The Portland daily press., 1869-01-28
AUGUSTA.

Especial Dispatch by Intern ational Line.l
THE TEMPERANCE CoNvENTIoN.-THE REsoLU-
TONS.
AUGUSTA, Jan. 27.-The only important fea-
ture of the proceedings of the Temperance con-
vention to day was the adoption, this afternoon,
of the following resolutions by a unanimous
vote, with the single exception of G. Talbot
who spoke and voted against State Police
ResolUed, That with devout and heartiet
thanksgiving to almighty God FOR .he euiu'
ance and success by Him accorueu " our
cause in the past, the friends OF temperance III
Mass Convention assembled, reaf11rm the prln-
ciples so often enunciated, and by experience
established. that all hope of progress IN the
temperance reform rests on total abstinence
from intoxi "ating liquors by the individual,
and prohibition of the liquor traffic by the
State.
Resolved That in the early history of the
temperance reformation, its successes were due
more to the Christian Church than to any 9TH
er agency, and We do now most sincerely and
earnestly invoke the renewed activity of minis
tiers and church members in a cause SO calcu-
lated to remove the greatest obstacle to the diff
fusion of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the
fare of our fellow men.
Resolued. That while we place our main re-
lance upon the constant and faithful moral
efforts which by the intelligent and good are
exerted for the elevation of the standard pub
lie sentiment, in relation to the danger and the
immortality of the use of Intoxicating liquors,
and the criminality of their sales yet the i'm
pressive logic of facts and experience has de-
monstrated that the legal prohibition of the
traffic in alcoholic drinks, coming in as an aid
to moral effort, by protecting the inexperienced
and weak against temptation to vice, is essen
tial to secure any permanent progress of the
cause OF temperance.
ResolUed, That inasmuch as the value of a
law prohibiting drinking houses and tipping
shops depends upon the faithfulness with which
it is executed, we view with alarm the open,
organized and defiant manner in which pro
hibtion is set at naught in many parts of the
State in consequence of the unfaithfulness Of
local officers, elected by the combination OF
liquor dealers and their sympathizers, and in
many cases influenced to this dereliction in
their duty by wealth and social power; such
defiance of law not only secures license under
the name of prohibition, AMI opens the food
gates of intemperance, but also tends to IN
dermine all law and to destroy the foundation
of good government by encouraging the law
less TO believe that the authority which makes
laws does not possess the power to execute
them.
Resolved, That it is the duty of every good
citizen to assist those in authority in execut-
ing the laws, yet we regard it as much the
duty of the State to see thai the laws for the
protection of its citizens are enforced, as it is
to enact them, and that the Government which
should look on and see its laws openly defied
through the power of criminals or the ineffic-
ency of local officers, would be faithless to the
trust reposed in it and unworthy of the conf
dence of the people; we can, therefore, but re.
gard it as not only the right but the duty OF
the power that make criminal laws to provide
some means for their enforcement in cases
where it is not secured by local officers and
we most respectfully pray the Legislature OF
the State to provide such system of STATE
Police as shall secure the faithful, impartial
and constant enforcement of all the criminal
laws of the State, and particularly those
against which are arrayed the cupidity and
immense influence OF panderers to vice and to
the depraved appetites of the vicious.
Resolued, That while it is our earnest desire
that the necessity for the existence and en-
forcement of laws prohibiting the liquor traffic
should be so generally recognized by all parties
that there may be no necessity for the friends
of temperance to organize politically ia defence
of cherished principles, and much as we should
deplore the arraying of any political organiza-
ton against those cherished principles, wheth-
er through platform or through nominees for
Office, yet, should this be done, it would be our
solemn duty to meet such an attempt to over
throw, disarrange or disarm prohibition with
counter organizations and counter political ef-
forts; we trust, however, that all political or.
CARNATIONS will recognize the vital necessity
of advancing the principles underlying
temperance by supporting and encouraging
the execution of the laws against the liquor
traffic by nominating for Office such men as
not only sympathize with those principles but
also give to them the important support of ex-
ample.
RESOLVED, That the sincere thanks of every
friend of temperance is due to Gen. Ulysses
s. Grant, President elect, and Hon. Schuyler
Colfax, Vice President elect, for giving the
weight of their powerful example against the
use of wines or other intoxicating liquors on
social and public occasions; we hail such an
example as the indication of new and vital
step in the temperance reformation, whereby
the virtue of strict total abstinence shall be
added to the other qualifications regarded as
desirable, and, as we trust as indispensable to
commend a candidate for office to the suffrages
of the people. .....
This evening there has been kind of pre-
iminary bearing before the Legislative COM
mttee in Granite Hall. DIR1Go.