The Columbian fountain., 1846-05-28
Mr.. JOHN B. COUGH.

MR.. JOHN B. COUGH.
We had the pleasure oflistening once more
to this distinguished orator on Tuesday night
last, at Apollo Hail. The circumstances Of
the occasion were decidedly unfavorable, for.
Notwithstanding the vast throng Of people in
our city, the audience did not number over 6t-
ty persons. Indeed, we hardly expected the
lecturer would appear at all, and even after he
did come before us, we feared that the small
ness Of the assembly would be so discouraging
as to prevent his expending his strength on the
occasion.
We knew he had been used to addressing
large audiences everywhere he went, and felt
mortified that the friends of the cause in this
city had absented themselves so generally
However, not all were away, and Mr.. Cough,
in noble spirit, rose to address'us.
He remarked upon the difficulty attending
any public speaker under such circumstances
as those which surrounded him, and especially
the embarrassment Of one Of his temperament,
yet, as he had been prevailed upon by the tenn
perance men present, and introduced by bro
ther Parker, who had given the probable rea-
son why so few were in attendance, he would
!sndeavor to make few appropriate re-
marks on the great subject He soon seemed
to forget all the discouragements and launched
forth nobIy into the discussion of the glorious
theme. The views Of some, that the Total Alb
stinence cause was declining, were not his
views. He looked at facls, and he presented
several to show that the Reformation was be-
yond doubt, going forward at no nconsiderable
pace.
Public sentiment was being arrayed against
intemperance, and in some places it was be-
coming dsgraceful matter even to sip wines
at public dinners. In the north, the people
were taking hold Of the matter, and SO making
the laws as to render the sale ofpoison illegal.
and he believed this would prevail TO great
extent all over the country. He wanted to
show the present audience that there was work
for them, and that even the few before him
might perform wonders in favor Of the cause
Of Total Abstinence, yea. that they might be
instrumental in working great revolution in
the respective circles in which they moved
Here he took up and considered the various
branches Of the business of temperance men.
Their first and greatest work was among the
young people. The little boys and girls were
coming forward in the cause, and it was a false
opinion that children did not understand their
obligations in this matter. Any child, who
could write his own name, could very well see
the nature Of the pledge, and might be expect
ed TO do his duty. He illustrated this by seve-
raj forcible anecdotes, and also made very beau
tiful reference to recent meeting at fremont
Temple in Boston, where large number Of
little boys and girls gave strong evidence that
they understood what they were doing when
they signed the pledge. Some distinguished
man had said Of the children assembled on that
occasion that no flower garden under heaven
could be so beautiful as the one then and there
presented, in. the gallery (hs little girls were
there) and on the lower floor (where the boys
had assembled) He told Of one little fellow
who had signed pledge which obliged him
not 10 touch, taste or handle the poison. A
few days after, his drinking father sent him for
the jug Of rum. He was for awhile puzzled
He did not wish to disobey his parent, vet he
would not break his pledge. He finally fell
upon plan to prevent either. He searched
up long poll. and putting one end of in ihe
handle Of the jug. came to his father and said,
well, father, there il is, but | am pledged not
10 touch it,"
The next branch Of the business was with
the young men and on this part ofthe subjecl
Mr.. Cough was truly eloquent. He made
some strong assertions indeed, but they were
well sustained by facts.
The duty Of opposing the traffic was:ano'her
branch Of the business. His opinion OF the
trsfic was founded upon what he knew. Some