Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-03-29

SA'O WIZ" piAC pOh anu
eloquent address of Senator Yates,
delivered at the great temperance
meeting held on a Sunday evening
lately, in the Hall of Representatives.
In introducing the speaker, Hon. Hen
Try Wilson, president of the associa-
tion said:
We have passed through a great
war, in which we fought six hundred
battles for the Republic. In that
great contest Illinois played a glori-
GUS part. The Governor of that
State linked his name forever with
that grand struggle for unity and lib
erty. I have the honor and the pleas
ure to present Governor Yates to this
aSsemblage. God grant that in the
great struggle in which we are now
engaged against the enemy of human
nature he may associate his name as
gloriously as he did in the war against
the enemy of his country. Ap-
plause.]
ADDRESS OF SENATOR YATES.
Ladies and GentLemen-It was not
my intention to address you at all
until this afternoon, and | feel the
need ofmOrepreparation before speak
ing to so large an audience as this
The reason why did rot propose to
address this assembly was because
having so recently associated myself
with the Congressional Temperance
Association, ! did not like to make a
parade Of myself before the public.
Men sometimes sign pledges, and they
break them: but, Mr.. President, |
have signed for good, applause, and
| have made my covenant with God
that | will keep mine, But l felt it
were better to prove first that | was
well established in my new position
before | attempted to express seEti-
ments Oh this question in that earnest
and enthusiastic manner, in which |
always address my fellow citizens in
behalf Of any cause which has the con-
viction Of my judgment and the ap-
proval Of my heart.
Some two months ago your dis
tinguished chairman, the able and elo-
quent Senator from Massachusetts, in
his kindness, in the goodness of his
great big heart, came to me with a
petition numerouSly signed by mem
bers of Congress and said: "GOyer
nor, l want you to sign a call for g
temperance meeting" with all my
heart" said I. | signed it. But the
temperance meeting did not come off
| became impatient. l went to the
honorable Senator and told him wa:
tired of waiting; could he not furnisl
me pledge? He said he could to
morrow, The next day he furnished
me with printed pledge of the Con
gressional Temperance Society.
put it in my pocket, took it home
took it to my room, read it carefully
and, after one look to God and on
to home, signed the pledge. raises
myself to my full height and | wa
ID free. CGreat applause. If l refe
rlz to myself in the remarks | have made
or and which intend to make, | asSur
= YOU it is not from egotism, for [ tax
r.. no peculiar pride myself in havin
~ been addictep to the use Of arden
he spirits, But there is another reasO
IS. why | feel permitted to refer to my
m self, and that is because while | hav
nd considered that was only a mode
ate drinker it has been published a
or over the land that I was a drunkarC
IN Fellow-citizens, there was som
or truth in this, and there was a va
a. deal of error in it too. | was addic
,at ed to drinking occasionally as a stin
ca illus, as | supposed to strengthen N
IS nerves laughter and as heightent
as of social joys. But, Mr.. Chairma
In differently from other men, l had
! I most unfortunate difficulty with m
he self, and that was, [ had a wonderf
lid facility, whenever l drank, Of lettir
if everybody know it. My sprees we.
i've not frequent, but they were long al
RS they were loud. Laughter II
nd grand prairies of Illinois did not fu
wv Dish area enough for one of my fC
rty ward movements. Laughter. Th
ith was not only the case, but whatev
,an | have done for the last sevente'
ais years-whether [ had to make
ITS speech to political meeting: whet
ed er spoke against the Nebraska b
or upon the floor of this House; whet
nth er, as Governor [ wrote messas
ese or published a proclamation, or pl
4 a rogued a secession legislature, gre
,ws applause, the universal charge of t
his opposite party was, that all the
tro acts were done under the influence
ore whiskey. Laughter. Now, fello
the citizens, | have concluded to put
of stop to this matter. The editors a
reporters of newspapers are an hi
orable class of gentlsmen whom |
TO spect but | want those libellous scr
nee blers who have made so many N
the representations as to my course
ame conduct, to understand that from t
hat time henceforward their vocation
= that respect is gone, laughter and
in plause, and they may now publ
ned, their libels until the hand that wri
ina. them, shall fall withered and palsie
SIM but never intend that they shall h;
the any license or authority to publish
pay as drunkard again, even if | have
on abstain, as will abstain, from
luty mildest glass of claret that ever
oeci- fair hand of the fairest lady in
We land should present tome. [Applaus
who There is the evil of the thing;
cop MISREPRESENTATION this IahIlltV