Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-18
Our Strip 8ooh,
Ar Overwhelming Speech by a
Widow.

The Hon. George n. Briggs, ex-Gov
ernor Of Massachusetts, delivered a TEN
pcrance lecture some time since, in the
course Of which he related the following
anecdote with thrilling effect:
Mr. Briggs said this question of the in
PRODUCTION of intoxicating drinks assumed
somewhat of a practical form last Spring
in a thriving borough in Pennsylvania
The inhabitants had assembled, as as
their usual custom, to decide what nun
Der, il any, of licenses the town should
petition from the County Court, from
whence they were issued. There was a
full attendance. One Of the most raspec
table magistrates of the borough presided
and upon the platform we're SEATED
among others, the Clergyman OF the vii
lage, one Of his deaaons, and the physi-
cian.
After tho meeting had been called to
order, n Of the most respectable citi.
zeas of the borough rese, and after Il
short speech moved that the nesting ps
titioa 70. the ssuai nanb-r OF Licenses
They bad better liceass good nen and lei
them sell. The proposition seemed to
meet with almost universal favor. Il vas
an excellent way to get along quietly,
aud one and then another in their turn
expressed their hope that such 9 course
would be adopted.
The President was about to pat tas
question to the meeting. when an object
rose in o distant part Of tho buildiHg, AM
all eyes were instantly turned in that di
r~ection. 1t was an old woman. poorly
clad, and whose ~countcaanct
was tbs painful index Of no light suffer
ing. And yet there was something in
the fash Of the bright eye that told she
had oAce been what she wa mol. She
addressed the president, and said. with
his permission, she wished to say o fsm
words to tho meeting. She had come be
cause she had heard that they were to De
eide the license question.
You" said she, all kaow who I an
You once knew me the mistress OF one OIL
the best estates in the borough. | once
had a husband and Ave sons; and woman
never had = kinder hnsband-motheI
never had Ave better or more afTsctionatt
sons. But where are they now? Doc
tor, | ask where are they now? Ia yon
der bnrying ground there are six grave.
filed by that husband and those tivs sons
and oh they are all drankards' graves
Doctor, how came they to DO drunkards
You would come aud drink with them
and you told them that temperate drink
ing would do them good. AID you, too
Sir, addressing the clergyman, woalc
come and drink with my husband and
my sons thought they might drink witt
safety, because they saw you drink
Deacon, you sold them run which made
them drunkards. You have now got my
farm and all my property, and Jon got il
all by rum. And now | have done my
errand. | go back to the poor house, for
that is my home. You, reverend Sir, you:
Doctor, and you, Deacon, | shall never
meet again until meet you at the bar Of
God. where you too will meet ny ruined
and lost husband and those ne sans. who,
through your mcaEs anu u%liiu11ssecee, ill the
drunkard graves" The cid woman sat
down. Perfect silence prevailed, until
broken by the President. who rose to put
the question to the iteeting-skall We pc
tition the court to issue licenses TO this
borough the ensuing year :? and then one
unbroken No (Which made The very
walls re-ccho with ths sound, told the re
suit of the old woman's appeal.