The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-12-05
Coral.
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION
Of Citizens at National
Hall Thanksgiving Evening.
AsERIEs OF RESOLUTIONS PASSED.
MUSIC AND SPEECHES.


Those who attended the citizens
Temperance meeting held at National
Hall on Thursday evening last, have
seldom seen a larger or more apprecla.
tive audience gathered within its
walls; and those who failed TO be
present certainly have reason to re.
gret their non-attendance. II is for
the benefit Of absent ones, aud our
friends in the country, that we make
a very full report Of the speeches aud
proceedings. There we're present, on
the stage, Hon. G. X. Watson, Lieut.,
Gov. Lee, DR.. KiefFer, DR.. Willard,
Rev. Warner. Rev. Moore, Rev. Pow
ell, Rev. Kefauver, and Rev. Criley
An excellent select choir also, Of Ia.
dies and gentlemen Of our city, was
present, aud, at intervals, gratifiod
the audience by singing appropriately
selected songs.
Aftor tho hall had been filed, and
quiet secured, the exercises began by
the appointment of Hon c, X. Wat.
ron, as chairmOn. q. A prayer was thon
pronounced by Rev. Kefauver. Hon.
G. X. WatsC n, as chairman Of the
meeting, arose and stated its object
in the following terms;
ADDRESS OF HON. c. X. WATSON.
LADIES AND GESTLEMEN.-It de.
wolves upon mo to state the object
and purpose of the meeting, aud l
shall do 30 as briefly as can. We
have regarded this community as too
important to be neglected, or to allow
the work Of Temperance to be entirely
abandoned. You have, all of you,
had the truth brought before you,
very many times, that the work of
Temperance should be urged in this
community with as much vigor as pos
sible. There is, much necessity for
it, you for have all seen to night, as
you came here, the lights through the
windows Of every saloon, as flaming
invitation to your citizens and neigh
bors to resort to them aud spend this
evening which has been set apart as a
day of national thanksgiving. You
have all seen the same thing present.
ed upon every sabbath evening.
Now we who havo assumed to lead
in this movement claim for ourselves
no especial or extraordinary right oil
privilege in this work. We have the
same duties devolving upon us, aud
the same rights which are in common
to you all. We do not expect t
come here and tell you much that yor
did not know before, if VIC tell yot
anything that yeu were not fully in
formed of, before, nor dc We ex
pect TO come here and make any dis
play of rhetoric, for there is not one
among us who lays any claim to the
gifts of oratory, but We do como tC
participate with you iu a consultation
having in view tho common good aud
general welfare, aud to see what oul
duties are that We may the better per
form them. We come together, Il
night, as common soldiers in the rank
with the rest Of you, fighting grea
; battle against very powerful enemy
We have arrayed against us million
upon millions Of capital, employed il
the manufacture, in the importation
{ in the wholesale trade aud in the re-
tail traffic in ardent spirits aud yor
all know how compact an enemy in
terest is. We understand that we'll
We understand that wo are but
fraction of tn great common wealth
which, of itself is but part Of
great nation, aud that our nation It,
selfis only a fraction Of the world
but We feel that we have a duty de
J volving upon us, aud we are willing
I to meet it, in the great work Of pro
, gress, aud in the enlightenment o
mankind, who may not be possessed
,, of as good privileges as ourselves
} Ny friends, we have TO contend Will
: the prejudices of education, habitI
and sustoms reaching back to a YER,
remote period, and we all know wha
a work it is--what q war it is wheI
> the task is undertaken to coDtent
a with the prejudices Of mankind an'
some Of these prejudices are based up
! on conviction--mistaken conviction
, il is true-ofiudividual rights. Iii
: hard telling when the Intoxicating
{ agent first made it's advent among
mankind. There is an ancient tradi
/, , ton that dates it back to a HOUSEHOLDS
, in very remote antiquity. The head
Of the household, we are told, SCI
away at certain time in his cellar
in manner TO preserve 1t from any
thing like fermentation. the expressed
juice Of the grape. On one occasion
in this household, portion Of thu
vessels containing the fresh juice o.