The New York herald., 1869-09-05
TEMPERANCE AND POLITICS.

Tie Great Cold Water Army In Morion-Ad-
dress Of the Lnte National Temperance Com
vcntiOn in Chicago to the People Of the
United States.
Prior TO The final adjournment OF the late National
Temperance Convention in Chicago Gerrit Smith
presented the following address to the people OF the
United states, which was unanimously adopted:-
ADDRESS OF THE NATIONAL TEMPERANCE cONyEN-
TIoN, HELD IN CHICAGO sEPTEMBER AND 2, 1869,
TO THE PEOPLE or THE UNITED STATES.
Slavery is gone. but drunkenness stays. There
are 100000 Of drunkards in our land. counting
their wives and children and parents and brothers
and sisters there at least 900 Of our people
involved in the miseries OF drunkenness One
anSrd IN family @ i Gs TO maze aysa 0s rS whole sf
nee, but our millions OF voluntary slaves still cang
their CHAINS. The lot OF the literal slave-of him
whom Others have enslaved--is indeed q haru one:
nevertheless 1t Is Paradise compared with the lot OF
HIM who has ensaved himself especially OF him
VINO has ensaved himself TO alcohol The noblest OF
souls may dwell beneath chains which others have
imposed but selfImposed chains strike debasement
through and through the soul. Happy. too, may the
literal slave be If only he has kept his inner man
ms essential seli-unconquered but no outward ad-
vantages can bring happiness to the victim Of alco
hOl-tO him VINO mas Killed his own soul. Then, too,
the literal slave does harm To no one, while the
sefmade slave OF whom we speak Is a curse 70 his
kindred, a burden upon all, ana. In small share
of the cases. a terror to ALL
what can we do towards saving our million OF
drunkards Just what We have been doing. We
are to continue to try the power OF persuasion with
them aud the power OF prayer 10 God for them. And
what can we do TO prevent the recruiting OF the
ever rapidly thinning ranks OF drunkennessf None
OF the recruits come from those who ABSTAIN from
intoxicating drinks. The temperate drinkers fur
nsh all. our work, therefore, at this point Is TO
warn and beseech the rising youth to take not the
first step in the pathway. the second IN which sinks
the unwary and Ill fated traveller In drunkenness
1t Is, in oLher words, to warn and beseecn them TO
touch not, taste not, handle not the drinks which
transmute more than onetentb or the temperate
drinkers into drunkards. IL Is, we might add, TO
persuade them-yes, and the old well az the
young-that there - no security from drunkenness
but In total abstaners from all lntoxi-
eating drinks. Total abstinence from intoxt
eating drinks, you and you only, are safe from this
greatest calamity this most sweeping ruin. ~
thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at
thy right hand, but 1t shall not come nign thee.u
God DC praised that this priceless safety IL obtained
by means sImple and that the application OF these
meahs IL attended with pleasure instead OF paln
with comfort instead OF discomfort
We proceed to ask whether government may be
cal ed upon to advance the cause OF temperance.
While many say that II may many say that II may
not and there Is need IN this OF calling upon
IL TO exercise doubtful, even at all reasonably
doubtful, powers. We nave no occasion 10 question
the conclusion OF those who hold that government
not the right to espOuse the temperance reform
or any other moral reform. For two suffcient rea-
sons, nevertheless, we call upon government TO sup.
press the dramshop:-
itrst- fbe province OF government being 10 pro.