The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-19

psassable exercise q their rights, to throw on the
les By which they unrightsousy bound aud
to assure them that all proper efforts shall be made to
induce the members Of Congress from their PEG tive
States and districts TO soceds to their wishes.
Resolved, That his Excellsncy the President OF the
United States be requested call the attention of
grefs the above reoted action Of the voters Of Wash
gton and to recommend to CoDgress tbs enactment Of
law TO bic the people Of that city and their local au
thores to from them the evils of intern peranca by
uppressrg the sale Of intoxicating drinks AID that both
Q law at early period Of the next session.
We trust that your honorable bodies will not feel
that In calling your atten On to this important sub
ect, We are stepping out Of our appropriate sphere
In the promotion OF morality and public virtue, at
the seat Of our national government, we have deep
and permanent interest. In respect to local legs-
lai0n the people of Washington not sefg0verned.
Their laws are enacted by Congress, and in the cleo
ton OF any member Of that body they have voice.
They must submit to laws enacted for them by men
whom the States and districts of the whole Union
elect for that purpose.
So long as the laws Of Congress authorize the
granting Of licenses for the sale of intoxicating
drinks, not only will the people Of Washington
tnue to suffer the evils of intemperance, but the peo
pie of the whole nation will be responsible for all
there evils and for all others that may result from
the injurious workings of these laws. And the peo-
pie Of this State, and of this city, cannot be free
from the guilt OF all the evils of intemperance as
they now, or hereafter may be- in tentod terror,
experienced in Washington city. unless they strive
traffic in that city repealed, and wise and rghte GUS
prOhibitory laws enacted.
It is not strange that the President and members
of Congress, absorbed as they must be by the mo-
ment0us affairs Of the nation ould have their at
tention but briefly turned to the local matters OF the
District of Columbia and the city Of Washington.
Yet we compelled to feel that the same dIreful
woes Of ntemperance that prevail every where else,
are to lamentable extent experienced in the ca D.
ital Of nation. We will not ask you to examine
infinitely the picture that might be drawn Of these
evils, as they have often been exhibited in Wash.
ington. We turn with horror from the contempla-
ton Of the personal degradation loss of character,
selfrespect and public esteem the domestic wretch
edness the profanity and icensousness the suicides
and murders, and the awful deaths by delirium tire
mems caused by this one prolific parent OF vices au
crimes. From an abundant share in al such evils Of
ntemperance, no city, no state, no district in our
land has been free.
The people OF Washington city have seen all these
terrific evils riotng in their midst and they ha ye
traced them all to their one only source-the retail
traffic in intoxicating drinks And as freemen they
have by direction of their constituted authorities,
at the ballotbox soemnly declared her desire that
Congress should pass law by which the dram shops,
those open fountains of pollution, vice and crime
may be at once and for ever closed and the vendors
of intoxicating drinks compelled to relinqush their
corrupting and ruinous tr .de.
1t is not, however, only for the people Of Washing
ton that we plead. We feel for the honor of oar
nation that has been already furnished by ntemper
ance at the seat of our national government. We
plead for the safety of the viSiters TO Washington
during the sessions of Congress- from every part Of
the Union, and of strangers from every country In
the world. What just pride would swell the bosom
Of every American citizen and patriot, who could
point the world to the city where our national Con
and sSos fGT
free-from the evils Of drunkenness, and all its az
tendant train of vices and crimesw
We plead also fer our own hOuOred fellow citizens,
deputed to Washington, from this and from other
StHfp1
many Of wh0m-alas, how many ARE unable to
stem the torrents of intemperance that flow around
the Capitol. Many such are hurrying down the
slippery gath already trodden by some from among
the brightest of our Of eloquence" to loss Of
character and less Of il uence if not to the deepest
degradation. and an urtimely death.
The prevalence of intemperance among great men,
and especially among those distracted by the cares
and ensnared BY the temptations Of high political
life, is pr0verbal Even in our own country men Of
brightest promise and Of brightest hope, and orig
naly Of greatest worthorators counsellors judges,
statesmen, governors-have, through intemperance,
given occasion for the raton's saddest wall, How
have the mighty fallen u
The mmedae and absolute prohibition Of the
sale OF Intoxicating beverages throughout our whole
Union aid the c0IfscatOn and utter destruction Of
all such liquors in existence, would be an offer
ing far less Than might worldly DE made, ii it
could save but one man OF such as some who by
this monster vice importance, and before they had
reached even the meridian Of their days, their use
fuDess, their bonors, have been suddenly stricken
from their couptly's diadem.
In view, them OF all these to us weighty considera
ions, do, in behalf Of majority OF the voters,
md vast majority of the virtuous citizens Of this
great commercs! metropolis, an6 in accordance with
be wishes Of by far the largest and best portion OF
the people of this great republic most earnestly call
upon the Congress Of the United States to listen to
the prayer OF the people Of Washington city, and at
esry period Of the session to enact the law their
wishes have indicated, and which their urgent ne.
cessites demand.
In the name and by direction of the New York
City Temperance Alliance,
CHARLES C. LEIGH, Pres.
c. j. WARREN. Cor. Sec.
New York, November FL, 1858.