The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1853-05-21

Every true friend ot the temperance
movement often has his thoughts turned 10
the state of the temperance cause, and ashs
the question. WhG, has been, aud What Is
likely to be. accom- pllshed hv this great
moral enleririse of the Nineteenth ccniutN
Much has nlteady been done; and, Judging
OF the future by the past, the heart OF every
uhilan,hfopi., is filed with the brightest
hopes.
About the beginning Of the present ceu-
mry, the attention oil the public WAS hfs'
called to the evils attending the use of IN
,o>ica,inr drinks as u beverage. 10y iew
,hil,uthrouic minds IN the wear $500,
Nira,,h P.ndleton. OF Virginia, Ike Joif'
dab OF old, drew ~ a pledge excluding all
in,nxicatn. dfinks, signed il himself. ani
circulated IL among hi, i,ieads aud neigh
bors. This worthy man kept lis vow
through n long HE. and died, foil o! years,
the OH of February, 1919.
In 1901, DR.. Ru.h of Philadclpbis. pub
lishcd his essay s,vlcd Inquiry into ihc
Effects of Ardent Spirit, on the Human
Body and Mind which was extensively
read and did much toward aw.Ains the
public mind To the magnitude Of The evil.
Ia 1908, the Rev Ehcncaer Porter. OF
Washington. Conn, preached a sermon on
in,,mperance, with the special view Of re-
moving the evil from the midst of profess
irg Christians In these days Of light aud
knowledge it may excite u smile OF mere
dany to be told that protesting Christians
had need n instruction IN what now APP
pears to be plainly taught in the Bible a. II
Christian duty. Yet such was the fact ;
no denomination of Christians, except the
Friends or Quakrrs, then considered the
manufacture and traffic in intoxicating Ii
quors nm immortality.
The frs, account we have Of any organ
lied temperance society. was that of Moreau
Saratoga county. y y, in IsOs Their
pledge only prohibited the use OF " distilled
spirits aud their constitution Imposed "a
fine of txenty.iye cents for violating the
pledge
We have not time, in this article 10 give
"A history OF the progress of this reiorna
ton. Oar only object is to compare It's be-
ginning with the present state Of the cause,
and to let past success stimulate US to more
zeal and energy in future
The motto of the great majority Of ten.
perance men is, Entire prohibition of the
traffic IN Intoxicating drinks ms u beverage,
by law" And those who have heretofore
been mos, active ia the temperance move.
ment are not alone in the belief that the
,failic should he outlawed. \ great ma lor.
nv OF the religious and moral portion Of
the community, who have heretofore stood
aloof from active participation IN the move.
nen,. are uoy ready To co operate with the
friends of prohibition OF the traffic by law.
The proposition Itself appears so plain and
feasible, that it commends itself To the good
sense and Judgment Of MAJORITY of patri.
OTIS and philanthtopists. Aud the prcjec,
is no longer matter OF theory; IL has
been reduced TO practice. IN Maine. where
Dch law was first enacted, il has become
20 popular that recent Legislature. BY "A
large majority, passed some amendments
making it more stringent, and rendering It's
execution more easy aud certain. Rhode
ISLAND, Mnssae husetts and Vermont have
followed tbs example Of Maine. The CHI,
xens of Rhode Island aud Vermont, by n
direct vote, sanctioned he law. thus afford.
ing the best evidence Of its popularity.
Michigan viii soon speak through the bal
lot box, and, we have no doubt, vii! give
more decisive majority in is favor than
either Rhode Island or Vermont.
The pc, e are moving IN every other
state, md, indeed. throughout all Christ.
endom, In favor OF such n law. and the time
il not far blatant when their efforts will bel
crowned with compiete ssccess.-- 1emp'ars'
Magazine,