The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-09
A Temperance Movement.

preliminary meeting of the friends of tenn
perance favorable to political action was held
yesterday evening, at the northeast corner of
Ninth and Spring Garden streets. X. NJ. Foust
called to the chair, and |. Newton Pierce
elected secretary. The object of the meeting
was explained by Mr.. Pierce, who stated that
the late action of both the popular political par
ties in nominating for prominent official posi-
tions men who were actively engaged in the
manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors was
repugnant to the moral sense of the community
and the true and consistent temperance men
could not vote for such. Hence it seemed inn
peratiye upon us to select other candidates.
Further, as the temperance people throughout
the country appear to be moving towards the
formation of an Independent prohibitory party,
we should be prepared to meet this movement,
and give it proper encouragement.
Mr. Pierce, on behalf Of the committee, then
offered the following which were unanimously
adopted:-
Whereas, The citizens of republican govern
ment have just right to claim protection from
social evils and vices as well as individual
crimes; and at least three-fourths of all the
crime, misery, and suffering now debasng, de-
grading and destroying our race are caused by
the sale and use of Intoxicating drinks and
whereas, the present political parties not only
ignore these facts, but in the face of them,
pander to the wishes of the rumsellers and yield
to the dictates of the rum power and heed not
the untold sufferings of thousands of innocent
wives, mothers and helpless children who call
loudly for help, for relief for protection well
us tuG 6UOTllOuS CADcuSC ana IlNuJlOu arising
directly from the enormous evil of intemperance
so rapidly increasing; and whereas, all other
great political issues heretofore before the
American people are now settled, and there
never was a more auspicious moment, and may
never again occur in our nations history
propitious a time for the gathering of the tenn
perance hosts to unite and exercise all the rights
a just God has given them for the overthrow of
this giant evil; therefore,
ResOlUed, That we will unite all our power
and influence in the establishments of indp-
pendent temperance political party, whose
object shall be the enactment and rigid enforce
ment of stringent prohibitory laws against the
manufacture and sale, or giving to others as
beverage, any liquors that can intoXicate.
ReSolued, That the present political parties by
q portion of their late nominations have for
feited all the respect and confidence of moral
and intelligent citizens, and have clearly shown
that they consider rumselers and distillers to
be among the most worthy of our suffrage,
which we most emphatically repudate and deny,
believing that no man should be nominated for
any Office in the gift of the peOple-much less
receive our yotes-who is not teetotaler and
who is not only opposed to the traffic in intoxi-
eating drinks, but is in favor of stringent pro-
hibition.
Resolved That we will wait no longer on the
present political parties to recognize prohibi-
tion, but will at once take measures to form q
distinct temperance party, believing, as there is
a just God in Heaven, we must and will ulti-
mately triumph, and in Him we put our trust.
ReSolged, That committee of nine be ap-
pointed by this meeting as a Committee of Ar
rangements for the calling q city convention,
for the purpose of perfecting the organization
in this city of a temperance party, said commit
tee to issue call and fix the time and place for
holding said convention, and make all other
necessary arrangements.
ReSOlUed, That we elect ten delegates to repre-
sent us in the great National Temperance Politi-
cal Convention, to be held at Chicago, Septem-
ber l. 1869, and that these delegates be furnished
with credentials properly signed by the officers
of this meeting.
The following were chosen delegates TO the
National Convention, to be held at Chicago, Sep
tember l, 1869:-R. NJ. Foust, l. Newton Pierce,
Edwin H. Coates, Edwin Booth, George Gable,
Samuel d. Mansfield, John Shedden, N. M. Pratt,
George H. Hick, and John Shalcross.
The meeting adjourned to meet again in Effec-
tive Lodge Hail. on July %, 1869.