The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-06

mia. SECRETARIES, o. A. Spencer, Ohio, John
N. stearns, New York; J. D. Braymap,
Illinois, George II. Kick. Pennsylvania.
Treasurer, Hoa- q. snllh, New xork.
NJ. Black ives istroanceS to - convcn-
tion, and nads the following spcSsh.
IL 9Esc. o. rnr PnnHDHry.
timidlty, Knowing my ihefperiencc ana in.
shall rely upon the fact, or the Belief,
that the members Of this convention have
assembled with q single eye, single pur-
pose, TO advance the cause Of temperance,
and glorify God thereby; that there Is no per.
sonal or selfish motive that actuates or In
nuences this body. trust TO have the aid
Of the experience and wisdom of this body
In conducting its deliberations = IN
II Is possible thing that We are standing
at historic point 10 the history Of temper
ance, know not cxactiy what may DO the
fact, but In all probability our gathering here
to-day will be point In future history that
shall be referred TO with commentator.
Permit me, for moment or two, 70 on
gage your attention rs 10 the facts Of our no
form. IL may be said that the Temperance
reform had he origin In the forming Of the
Temperance Reform Society In Boston, In
1925. Tho auxiliary societlcs wore than o.
tablished upon an ardent spirit pledge, soma-
times oallsd the, "short pledge" II COM
tinued IL operations for soms tune but q
was very soon observed that the ardent spirit
pledge was not sufficient TO aave men; that
men redeemed under that pledge soon be-
came drunkards upon beverages not en-
eluded. Hence came up the logical qucs-
tion Of total abstinence, and O desire was
manifested to exclude all forms Of alcoholic
substances from use a. beverage. In 1888,
the drst national temperance convention as
sembled In Philadelphia. Il was an initial
convention. Men came In large numbsss
from places far distant, and at very great
sacrifice Of time and money. Amer long DO
bate II was concluded that the trafYic In alco-
holic drinks was an immoral trafic. Tho
point has not been doubted from that day 10
this. II seemed that this question was de-
termlncd. Tho other, Of extending the
pledge, was also In controversy, and led 10
tho call Of the second convention, In 1896,
at Saratoga. When assembled the convcn-
ton was not prepared to affirm total absti-
nence as being a proper principle but a do
bate Of two days, and their consciences, led
TO It's adoption almost unanlmously. In 1871
the convention assembled In Saratoga, to
establish the immortality Of the manufacture,
traffic In, or sale Of ardent spirits, which re-
suited In the license laws.
In 1851, at the convention that then as
sembled, we adopted the practical prohibit
ton, or Maine" law.
Allow me to call your attention for mo-
ment 10 the practice Of total abstinence and
the license laws. The rights Of prohibition,
will say, are not now doubted anywhere
by any man or woman clalning recognition
In the temperance ranks. [Applause.l
In 1855 there was q long iuterrcguum be-
tween tho beginning and the close of the
war, when there was dearth In the cause
Of temperance; the ffth national conyen-
tion was called, and the application OF these
two principles OF total abstinence and prohi.
tlon was made; first, to alcoholic beverages
used In the sacrament Of the Lords supper;
second, the denial OF alcoholic liquors as
beyerage-an extension or new application
Of these principles.
In 1868 the sixth national convention as
sembled at Cleveland. That convention af-
6rmed the right and the duty Of Temperance
men to use the ballot persistently for tenn
peraucc-an advance, you will notice. II
was very justly said that the man In favor Of
total abstinence and prohibition; the man
that gave his money and time and effort for
ono day In the year, and went and voted for
men who were In opposition to these views,
and who, II elected, would continue the
traffic, was an accursed and damned man
q great and glorious advance. | trust that
this convention Ia prepared 10 take q step
still In advance. Applause.
believe that good and earnest people en-
braced In the temperance ranks are expect
ing that We shall faithfully, honestly and
boldly assume the logical result OF these po-
sltions, and declare that we will disunite
ourselves from those who have been drags
upon us, and form temperance party, using
the ballot now and henceforth. Loud ap-
plause.
Is there any doubt In the mind Of any tenn
perauce man or woman here as to the logi-
cal, Christian, scientific truth Of temper
ancel ls there any man or woman here
that doubts the logical conclusion OF prohi-
bition from these premises believe there
Ia not. II Is written In the law Of GOD every.
where; In the cloud that floats over our
heads; In the vegetation that clothes the
earth with beauty; In the purling stream
thai comes down from tne mountain side, or
where has God placed the curse Of faiitohopf;
and II Is only mans ingenuity that changes
that which God has given US as blessing
into curse.
We ask for the support Of this party; we
ask the support Of the patriot and the Chris
tian.
Well established data show US that the
use Of ardent spirits, or the use of alcoholic
beverages, In our country costs 81 ,5OO, OOO,-
900 annually; Sl.5O0, 200, 900 at the very
lowest Is the extent OF the cost OF the drink
ing In our country. According to very
able author and statistician, the cost Is
greater than all the flour and meal; all the
goods manufactured; all the boots and shoes;
all the clothing; all the wooden goods; ali
the books, newspapers, job and other kinds
OF printing done In the country In one year.
The cost Of ardent spirits or alcoholic bcy-
erages In this land, directly or Indirectly,
costs more than twice Its chief productions.
II, then. We can thus establish the abolish
ment Of the dram shops, as our friend recon-
mends, what Is the aggregate wealth that
shall be added to our country year by year
Bee the great burden Of public debt that now
rests upon us; see the immense body Of pub
lie Indebtedness that now almost makes us
despair Of ultimate payment. See what a
signihcent thing 1t becomes II we can apply
u 800 900, 900 annually for Its reduction
We ask the thoughtful and the patriotic
on this ground TO Join US and aid US In the
overthrow Of the dram-shop. And surely no
party whose platform have seen pretends,
or can pretend, any money consideration,
10 patriotic or social view, equal to that
which we present to the consideration Of
voters in this land. [Applause.l
hold In my hand report Of the Legisla-
ture Of Pennsylvania, presented In the year
1868, by the "Citlzens' Association" It Is
an association chartered by the State OF Penn
sylyania, whose duty 1t Is to report to the L.
gislature the number and condition Of the
pauper and criminal population Of the cities,
and on all matters relating 10 the cost Of
pauperlsm, beggary and crime, and the rem
edies for their correction.
According to the data, carefully gathered
by Investigation In that State, and ouly In
the year 1867, the cost Of crime and pauper-
ism, as maintained at the public expense,
Is y, 200 900. Any one who will examine
the data, as given by the report, will
know that the association kept far within
the margin. Two thirds OF the pauperism,
two thirds OF the crime, one third OF the
blind, one third Of the insane, two thirds Of
the friendless children of the State, are the
direct results Of the sale Of rum within It's
Dorders-a fearful result. Extend II through
'ut the United States, and the same result
will follow.
We ask the patriot citizen, we ask the
Christians and those who bear the burden of
he public debt, to join with US, that the
stream that curses SO great a world as this
may be dried up.
Can we call louderi Can there be any
Influence presented stronger TO the rich hu-
man heart or mind than thisi
In the city OF Philadelphia, by an able re-
port, both In character, talent, and expert
cnce, u ,6O0, 900 Is the public taxation ofthst
city alone for the maintenance OF crime and
pauperism.
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