Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-06-23
TFrom the Southern Organ |

'
a temperance organization, society, or pu
lie movement of any sort on the subject
temperance in this country. In fact, Il
term, temperance" had not the specii
land distinctive meaning, in common pn
lance, which now attaches TO it.
About two years before that time,
well as can now state from memory, II
movement in opposition to drunkennei
began to manifest itself at and around tn
capital OF the land of "steady habits"-
Boston; but, as yet, it had made but yer
little increase upon public sentiment.
short time before the above. mentione
date, there was established, in the Unite
States, temperance newspaper la littl
Iseven-by-nine sheet, known to nobody ex
Icept few persons around Andover, Mas
IsachusettS, little town where it had sough
a pretty secure hiding place to be published
I'D a few other persons in Boston, and half
a-dozen persons in New York. The Iittl,
Ipaper--poor little thing called eth,
Genius of Temperance"
was going to say that at the period
above named the Temperance movement
had made its way as far west as the State
of New York. But that would he hardly
correct. 1t is perhaps more proper to say
that in the spring of IS2S few fragment.
had strayed away from the maternal nur.
sery, and had been picked up and cared for
by few phi lanthropic persons in the State
OF New York, who nursed the little urchin
fugitives and kept them alive.
| was then store boy in Natchez; and
one night, at late hour. was opening a
box OF goods from New York, when two
newspapers, wrapped around some small
articles, attracted my attention BY their
singular title. 1t was "The Genius Of Tenn.
Perance." | uniolded them-turned them
oysr-held them again up to the light ge-
MUS Of what? Genius of Temperance.
Well, that's funny name for newspaper.
But was in a hurry just at that moment,
SO after my box was disposed of, and re-
turned 10 my room, before | slept | must
| n ,,-->--'L:-- -------L-y .t:-->.,-:,,,,
genius of. And as read, and road, 10 NJ
behold there is a neW idea. No patent
office, or idea mandatory had ever any
thing ne,Cer than that idea. The newspa-
per is published for tie avowed advocacy of
Temperance" and temperance means to mol
drink Whisky! And there are societies or
ganized, with president, secretary, and all
that, tor the open purpose Of mutual agree
ments not to drink whisky. We'll, did YOU
ever
| de"oured the newspaper, and | turned
and folded and molded the new ideas into
every imaginable shape, and made every
possible inquiry in nay own mind whether
anything OF this sort could be st on foot
in Natchez. From the two consecutive
numbers Of the temperance paper | gath
cred considerable information as TO how
societies were conducted, &c.
ought, perhaps, TO remark here, that
the name of the editor Of this paper wa:
p. Crandall, and, if am not mistaken, he
is low a Presbyterian clergyman in Massa
Ichusetts.
But can anything be done in this way il
Natchezl was the important inquiry jus
now. Two years before that time wen
to Natche2 for employment, 2enniless
Ifriendless boy from the country, entirely
unacquainted with town and vices. hat
learned the law of drinking, and, from al
| had previously seen, thought it was al
right but still felt unsafe, thought
was in danger of becoming drunkard.
| knew very we'll that temperance so
ciety in Natchez, known to exist, was ut
terly out of the question. The genteeles
portions of public or private rdicuIe wou
Ihave laughed it into oblivion at a breath
But can't a few of US young men form
secret association, for our mutual benefit
One Sunday afternoon, a mile from towT
ia the midst of an open common, wher
1--WE could see that there was no person will
lin half a mile, young man by the name
James Burke, who was clerk next door
me, and myself sat down upon the side I
a ril, and drew out my temperance p
pers, and unfolded TO him my plans. r
was the only person in Natchez | dare
mention the subject TO. He said, "Yes, I
can do H." and we determined to try.
SO we mentioned the plan, very caution
, Ily, first to one, and then to another, car
fully selected young men, until we numbe
: ed seven. We then organized ourSelv
! into a total abstinence society, held o
i meetings secretly, at night, and in te
i months we numbered about twelve
> fifteen.
J. Our rules confined US to young men I
/ clusiyely. In this way we continued Pi
?. of a year proioundly secret. The II
n married man W took into our ASSOCIATE
'e was Thomas M'Dannold, young lawy
- lie made us Temperance speech. That
the first temperance speech oever ml
IN south and west Of New York.
n, We had now grown too large to ma
s. tain our privacy, and we became kno'
-tThe Rev. Geo. Potts, now of New lC
"a a then pastor of the Preshy ierian church
rs iNatchez, took deep interest in the 4
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