The Portland daily press., 1868-12-04

| TEMPERANCE LECTURE. lecture on lem.
perance was delivered at the Congress street
NJ. E, Church last evening by Rev. j. G. Saw.
| yer, pastor of the Beacon street NJ E. Church
of Bath. Rev. Mr.. Pottle, pastor of the
church, offered prayer and made few re.
marks, regretting there was so small al at.
tendance, but stating that large number had
been called away by the fire. He then intro
duced the lecturer.
Mr.. Sawyer said the subject was so impor-
| tant that its demands could not be exposed in
the hour that was given to him. 1t must be
held up before the people in every light and
from every standpoint.
He stated that the whole system of railways
in the Union cost but little more than the
amount expended last year for intoxicating
| liquors. The whole national debt could be
| paid off if the amount expended in two years
| for liquors could be placed in the U. S. Treas
| ury. But for the liquor traffic three fourths of
our prisons and jails could be abolished Sag
adahoc county, composed of but eight towns,
would not want such Court House as is now
being built at Bath were it not for the crimes
caused by the sale Of liquors
He classed drinkers under two heads-the
moderate or regular drinker, and the habitual
drinker or inebriate. Of the two, he said, the
moderate drinker is the most culpable On
him rests vast deal of responsibility. He is
on descending grade, and, after drinking
moderately for while, will finally become so
bad that be will bring upon himself the dis
ease classed by physicians as chronic intoxica-
ton. His responsibility dates back to the
time when he began to drink moderately, and
when he could have broken off.
10 the sellers of intoxicating liquor Mr..
Sawyer paid his regards. He charged them
with being guilty of all the crimes in the cata-
logue, as they, by selling Intoxicating drinks
which led persons to commit these crimes, are
the immediate cause of their commission.
Public good demands that the traffic should
be stopped, and the best way to do that is by
enforcing the laws If the present laws are
not stringent enough we should have those
that will be. He would not say ne present
laws were not sufficient, but he would saw thew
are not enforced. Moral suasion was we'll
enough in some cases, but you might as well
attempt to stop Niagara Falls by preaching
sermon as to stop the liquor traffic by moral
suasion.
The penalties of the law have not been en-
forced since the legislation of last winter. The
situation of things in Bath, Rockland. Belfast
Augusta, Bangor, Bddeford and Portland was
alluded to in this respect. The times demand
the penalties of the law should now be enforc.
sd to their full extent.
He thought we should have State Police
somewhat different from the recent State Con.
stabulary, who should have power to visit anv
city or town, and even up the steps of the Fal.
mouth Hotel and put the law in force.
He advised the temperance men to- vote &c
they profess. Support only men who will en-.
force the laws upon temperance. Elect relia.
bic and active temperance men to office, and a
different state OF things will soon be mani.
tested
PUss IN BooTs.-There is a great excitement
all over the city. What can it mean? IsGen
Grant going to extend his eastern tri,. and ia
ne expected IN town to-day? Is this the rea-
son that all the children in the city, and not
few of the adults, keep gazing at the City Hall
as they pass by? No! but Puss in Boots has
arrived. and tonight will witness her first
performance. We have perused the libretto.
SO neatly printed by Stephen Berry, and it
presents the old fairy story in a new guise and
a charming manner. The illusions to Shake |
speare particularly the new rendering of the |
scene from Richard III) and Scott are particu- |
arly happy, and, judging from the former ex-
hibitioDs by this Society, the talented children |
who personate the different characters, will |
gain new laurels on this occasion. There will |
be supper served at six o'clock, and refresh
ments for sale in the anti-room, and promen-
ade concert after the performance.