Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1853-1853, 1853-04-08
THE rowN MEETING.
"LIcENsE, or NO LIcEEsE.

LICENSE, or NO LIcEEsE.
Governor Briggs, Of Massachusetts, in speech
at Albany, related the following thrilling Incl
denti ... .... ...-...
At a townrheeting, in Pennsylvania, the ques.
ton once came up, whether any person should
bs licensed to sell rum. The clergyman, the
deacon, the ply stefan, strange as il may now ap-
pear, all favored. One man alone spoke against
Il, because Of the mischief il did. The question
was about to be put, when all at once there arose
from one end Of the room miserable female
She was thinly clad, and her appearance indica-
ted the utmost wretchedness, and that her mortal
career was almost closed. After moment of
silence, and all eyes being fixed upon her, she
stretched her Attenuated body to its utmost height
and then her long arms TO their greatest length,
and raising her Voice to shrill pitch, she called
all to, look upon her.
hear me. al that the last speaker has said, re.
latiSe to temperate drinking, as being the father
Of drunkenness, is true. All practice, all ex-
perience, declare its truth. All drinking Of
alcoholic poison as a beverage in health, is ex-
cess. Look upon me-. You all know l was
once the mistress Of the best farm in town.
You all know ] had one Of the best, the most
devoted of husbands. You all know had five
noble-hearted, industrious boys. Where are
they nowP Doctor, where are they Rowp You
all know-yop all know they lie in = row, side
BY side, in yonder church yard! All, every
one of them, fill drunkards grave! They were
ell taught TO believe that moderate drinking was
safe--excess alone was to be avoided-and thew
never acknowledged excess. They quoted you
, and you, (pointing with her shred Of finger tC
the priest, decon and doctor,) as authority. The,
Thought themselves slfe under such teachers
But saw the gradual CHI ange creeping over my
family and prospects, with diSmay and horror
l feltw we were all to be overwhelmed in one com
mon ruin. tried to ward off the blow-I triet
10 break the SPELL the delusve spell, in which
theider Of temperate drinking involved my hus
banf IND my sons. begged, prayed; but III,
oddsWe against me. The minister said tina
the poison that was destroying my husband ant
boys, was good creature of God; the deacon
who sits under the pulpit there, and took gu
farm to pay his rum bills, sold them the poison
the, doctor said that little was good, but exces
ought to be avoided. =, My poor husband and dsa
boys fell into the snare, and they could not es
cape, but one after another they were conveye
TO the Sorrowful grave Of the drunkard. Nov
: look at me again; you probably see me for III
last time. My sand is almost run. dragge
my exhausted frame from my present home
your po6r-houSe-to warn you oil; to warn YOU
deaOoni to warn you, false teacher Of God
Word!'e' .....I ... r
, Andwith arms high flung, and her tall fOrr
stretched to its utmost, and her voice raised (
an unoarthly pitch, she exclaimed, .-..
II shall soon stand before the judgment SEES
Of God shall meet you there, false guides, an
and boar witness against you ALL"
The miserable female vanished dead silenc
psrvaded the assembly y the priest, decOn, an
physician hung their heads; and whom the pres
.ident put the question 1870 ,s.,t f'i
"Shall any license be granted for the sale q
SpirituouS liquors ?" - 10
1.-The response was unauiHiOuI--HNor'l r
..,r,. - 15;Iv - -,----- ,5r