New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-02-10
AN OVERWHELMING SPEECH BY A
WIDOW.

The Hen. George N. Briggs, Ex-Governor OF Mas
ssehusetts, delivered temperance address some time
since, in the course of which he related the following
aDecdo.e with thrilling effect:
Mr. Briggs said this question Of the introuuc.v1n ~
Intoxicating drinks assumed somewhat OF 8aD i
form last Spring in thriving borough ~ ,hs;r
vsas. The inhabitants had @semoisu, oDv ri
u.usl custom TO decide what number, II my ~,
licenses the town should petition from Tue Nou.'1
Court from whence they were issued. Iueio We.
full attendance One Of the most re'pee l. s
trates Of the borough Presdeu anu If the vii
were seated among others, tne cIeI syiiian "a ' "
laye one Of his deacOns, and the physc!ah'
After the meeting had been calIeo W oLeei, oAo i
The most respectable citizens OF the oOIousn
g. a abort speech moved that the meeting petltloh
for the usual number Of licenses. 1hey had DeItsr
6cense rood men and let them sell. Inc proposition
seemed 10 meet with almost universal iaVor. IL "as
an excellent way TO get along qule1,y anu QUO Hnt
then another in Their turn ehpresseu 'led nope thaI
sucb a course would be adopted.
The President vas about 20 put the question 20 the
meeting when object rose in distant part of the
building and all eyes were instantly turned in that
direction. It wac an old woman, poorly clad, and
whose careworn countenance the painful index OF
NO light suffering. And yet there was something IN
Abe fash Of the bright eye that told che bad once been
what she was not. She addressed the President, ana
said, with his permission, she wished to say few
words 70 the meeting. She had come because she
had heard that they were 10 decide the license ques
ton.
Anew me the mistress of OF the best estates IN the
borough once had a husband and five sons; and
woman never had a kinder husband-mother neve
had FIVE better or affectonate sons. But where
are they now Doctor, | ask where are they now !
In wonder burying ground there are SIX graves hled
by that husband and those five sons, and oh they
are all drunksrds' graves Doctor how came they TO
be drunksrds You would come and drink with them,
and you told them that temperate drinking would do
them good. And you too, Sir, addressing the clergy
man, would come and drink with my husband: and
my sons thought they might drink with safety, be-
cause they saw you drink. Deacon, you sold them
rum which made them drunkards. You have now
got my farm and all my property, and you got 1t all
BY run. And now, she said, 81 have done my err
rand. 60 back to the poor-house, for that Is my
home. You, reverend Sir, you, Doctor, and you Dea-
con, shall never meet again, until meet you at the
bar Of God, where you too will meet my ruined and
Iost husband and those five sons who, through your
means end influence fill the drunkard graves" The
old woman sat down. Perfect silence prevailed, until
broken by the President who to put the question
70 the meetiDg-shal we petition the court TO issue
licenses TO this borough the ensuing year and then
enc uDbroken " No WHICH made the very walls
rs-echo with the sound, told the result of the old
aa1