Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-08-23
+. 40litita al.
JUDGE WELLS SPEECH AT GRAY

Judge Wells, the Democratic candidate LOT
Governor of Maine, being called upon, took
the stand, and delivered an able and logical
address, occupying about two hours, and was
loudly applauded throughout. He thought it
strange state of things, that here in the State
of Maine, in the nineteenth century, we should
be called upon to discuss questions, involving
the first principles of the Revolution, upon
which our liberties were based, but SO it is
Strange doctrines are broached nowadays,
sending to uprcot and destroy the simplest
principles of our government, those principles
of Constitutional liberty, liberty regulated by
law, which lie at the foundation Of our nation
al existence. Yes, fellow citizens, liberties
and principles, that we ought to prize 50 high
", never before equalled in the best days of
Greece and Rome, which we have heretofore
enjoyed uninterruptedly under the stars and
stripes, are now in jeopardy. Those rights
were purchased by many bloody contests with
the Indians, and various sanguinary conflicts
with foreign foes, by land and by sea. After
the struggles we have thus made, for the as
sertion Of our freedom, we had supposed our
liberties were safe, and secure from lawless
men and tyrannical laws. Yet we find, at
this late day, and in this our beloved State, in
habited by half million of treemen, we are
compelled TO meet in council, to discuss the
first principles of Constitutional liberty, TO as
certain whether we really possess the volunta-
~ power Of locomotion, the right of deciding,
each man for his own household, sohdt, and
,chen, and hoi1 we shall eat or drink for our
own comfort and happiness.
A disposition has Of late been evinced to
harrass the people in these particulars and TO
pass tyrannical laws invading private rights,
DISTINGUISHING our fellow citizens, and nullify
ing the acts of Congress, when no necessity has
existed or can exist for such extreme and i'm
polite legislation. Among the acts of the last
Legislature subversive of the rights and privi-
leges of the people under the false and decep-
tive guise of temperance, a law was enacted,
which, in its foolish, tyranuical and unreason-
able provisions exceeds any law ever enacted
IN any country on the face of the habltable
globe. After reading the law and exploring
It's meaning, no intelligent man of unbiased
derstand by temperance, one of the cardinal
virtues-the proper use of everything lawful
in ITSELF Would to God that all men could
realize the beauties of temperance, and prac-
tice it always without coercion or compulsion
in any sense. As for myself, have long been
of the opinion that intoxicating liquors, as
beverage, are, and must ever be Injurious
Still, much as admire the principles of tenn
perance and sobriety, and anxious as am that
habits of incompetence may be banished from
the world, | would have men refrain from the
intoxicating cup by the force of reason and
persuasion, and not by brute force. While
imploring the inebriate 10 refrain from the in
toxicating bowl, would not assault him with
words of anger and threaten TO invoke legisla-
tive aid to force or coerce obedience to my
wishes. Such course is unworthy of a re-
former or a true friend Of temperance. Rea-
son and not force must after all be the lever,
by means of which the great and good cause of
temperance shall be eventually triumphant.
In 1923, when l first came to Maine, it was
a common practice to use liquors as bever
age. Our people had acquired the habit hon
estly. 1t came down to US from the revered
patriots of the Revolution. The use of intox-
icating liquors became general and the fruits
of intoxication deplorabie. So great and so
constant was the evil Of intemperance, that
good men and philaRthropists sought for rem
edy. They accumulated the statistics of in
temperance and crime, apd discovered that the
latter was greatly increased by the former
Efforts were made in a right direction TO
spread light on this all important subject, and
these efforts were 10 great extent successful.
In 1927 the cause was rapidly progressing in
our own State. Many abandoned the use of
spirituous liquor, for the sake of good exam
pie 10 the rising generation, practicing at all
times glorious selfdenial. The best men in
our State encouraged this glorious reform, and
the old pioneers in the cause, never received
one half the credit they deserved for their la
borious efforts in that behalf. Next followed
the Washingtonian movement, which proved a
still greater era in the temperance reform. 1t
was noble and voluntary effort on the part of
mechanics at Baltimore, who had felt the evils
of intemperance themselves, to save their fellow
men from the ravages of this monstrous habit
of indulgence. But how did this great cause
progress and by what meansl Was it by
stringent-aye, tyrannical laws fellow citizens,
that this glorious reform corrected mems appe-
tites and shut up the groggeriesl Were the
New England States made recipients of the
blessings of that reform by force of la,o and
Through fear of penalties and Imprisonment
Not at all. Law was powerless-it was the
law of love and kindness and the force of good
example that reclaimed millions of men from
use and traffic in all intoxicating liquors as a
beverage.
For six years the Washingtonian reform
continued to spread joy and gladness in the
dwellings of the people on this continent, and
the poor and rich were alike the recipients of
the blessings Of total abstinence. Everything
looked well for the triumph of so good cause.
Wsshingsonian meetings were thronged, and
Joy reigned everywhere throughout our Union.
None, save those who had been addicted to the
use of ardent spirits, were entitled to member
ship, and a common brotherly sympathy. per
vaded the meetings. Thousands upon thous-
ands enrolled their names on the pledge, bound
together by one common tie, and determined
to spare no exertion. to reform their fellow
men. So fearful were many of the Washing
tonians of the introduction of sectarian or po-
political questions at their meetings, that their
Constitutions prohibited all such discussions.
Temperance alone was uPpermost In their
minds, and the temperance pledge was the
talisman employed. All went on well for 2
time in harmony, until relaxation In the
rules admitted outsiders-men who had nc
business in the camp. Sectarians and poll
ticians, seeing that the people had commenced
a reform calculated to embrace the whole
world of mankind, sought membership on all