The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-12-28


and women of our village signed the Temper
anOe Pledge and every child was soldier in
the "cold Water Army" and ever and always
were they " Tetotalers."
An under current Of like teaching had its in
fuence upon the increasing population. The
first public house in our village was temper
ance house. But as the demands of a travelling
public, the pouring in Of emigration, seemed to
sanction the erection of other and more commo-
dious hotels, the prevailing belief obtained that
a temperance hotel was temperate place to find
food and lodging, even by those who loathed the
traffic in intoxicating drinks. Thus following
the lead of popular expression, at one time all
our hotels were supplied with we'll filed decan-
ters and bar-room. temperance hotel was
opened aud furnished, and given to the trial for
life and death; but thanks to the encouraging
words of our residents, and the perseverance of
the landlord who abhorred temperate board and
lodging as no detested intemperance, after
struggling along for years his custom outgrew
his house, and he carried the temperance flag
triumphantly to the largest hotel in'the village.
(" The Washington House was now temperance
house, an honor to the landlord, ms well as to
the temperance principles of its proprietor.
Situated as Grand Haven is, port of entry
during the season of navigation, transient in
habitants increased our number The lumber
ing business called for large gangs of men from
other parts of this State, as well as from Illinois
| eli 10. lob tn tIa nil
summer, but as winter closed in around, and the
mills ceased running, they returned to their
former homes. Truly for the greater part the
population was migratory. The true census
ter months, and for this cause may not an i'm
portant distinction be drawn between the real
and the reported character Of the inhabitants of
our vicinity. Between those identified with its
best interests and its homes, and those who were
here for few months for the purpose Of gain,
reckless of reputation. ~ $50"
casual observer would form one opinion of
the moral and religious influences around us,
and the discriminating mind would award the
need of praise and commentator, while the
former poured out by wholesale, as it were,
anathemas upon our heads for dissipation and
ungodlincss generally.
AS illustrative of the real character of our
village, and to show one of the results Of the
earnest labors of those who valued our best
interests, we revert to another era in the history
of the progress of temperance in our midst. Our
Legislature passed what was called the " Maine
Liquor Law" subject to the approval Of the peo-
pic through the ballot box.
The following spring every voter in Grand la
ven voted upon the question, and erery rote uas
gircn in faror Of 1.-THE only instance of the
kind in the length and breadth of our State
Grand Haven was the "bannor town" of the
State in the cause of temperance A contrast
can easily be drawn between this fact and the
statement Mt the head of this article.
But the folly of expecting relief from mere
enactment in the heart, to control tide action and
life of man was made evident here as elsewhere
in the State. A State Legislature does not reach
the root Of this matter and again a demand
The movement resulting in the passage Of th,
law certainly sustained the doctrine of "rota
ton in Office" by many deemed essential for tho
preservation of the State.
A law SO complete for the purpose for which
it was intended, as to satisfy the demands of tn,
most exacting, now cumbcrs our statute as pow
erless, FOR good or evil, MS truthfulness ITSELF
1t is called by some unconstitutional" Yes, i
is; but not in the sense in general acccptation
1t is unconstitutional for man to obey statut
law, when he disobeys the law of God, that re
quircs him to fulfil the very principle upon whol
that Statute law is pretended to be founded-bu
it is cRtrOly constitutional to blanc the law, o
the want Of law upon our statute books for tina
which VIC are required to do by tho law of God
and amuse ourselves by laying the blame Of on
sinfulness and remssness upon the most conven
| nationality in such matters inclines us invari
ably away from home.
The organization and prosperity of the TEN
' pcrancc Society, with "sign the pledge" as tn
, main spring was in vogue here, as Throughout
our State, during the years when Washington
nian lectures were being delivered by the social
. ed reformed drunkards, and the belief PREVAILS
here, as elsewhere, that they only were the mean
+ for the salvation Of tho country. Did we nc
: dsobcy the first commandment
Blind leaders of the blind So long as the
kept in the straight and narrow way, their in
6uence was to encourage, but what was II whe
they reeled out of itY Lectures on Temperance
: of a different stamp then took the lead. Me
4 gifted with language, with song and jest, VIII
Q travelled around the country for the profit i
: dollars and cents that might be made out Of til
4 eagcrness ofour people for something to laugh n
Many of these lecturers the majority, at leas
n were men of no fixed religious principle to con
/ troll their thoughts and words--the advocate
. of any ism that would call in the multitude
/. Has the influence of their vagaries, infdelitic
q advanced in any degree the cause of temperate
1 in any community Satan casting out sdta
,oas thus illustrated IL Grand Haren, as clseichc'