The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-06-24
For the Ohio orgsn,
Neal Dow.

PASoPSS" VI A"FAnS Vulo oOlODAoSO0
man SO soon among US? The wealth
er is hot, and like to be hotter; the
railroad companies are close, and are
like to be closer: still, the State Con-
vention of the 29th inst. at Colum-
bus is destined to be glorius one.--
With such cause and such encour-
agements as now attend it, and such
speakers as DR.. JEwETT and NEAL
Dow to advocate it, what greater at
fractions can we want to turn out en-
naasse, at the time specified? As il
lustrating the aptitude Of Neal Dow, I
send you the following incident which
| Witnessed last summer. #
A convention was called in connec-
ton with the regular meeting of the
Grand Division Of Eastern New York,
last July, at Ballston Spa. The rep
utation of the speakers, added to the
essential nobleness of the cause, drew
together vast multitudes of the peo-
pie. No house could contain them,
and, therefore, they assembled in a
beautiful pine grove, just on the out
skirts of the village. m
Rev. Mr.. Reese, Of Williamsburg,
since deceased, was the FIRST speaker.
Eloquently, nobly, impressively didh
portray, in vivid but faithful colors,
the desolations inseperably attendant
on the liquor traffic. But the great
attraction was Neal Dow; and as he
rose to be introduced to the audience,
the old woods rang again with the
cheers of the people. ..
He began-"Men and women of
New York, thank you for your
hearty welcome to the Empire State:
particularly do | thank you, because
/ | recognize in these cheers your ap-
\ proval, not so much of me as man,
as of the Temperance principles
represent-the principles embodied in
\ the Maine Liquor LaR.' Here he
I was interrupted by long and uproari-
GUS shouts of approval.
\ But / have no design to repeat that
glorious speech, which, though
marked throughout with the most
perfect simplicity, and freedom from
all extravaganza, was frequently bro
ken in upon by bursts Of applause
like the foregoing. The incident I al
lude to is this:
Just back Of the gentle activity oc-
4 cupied by the Convention runs the
/ track of the railroad connecting Lake
/ Champlain at Whitehall, with the
Hudson River at Troy. The orator
had spoken nearly an hour when the
distant rumbling Of coming train
was heard. A few moments more
and the scream of the locomotive
! drowned everything else, and drew
the attention of all. The speaker
had just been rehearsing, in a SIM
| pie, quiet way, the difficulties which
the friends Of the Temperance Re-
form had met at every step of their
progress. Every eye was intent on
| him, and every mind was absorbed
in the narrative when the long train
rushed into full view. Instantly,
speaker, and all were gazing in silent
admiration at the majestic phenom-
enon. For a moment everything
was still except the rolling of the
rapidly-vanishing, train. Presently,
it was out of sight, and when we
turned once more to the speaker,
there he stood, apparently lifeless as
a statue; his right arm elevated, and
pointing straight in the direction the
cars had gone, and as he silently
gazed after them, as if loath to give
up the sight, naught was TO be
heard but the gentle waving of the
pines in the summers breeze! At
length we were startled, as in a loud
tone he suddenly exclaimed, still
II o.o,;rc. IN tho same diraation UMen