Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-03-31
An Overwhelming Speech by
Widow.

The Hon. George \. Briggs, ex-gov-
ernor of Massachusetts, delivered a
temperance address, In the course of
which he related the following anec-
dote with thrilling effect:
Mr. Briggs said this question of the
introduction of intoxicating drinks as
sumed somewhat Of a practical form
last spring in a thriving borough in
Pennsylvania. The inhabitants had
assembled, as was their custom, to de-
eide what number, if any, of licences
the town should petition to the county
court, from whence they were issued
There was q full attendance. One of
the most respectable magistrates Of the
borough presided, and upon the plat
form were seated, among others, the
clergyman Of the village, one of his
deacons, and the physician.
After the meeting had been called tC
order, one of the most respectable citi-
zens of the borough rose, and after a
short speech moved that the meeting
petition for the usual number Of icen-
ces. They had better license good men
and let them sell. The proposition
seemed to meet with almost universal
favor. 1t was an excellent way to get
along quietly, and one and then anoth-
er 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 OBJ
ject rose in a distant part of the build
ing, and all eyes were instantly turned
in that direction. It was an old wom-
an, poorly clad, and whose care-worn
countenance was the painful index of
no light suffering. And yet there was
something in the flash of the bright eye
that told that she had once been some
thing that she was not. She address,
ed the President, and said, with his
permission, she wished to say a few
words to the meeting. She had come
because she had heard they were to de-
eide the -cense question.
"You,'' said she, call know who I
am. You once knew me the mistress
Of one Of the best estates in the bor-
ough. [ once had husband and five
sons; and woman never had a kinder
husband-mother never had five better
or more affecti0nate sons. But where
are they now? Doctor, I ask where
are they now? l. -yonder burying
ground there are six graves, filed by
that husband and five sons, and oh! they
are all drunkards' graves. Doctor, how
came they to be d1unkards? You
would come and drink with them, and
you told them that temperate drinking
would dc them good. And you, sir"
addressing the clergyman, s'would
come and drink with my husband; and
my sons thought they might drink with
safety because they saw you drink
Deacon, YOU sold them rum which made
them drunkards You have now got
my farm and ali my property, and you
got it all by rum. And now," she
said, Il have done my GRAND. I 90
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 my ru-
med and lost husband and those five
sons, who, through your means and in
Iiuence, fill tie drrnkard grave" The
old woman sat down. Perfect silence
prevailed, until broken by the presi-
dent, who rose to put the question to
the meeting-shall we petition the
court to issue licences to this borough
the ensuing year?-and then one Jn-
broken ''Nor' which made the very
walls re-echo with the sound, told the
result Of the old woman's appeal.