The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-02-12
THE TOWN MEETING.
ssLrcEssE OR NO LICENSE |"

ssL1cENsE OR NO LICENSE" !"
Gov. Briggs Of Massachusetts, in !
speech at Albany, related the following
thrilling incident:
At a town meeting 10 Pennsy !vania, ths
question came up, whether any person
should be licensed to sell rum. The cler.
gyman, the deacon, the physician, strange
as it may seem all favored il. One man
alone spoke against it, because Of the mis-.
chief it did. The question was about tc
be put, when all at once there arose from
one end Of the room miserable female
She was thinly clad, and her appearance
indicated the utmost wretchedness, and
that her mortal career was almost closed.
Alter moment Of silence, and all eyes
being fixed upon her, she stretched her st-
tenustod body 10 its utmost height. and her
long arms to their greatest length, and raj.
ing her voice to shrill pitch, she called
all to look upon her.
Yes! said she, 'look upon me, and then
hear me. All,bat the last speaker has said
relative to temperate drinking as being the
father Of drunkenness is true. All prac-
/ ,ice, all experience. declare its truth. All
drinking Of alcoholic poison as beverage
in health, is excess. Look upon me. You
all know me, or once did. You all know
was once the mistress Of the best farm in
the town. You all know too, had one Of
the best, the most devoted of husbands.
You all know had five noble-hearted, in
dustrious boys. Where are they now
Doctor, where are they now? You all
know-you all know they lie in row, side
by side, in yonder church yard!- !-all, eve
nv one Of them fill the drunkard's grave!
They were all taught that moderate drink
ing was safe-excess alone ought to be
avoided-and they never acknowledged
excess. They quoted you, and you. (pont,
ing with her shred Of finger to the priest,
deacon and doctor,) rs authority. They
thought themselves safe under such teach
ers. But saw the gradual change creep
ing over nv family and prospects. with
dismay and horror. felt we were all 10
be overwhelmed in one common rain. ]
tried to ward off the blow--l tried to break
the spell, the delusive spell in which the
idea Of temperate drinking involved m,
husband and sons. begged, prayed,
but the odds we're against me. The min.
lister said that The poison that was destroy
ing my husband and boys, was good
creature Of God; the deacon who sits IN.
der the pulpit there, and took our farm to
pay his rum bills, sold them The poison, the
doctor said that little was good, but ex-
eess ought to be avoided. NV poor hus-
band aud dear boys, fell into the snare, and
nsy yusy ssps .s. ssssRs b, s5
grave Of the drulkard. Now look at me
ag ain-you probably see me for the las,
time. My sand is almost rum have
dragged my exhausted frame from my pres
ent home--your poor-house--to warn you
ALTO warn you deacon; 10 warn you
false teachers OF Gods word
And with arms high flung, and her tall
form stretched TO the utmost, and her voice
raised to an unesrthly pitch, she exclaim
ed:
Il shall soon stand before the judgment
seat Of God--I shall meet you there false
guides, and bear witness against you ally
The miserable female ssnished-a dead
silence pervsdedthe sssembly-tbe priest,
deacon and physician hung their heads
when the President pu, the question.
Shall any license be granted for the sale
Of spirituous liquors.
The response was unanimous-'No!
THE PARcnED CoRS.-ln Mr., Banyard's
new and interesting book, entitled ''Piy-
mouth and the Pilgrims" when speaking
of the endurance Of the early Pilgrims, the
author relates the following interesting in
cident:
"a simple, affecting, yet very npproprl
ate memorial Of their condition at that time,
{ n the winter Of 1921 was presented a,
ihe centennial celebration Of their landing.
December %, 1923. at Plymouth. Alter
IN address from the Hon. Daniel Webster,
procession then marched to the Court
House; and as they passed down the long
rows Of tables, richly laden with the lux
uries OF the sea mud land, FIVE kernels of
pnrched seorn were observed upon every
plate. They attracted attention. Some
smiled as they passed along, at what they
considered an odd conceit. Others, who
we're better acquainted with the Yankee
character, and with their fondness for sig
nificaut notions, knew that these silent
symbols were eloquent with some hidden
meaning. These five mysterious kernels
of corn, were memorials Of that affecting
incident, when ia 1923, the colony were
reduced to pint Of corn, which were divi-
ded among the settlers, gave them each
Eve grains. When this was understood at
The table il produced thrilling emotion.
These five grains on each plate were full
of tho farina Of thought and feeling"
LOVE OF CHILDREN.-Tell me not ofthe
trim, precisely arranged homes, where
there are no children; where, us the good
German has il, "the fly trap always hangs
straight with the wall;'' tell mo not Of the
never disturbed nights and days--oi the
tranquil, anxious hearts, where children
are not! Icare not for these things. God
sent US children for another purpose than
merely to keep the race, to make US unset
fish, and full Of kindly sympathies and at
fections, to give our souls higher aims, and
to call out all our faculties TO extend enter
prize and exer,ion; TO bring round our lire
side, bright faces and happy smiles, and
HAVING tender hearts,