The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-13
THE REPU BLIC.

The following communication upon a subject
which interests large number Of our fellow-citi-
zens has been deferred till now, for want of space:
| COMMUNICATED ron THE REPUBLIC.
Father Mathew's Fu.d Win you give
half Dimef
AMERICANS You are blessed beyond any ma
ton that has yet been earth in every thing cal
culaied to make you happy, as it is the will Of our
Creator that all his rational creatures should be
happy. Therefore you, as rational beings, should
nantes, your gratitude to God, your Heavenly
Father, In every way you can, by aiding to seek
and to save that which was lostn-which, as all
know, the drunkard ranks among that miserable
class and, as FATHER MATHEW has given evil
dence Of his being a chosen instrument under God
to reclaim the drunkard and check the Infamous
vice Of drinking also, to aid souls to prepare for
mansion Nth Lord and Sapior, Jesus Christ: that
he may be made free from pecuniary embarraas-
ments and also be prepared to relieve the distressed
whom he may meet in his travels
Resolved, That we, the people of the United
States, being fully sensible Of our duty to God and
our fellow-creatures, and with a warm desire To
manifest our gratitude to God for his very great
goodness and mercy to US, will raise fund which
shall be invested in the stock of the United States
Government, so as TO pay the interest to Theobald
Mathew, to be used by him at his own discretion,
he only making an annual statement of the several
made Of the fund, so that the people Of the
United States may know that il is doing good to
man. That said fund shall not be less than five
thousand dollars per month"; TO be paid to the order
of Theobad Mathew on the 4th day of each month.
That the acting President Of the United States be,
and Is hereby made, perpetual trustee for said
fund, and shall pay the interest to the order Of said
Theobald Mathew on the 4th Of each month, or as
he may order II to be paid to him. That Congress
shall OF necessary pass special act to carry out
the aforesaid project to make il legal and Sc
cure TO Tbeobald Mathew during his natural life
That the Governor Of each State and Territory be,
and he is hereby, authorized to receive the money
collected in his State Territory and transmit the
the President Of the United States on or be-
fore the fourth Of July, eighteen hundred and fifty
That the citizens OF each city, town, or village,
shall select the person persons who shall receive
the money collected in said village, town, or CITY.
and transmit the same to the Governor of their
State or Territory for him forward to the Presi-
dent Of the United States for the aforesaid That
on the first Friday in August, l849, there shall be
a collection taken up in all Churches and places
that are favorable TO the cause of suffering hu-
mainly, and especially the movements of Father
Mathew, to aid him, previous to the lth Of July,
1885, in dispensing the blessings of total abstinence
from all that can intoxicste. That all persons in
the United States be, and are hereby, requested to
contribute half dime to Father Mathews fund ;
"
lars, and the interest thereon will be FIVE thousand
dollars per month. That the contributors may
feel assured that their thsnk-o1ering to God viii
not be perverted or misapplied, on and after the
demise Of Father Mathew the interest shall be an
nuslly expended in establishing and keeping in
active operation Reading Room and Circulating
Library at Washington, d. c. That said readins
room and library shall be named after Father
Mathew, to perpetuate his good works, whilst
time shall last, TO American citizens That thew
shall be known as Father Mathews reading room
and library and shall be free to all who visit them.
That Congress shall pass all laws to govern said
reading room and library, the same as they do for
the Smithsonian Institute at Washington. ID. C.
That each person who contributes one dollar, or
larger sum, shall have his address forwarded to the
Librarian; and his and residence shall be pub
lshed in book, with the amount Of his contrbu-
ton, 30 as to perpctuate his good deed with his
name, as a contributor to a wise, good, and char
table for the elevation Of the children Of men,
in which is the true glory of God That suitable
boxes be made to receive the contributions, with
label on each box, "Fafhu .waiheps fx~d; rin veu
gire half dime and used at the discretion of the
person or persons Who shall be appointed to attend
10 taking up the collections in the United States of
North America.
The aforesaid Is most respectfully recommended
bv your true friend and feow-ctizen,
JAMES ROBERTSON, of Ns~ York,
Ed Of the "Tr~fAn
w.sHNcros, July 9, ls49,