Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-13
An Overwhelming speech by widow.

| The honorable George n, Briggs, ex Governor Of
Massachusetts, delivered temperance address
some time since, in the course (which he related
the following anecdote with thrilling casct:
| Mr.. Briggs said thisqueston of the Introduction
ofintoxicating drinks assumed mewhat ola prac
teal form last spring in thriving boroughin Penn
syvania. The inhabitants had ssembled, as as
their usual custom, to decide what number, il any,
of licenses the town should petition ON the coun-
! ty court, from whence they were issued. There
| was full attendance. One of the most respecta
BILE magistrates ofthe borough presided, and upon
the platform were seated, among Others, the cIer
gyman OF the village, one Of his deacons, ard the
! physician. A
| After the meeting had been called to order, one
the most respectable citizens of the borough cse
and after a shot speech moved that the meeting
| petition for the usual number OF licenses. They
had better license good men and let them sell. The
/ proposition seemed to meet with almost universal
favor. TWAS an excellent way to get along quietly,
and one and then another in their turn expressed
| their hope that such course would be adopted.
| The President was about to put the question to
the meeting, when an object rose in distant part
of the building, and all eyes were instantly turned
in that direction TWAS an old woman, poorly clad.
and whose careworn countenance was the painful
index OF no light suffering. And yet there was
something in the flash Of the bright eye that told
she had once been what she was not She adj
dressed the President and said With his pcrni- sioD
she wished to say few words to the meeting. She
had come because she had heard that they were to
decide the license question.
"You," said she, " all know who / am You
once knew me the mistress ofpnc ofthe bestestates
| in the borough. once Had hashand aid five
| sons; aud woman never had a kin Ter husband
mother never had five BITTER or more affcctionate
sons. But where are they now? Doctor, ask
where are they now ? In yocder burying ground
there six graves filed by that husband aud those
| five sons; aud, oh they are all drunkards' graves
] Doctor, how came they to be drunkardsg You
would come and drink with them and you told them
that temperate drinking would do them good. And
you too, sir addressing the clergyman, would come
and drink with my husband and my sons thought
thy n.isit drink with safety because they saw
| yop drink. Deacon, you sold them rum which
made them dfunkaids. You have now got my
farm and ailmy property and you got il all by rum
Aud now" she said, 81 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 viii meet my ruined and
lost husband and those five sons who, through your
means and influence, fill drunkayd's graves"
The old woman sat down. Perfect silence pre-
vailed until broken by the Pr sdent, who rose to
put the question to the meeting-shall we petition
the court to issue licenses TO this borough the eusu
ing yeatg and then one unbroken mol" which
made the very walls re-echo with the sound, told
the result OF the old woman's appeal