state, in the appointment of so large proportion of Temperance Commissioners. as decided express sion of the will of the people, against the traffic in intoxicating liquors as drink.
 ?. Res0iued, That we consider the responsibility thus thrown upon the Commissioners, as immense, and involving in it some nf the dearest interests, social and moral, which belong to the State.
 3. ResOlved, That we as the friends of Temper ance, will endeavor in every suitable way, to sus- tain and assist the Commissioners in carrying out the law ot the State, upon strictly Temperance principles.
 The late meeting held at Goshen, was unusually large and interesting. Delegates were present from twenty-two societies. The forenoon was oc- cupied m choosing officers for the ensuing year,and in hearing the reports of the delegates. Some were very cheering as it respects the onward progress of temperance, while others showed that the demon of intemperance was still doing his fearful work upon the souls and bodies of men. In the afternoon most interesting and powerful address was deliver ed by the Rev. Mr. Kichel, of Plymouth Hollow l; an address which ought to be sent into every tami ly in the county. and be read by every individual
 The spirit exhibited by the delegates, and the deep and almost breathless attention with which that large assembly listened to the address, for an hour and quarter. showed that there was tenn perance feeling, which wa, strong and ardent, and never to be subdued In the result of the recent election in choosing commissioners under the new license law, tke fondest anticipaions of the most sanguine friends of temperance, have been more than realized. We now have the law to help us restrain this soul and body destroying traffic, still we the friends of temperance, must not relax one iota of that moral influence, which we have hith- erto put forth. but rather increase it an hundred fold; that we may help sustain our commissioners in their arduous work, and likewise make the law living, breathing thing, whose power shall be felt by all who dare violate it. If we dn this the pro- gress of the temperance car is onward; if not. our law will be but dead letter. Let on,card, then, be the watch-word of every friend of temperance. and no power on earth, no, nor from beneath. can hinder the final triumph of this glorious reformla-