The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-03-17
CORRESPONDENCE.

| CORRESPONDENCE.
ELkApER, March 9, 1858.
My. Editor AS the Ladies Temperance
Society of Elkadcr has made some stir, a brief
sketch of it's affairs may not be uninteresting to
your readers.
Agrceably to appointment, some ladies met
on the evening Of Dec. q, and after discussing
the importance Of some movement in behalf If
Temperance, appointed committee to prepare
Constitution for Ladies' Temperance Soci-
ETY.. Dec. %, the first regular meeting was
held. The committee presented Constitution
which was adopted, and the following officers
were elected: President, Mrs. M. Carter.
Vice Presidents, Mrs. l.. A. Lawrence, Mrs. G.
Bemis, Mrs. S. A. Partch and Mrs A. Adams.
Secretary, Mrs. J. Hysham. A corresponding
Secretary was subsequently elected. The fol-
lowing is the pledge: "The members Of this
Society agree to abstain from the use Of intoxi-
eating drinks as beverage. and to discourage
their use by others. We further pledge our
selves to combine our efforts and use our in
fuence to secure the adjustment of the Liquor
Traffic in this place"
Wchave forty regular members, besides some
who have signed the pledge. 49, -. !
Our second public meeting was held Feb.
Is, and was numerously attended. Below are
some extracts from an Appeal for Temperance
read on that evening by Mrs. H. Carter, We
give them because they may throw some light
uron our motives and intentions. A somewhat
lengthy paper, read ON that occasion, answered
the question, "Why We have commenced q
crusade against the use of intoxicating drinks"
Short speeches were made by the Rev. Mr..
Mathews, of Garnavillo, and Mr.. Tompkins Of
Elkader. The Music, superintendent BY Mrs.
s. NJ. Curtis, was highly commended. Forty
nine signatures were obtained to the pledge on
that evening, and some hare been added since.
"P!" of the North Iowa Times, will please accept
our thanks for the fine song dedicated to the
Society.
BY order Of the Society.
Ell. WARNER,
| Cor. Com.
Extracts from an appeal for Temperance, BY
Mrs. II. Carter.
What are we about in this temperance move
ment 7 Are We really in earnest? Do we
know, in endeavering to oppose the demon of
Intemperance. that unless we aim guarded blows
he will turn, and force US if possible to lay
down our weapons1 We wish to aim in no
sidelong manner, but straight from our weapons
of truth and love, must come repeated and I'M
firing blows, if we would give death.wound
to this dark evil spirit, gliding in our midst
| II we have commendable zeal in this good
cause, there must be freedom of speech and
action. to accomplish the greatest good. We
think such wrong, with 90 many attendant
evils, ought to be met by the expression Of
Of strong opposing sentiment. This may he
done, and still harmonic with generous, for
giving spirit. Ought we to fear to act, thinking
it might be misdirected labor, which would be
q waste of energy, and drawback to good and
favorable influences? There is a zeal accord
ing to knowledge which We must have. if any.
thing is done to stem this awful tide of des.
truction. Methinks our fear and trembling
would soon be on the wing, could we but realize
the mighty sorrow which is at this moment
bowling the heads and crushing the hearts Of
thousands in our land. and perhaps some in our
very midst. caused by the use Of this terribly
poisonous Alcohol. 1t is always the moderate
| h. L. Az
the woe and misery attending that unhappy
family is untold. We appeal most earnestly,
yet kindly, to those who are engaged in the
traffic Of that which robs Gods nobility of their
manhood. Has conscience ceased 10 whisper
with its "still small voice. when You admins
ter the poison and then behold your fellows
incapable of rational action. But We know
! that your thoughts are not as our thoughts on
this weighty subject. and if anything has, or
may in future emanatc from this Society, which
sounds harsh or censurable, we wish TO be for.
given. So horrible and disgusting does this
evil seem to US in all its aspects, that We are led
to speak of it in unqualified terms.
If this traffic is one of the ways (which
seemeth right unto a man." the proverb of
Solomon is verified, for surely "the end thereof
are the ways Of DEATH To those who partake
of the Intoxicating cup We say, that although
you may be subjects Of this fatal tempter, yet
the letters are not so tightly bound that you
may not loose them, and rush from the wilderness
in which you are cropping. before you stumble
never to rise again. Are you Temperance
men. doing all you can to raise your erling
brother from the pit into which he has fallen ?
or. do the cloudy elements of our moral atmos-
phere, fraught with consequences 90 terrible,
discourage you. This very circumstance calls
loudly for action, and when the victory is ours
(for truth will sooner or later triumph) then
the greater the warfare, the more glorious the
victory.
As for ourselves, We feel proud to stand before
! you and "defne our position in this eonnec-
ton, and as long as we have God o 'er head to
appeal to for poor suffering humanity, we trust
we may have q heart within, ready to co-ope-
rate with him in his wise designs for the chill
dren of men.
Ours is no shallow pretense. no fitful impulse,
but a deep emotion, yelling out from hearts
overdowing with desire for the highest and
best welfare IF those around u.s. My heart ID
stirred within me in thinking of the dark stain
in the very heart of our village, and appeal to
all who love our fellow men, and who would
delight to see our community rising in the scale
of morality, to unite with US that God may
speed the day when light shall CLEAN forth
where now all is darkness, and many pooz
wanderers shall be won home to the path Of
virtue. *