The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-06-29
Opinion of Mr.. 0obden on the Tenn uerance
Question. sf

At public meeting, held in Bradford, In
November, ls49, Mr.. Golden was one of the
speakers, and in the course OF his address,
said -" ou are all aware, or at least, some
OF you, that out of the 658 members of the
House of Commons, Col. Thompson was able
to endure the fatigue and annoyance of those
long, dreary, and dull speeches better than
any other man. He was more constantly up
on the benches than any other member of the
House; and / believe the member that came
second to him was Mr. Brotherton, fcheers.)
Now It appears, very oddly land telllit as q
secret to those teetotalers who are present,
that they may tell it to those who are absent,)
that both Col. Thompson and Mr.. Brotherlon
are teetotalers, (loud cheering.) And from
what have seen in the House, l must say
that have the belief, that the men who are
the most temperate are the men who bear the
fatigue OF the House the best. / remember
on one occasion, that Col. Thompson, Mr..
Bright and myself, went on an agitation tour
during the heat OF the Leagues agitation into
Scotland. We separated and went through
scotland, lecturing every night and holding
public meetings, and sometimes two meetings
In day. We rendezvoused together on com
ing back. On comparing notes we found that
during all our tour in Scotland, not one OF us
had paid farthing for fermented or intoxi-
eating drinks of any kind. fCheersl I re-
member at one house where we met, we were
visited by a number Of the Baillies-baillies,
In Scotland, are what our Aldermen are in
England-who called for glasses of whiskey
toddy.a The way in which they twisted and
} turned it outfroR large glass into small
one remember Colonel Thompson and all
OF us tried to initiate that twist. but conlda
not (Laughter.) These Bailles staid with
US until two O'Clock in the morning. They
had glass after glass of toddy, and still they
went on in the process Of twisting it out of
tumbler into a wineglass. (Laughter.l Just
as they were going of, we told them the cir
cumstances under which we could not join
them-in consequence of the hard work, we
+ were obliged TO eoniine ourselves exclusively
to the pump, (laughter,) and / remember one
Of those Baillies looking up with a rather
maudlin expression, for it was late, and he
spoke at the bottom of three or four glasses
of stiff toddy, and said, Hey monl but you
water-drinkers will upset the world (Cheers
and laughter.) / do think that water-drink-
ers will upset the moral world (cheers) and
will turn it round with a much better face to
us when they have done with it. Renewed
cheering.") = rs q sfv. IA
d In the summer of 1853, Mr.. Golden wrote
to Mr.. j. Reyes, of Pudsey, acknowledging
the receipt of various petitions against the
Sunday traffic in strong drink and Ia this let
ter he expressed himself as follows, In terms
deserving the most serious attention Of polit-
ical reformers Every days experience
tends, more and more, to confirm me in my
opinion that the Temperance cause lies at the
foundation OF all social and political reform.
1t Is in vain to seek, by the extension of the
franchise, or by Free Trade, or by any other
means, to elevate the laboring classes. La fact
their destiny Is in their own hands, and they
will 40 class, be elevated or depressed in the
social scale, In proportion to the extent CT
their virtues or vices. They are, therefore,
the truest friends OF the working millions who
are laboring in the c csuse of Temperance; and
il Is gratifying fact that the ablest and most
persevering of Its advocates have been found
among their ranks" ess,i ,l,.s oyf. 81 -