The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-06-15
NT'e -'"'"N''f N1EIIsu~n HuVUcate
IntempsranCe In Phelps.

Tor many years field where king alcho.ol has act
ed suspicious part, and roted in tho rniseries of
hundreds OF our citizens From tho first settle
ment OF this town many Of tho prominent busi-,
ness men have been, and still are, engaged in the
liquor traffic; and God has meted out to not a
few Of them righteous fe,ributon in this life.
while y more dreadful ono awaits them in the
world TO come. We have been crediby informed
that one of the merchants of this town shameless
ly asserted, some twelve months since, that he
had sold elegea hundred barrels of whiskcy in 3
years and we are quite sure that bis trade of
death has not diminished since that time / And
yet these are the men to be countenanced and
patronlzed by prosessedly temperance men, aud
nota few ofthcm calling themselves by the name
of christians. when God has positively cammand-
ed them to have no fellowship with the unfruitfu
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Such has been the fearful ravage of intempcr.
ance in our town the past year. under the success
ful blast Of l2 or 3 retailing establishments that
the temperance people resolved. 4 few weeks
since, TO make an effort to stay The dreadful tide
They drew up petition in the following Ian
yuage
40 the Board Of Ercise ofths to,on of Phelps.
Gentlemen The undersigned citizens OF tie town
OF Phelps. respectfully prayto your Board to de-
cine granting all licenses Tor the sale OF ntoxica-
thug drinks in the town aforesaid, the present
year. Our reasons for this prayer are manifold.
Some Of Us are Fathers. We lave sons and
daughters---we would not have them drunkarois.
We do therefore implore YOU not to continue the
temptation OF their being such, by legalizing the
liquor traihc IN our midst Some of Is are Sons.
a portion Of US have fathers in peculiar danger
from said traffic; we would save those Fathers.
Hence we earnestly pray you not to license q
trade that threatens their ruin Some Of us arc
Young 1fen. We are seeking virtuous and hon
orable destiny. We shudder at such wreck Us
the drunkard; hence We errncstly invoke you
not TO throw the shield Oflaw over business that
seeks to undermine our hopes and blast our pros
poets. Some VI US are ChristianS. We believe
the inspired declaration that no drunkard shall
inherit the kingdom OF God.--Hcncc we pray YOU
20 refuse your official sanction TO calling that dis
qualities men for heaven Most Of us arc tar pay
ers This traffic has cost the state the past year,
$25OoOO00 Our proportion Of this sum, we
must pay. Hence we pray you to refuse to per-
pctua.e m unjust TAX, 10y refusing to legalze tho
traffic out Of which it grows. Weare all Friends
Of Humanity. The past year 5000 have fallen
an our own state, victims 10 tins trade. In ten
years it has slain, in the nation, 100000. II has
committed within tha. time 100000 TO our pris
ons It has sent 100000 children to the puor
house. 1t has made 100000 widows II has
made 100000 orphan childrcn. We mplore you.
then, earnestly itnplore YOU TO confer no legal
right TO deal in these drinks in town the pres.
en-, year."
The above petition was circulated quite cxten-
sively throughout the town. More than 500 le-
gal voters signed it. Another petition, couched
in respectful and appropriate language, was crcu
lated and signed by more than 900 ladies'"
At the regular meeting Of the Board, many of
the petitioners appeared in person before them,
oVI oir I'll ~ ,I,n 81
presented by the Rev. Mr.. Holley, of the Presty-
teri.n Church, aud accompanied by an able ad-
dress, reportc with Arguments unanswerablo
agains. legalizing the dleadful business He was
followed By other clurgymen Of the place with ap.
proprste remarks, and the f.iends of the cause
confidently looked that these numerous petitioners
should be treated with some degree of respect.
But what was the resulti The board adjourned
for M hour and then convened, surrounded mostly
by the eager herd who were clamoring for license
to carry Oh their work Of death. And, with the
names Of the fourteen hundred petitioners before
them, and all the facts set forth in that document,
accompanied with the powerful and affecting APP
peals Of some ofthose who lad spoken before them,
deliberately granted license 10 nine persons, some
of them k,,olcn, well known 10 that Board, TO be
rea Of most excepiionable character! Yes they
have done the deed. They have sent forth a class
of men under thir OWE official sanction, TO do a
dreadful business. They have sent them out, 10
starve the innocent children Of this village nnd
vicinity to dcsolate the homes nf many Of those
families, tobewildCr and eaiuIlate many husband.
and send him to kis dc olnte habalioH, to sship
and abuse his innocent wife and heplessuess chill.
dren- But there is righteous God, who will
redress the wrongs ofthe.e injured ones. Though
sentence against an evil work may not be executed
sp.cly--the first of Sinai may indeed have cea-
sed TO brn, and ITS thunler- tu utter their voices ;
but th; t law, in honor uf which theS terrors ap-
peared, is in force still, md viii ultimately kinde
around such men n fire such as Sinni never saw.
Only thinl; of it Foartecn hundred eyes up!if-
ted fourteen hundred lands stretched out four
teen hundred voices Ill united in prayer 10 these
men to be saved from this dreadful scourge and
yet their prayer is burlesqued, their tears dctied
The liquor vcnlcrs Of the town have gone forth
under the broad seal and sanction of the Excise
Board 70 do up their work Of misery and death.
They know cni the men who have legalized their
work can but know, that the frui. oither business
is t. scatter misery and death In our community.
AMI q rightcou. Goodwill hold them equally respon-
sible for the misery and crime that shall be the
rcsul. Of the traffic in our town the present year.
This foul fGned has entrenclod himself behind
another iorlihca,ion in ou- village, from which ho
should he routed Some of the most extensive
shops This union of the liquor traffic with n use
ful ani profitable business should be discoun-
tenUccd by uu enlightened public. 1t is at this
point our citizens aie yielding most iniatuated
and c'Iectual support uf the traffic. Here is ono
Of the muster stokes Of satanic wit 10 mask this
traffic in this energetic form under cover Of such
business, and then en,rench he internal injunction
80 firmly in the poprlar dclusion that while all
other modes og The traffic in our community attract
attention and assault this still sits secure, and de-
fcs reformation. We fear that many, with will
ling blindness, still acquiescc in and continue to
patroni5c these establishments thereby practical.
~ couccding that dry goods store shout become
dram shop. when will men learn TO be con.
sistent, nnd act for their own and the public good.
It would seem as twenty years unceas;ng labor
in the temperance reformation should have secnr-
el for usR better state Of things After all tbs
lish, that has bcca shed upon this subject, II these
vcnicrs Of liquid fire would coptcnt themselves
With an occasional victim, Us temperance men Wa
might say lcss But when they chain whole ar.
mics TO their chariot Of DEATH audrot IN the miser-
les ofhundreds Of our citizens, the pity Of every
true friend OF lis race s moved forward their suf
feriny victims and his iniignitaiion is kindled
acains, the unhoy traffic, As temperance men
and Christians fear that we do not net as prompt
ly nor lbor az seloisly in this causo rs we should
God has said, Whose stoppeth his ears at the