The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-11-23

"A TEMPERANCE MEETING.--T The Division
of the Sons OF Temperance which has been
organized in Elkton, held an old fashioned
Temperance Meeting at the NJ. L. Church,
in this place, on Friday evening week.
Rev. J. o. Neill was chosen to deliver the
address, which he did with n will not spar.
ing the liquor trade or the liquor trader
The Rev. gentleman's speech was able and
admirably suited to the occasion.
Rev. Mr.. Matack assisted by some ex-
tempore remarks and spicy anecdotes.
The Choir added to the interest of the
occasion by singing several temperance
songs to popular airs
A number of ladies are members OF the
Elkton Division, and entered the Church in
procession with the gentlemen, wearing the
regalia appropriate TO their rank in the Or.
der.
The speakers made an unsparins on.
slaught upon the whole liquor license sys.
tenn, and the army of tipplers which recruit
tho ranks of the confirmed drunkard
Prohibitory liquor laws have been tired,
thus lar IN vain, as 4 cure or preventive Of
the evil of drunkenness. 1t has always
seemed to us that the vice of iutemperancc
should not be made in measure, rcspec-
table by the sanction of law. II it is wrong
to deal in ardent spirits and drink them to
excess, it is radically wrong to grant special
privileges to traffic in them. If the charge
is true that all traffic in spirits as beverage
Is evil, then the State should not receive
the wages OF sin by protecting certain par.
ties by granting them a patent to deal in
rum TO-. certain stipulated sum, while the
community at large is prohibited. If the
whole community did not enter ipto nart
nership with the trader through p1c State by
sharing the profits in the shap,. of license,
bht rather let every NAH sell, il he would.
and mold him accountable for the crimes
immediately traceabe to his acts, the liauor
traffic would soon be placed under ban but
while II adds its quota to the State Treasury,
the trade IS rs legitimate and Iecallvrespec.
table, as any other branch OF business
While the State is a liquor dealer, it is use.
less to condemn and pcrsccutc those who
sell, after paying their money for the priv.
iege. Neithertax the traffic or enact pro.
h~itory laws, but hold every man accounta
Die Tor the injury he causes by dealing in
ilquor. Let the injured party proceed
against the trader. BY all means let the
State raise her revenues from other sources
ana cease to be sharer in the ruin of her
citizens,
We thought, while looking over the au
oiehce, and not seeing single representa-.
tive Of the great army of confirmed drunk.
ards, that the Order should invent some
plan to get out. to their public temperance
meetings, those old slaves of the bottle, who
ore well nigh gone down to perdtion. We
suggest that they advertise q democratic
Mass Meeting" We warrant thatthe house
would be filled with the battered, hatless
ana shoeless veteransof the old guard OF
| King Alcohol, who bear the marks of 4
hundred battles in their decrepid limbs.
their bIoated cheeks and blue noses. Moth
ing but tugieman Of his Majesty, a Dem
ocratlc politician, can bring ont from the
lanes and allies, from the by.ways and high
ways, those poor abandoned victims Of rup,
They know full well when they hear that
familiar call, that one more cup at least
awaits them in which TO drown their sorrow
After the speaking, the ''pledgc'' was
read and an invitation given to sign, Mr..
Matiack heading the list, as he declared, to
show which side he was on. Thirty five
names were added to the list, with an invi.
tation to those who wished to become mem
bers of the Order to meet at the lodge room
on the following Friday evening.