The New York herald., 1871-02-24
T EN- P Err AN CE.
7" Touch Not, Taste Not, Handle
Not"
A New Moral and Religious Temperance
Movement In Massachusetts,.
ssThere Will Be No More SOr-
row ThcYe.''

row There.''
| BOSTON, Feb %, 1871.
me temperance reformers OF Massachusetts, do not
despair OF bringing about an OF total abstinence,
even In spite OF the failure OF all legislative enact
| ments looking to the pr0hibition OF liquors as
beverage. They have gone In this time on the rell-
gious and moral suasion principle, and movement
on this basis has been inauguraued here to-day In
the shape OF the organization OF new temperance
society. fremont Temple, the scene Of all radical
gatherings In this part OF the country, was where
the moral pnanthropists assembled, and there were
not less than fifteen hundred present.
PERSONNEL OF THE CONVENTION.
The Convention was composed or the same old
personages, male and female, vino are always seen
IN anti-slavery, woman suffrage and other "pro.
gressive" assemblages Of the advanced" Ger
tainly larger plumber OF wigs, scratches
'fronts' and sets Of false teeth have rarely been
collected together Otis Capp, one of the founders
OF the Washingtonian Home, was conspicuous on
the platform, and beside the chairman was J. w.
Usher, the best "made upn man in the hall,
even his voice being falsetto. When he speaks
his words strike against his lalse teeth and then
carom into the air with curious grazing sound that
makes the listener nervous. Stephen s. Foster, of
Worcester the war horse and terrible OF the
anti-saVery movement was in one OF the front
seats, with his wife, the irrepressiDe Abby Kelly
Foster, and both were up and eXclaiming "Mr.
Cheerfman" on every conceivable occasion. What
made the exhibition more strange were the gene
rally diametrically opposite views which they ex-
pounded with the utmost vigor. Once Foster and
gentleman named Davis, In the gallery, had an ami
mated contest for the floor; but after each had
shouted at the chair dozen times or Mr.. ToDey
recognized some one else, and the champion end
the unknown suDsided for the nonce.
REsuRREcrED POLITICIANS.
Perhaps the most noticeable characteristic OF he
Convention was the large number OF dead and
buried politicians it called forth. more .res pect-
able" assemblage than that gathered on the plat
form never was seen William b. Spooner the ex-
president OF the state Temperance Alilance, but
now at swords point with It's members, and one of
the 0rignators OF this Convention, sat on the ex-
treme right OF the platform. Occasionally he would
advance TO the 'front.' look placidly at the audience,
through his glasses make some inaudlble remarks
seemingly OF paclncatory nature, and then retire
sit down and beam philanthropically ON mis- neigh.
bors. Mr.. Spooner acted the part oil tne Genius OF
Peace IN the Convention, the stormy latter DAYS OF
his connection with the Temperance Alliance having
probably made him dread cold water poIemics
Ine Rev. Joan l. Sargent, the president OF the
Antisavery Society. was silent attendant OF
the meeting Strange to say his tndefatiga-
bic and sDtrituette consort was absent. +. Emory
Adrich, OF Worcester, who used TO Lead the prohi-
bltionlsts In the House; MIR. George L. Towne, Of
Fltchburg; the venerable Deacon Farnsworth OF
the Park street church; the Rev. William b. Wright
II
few other ministers helped to fiji up the PLATFORM
Oi the ladies OF the Convention but little can be
said. Tney, Tor the most part were neither young
ubiquitous Abby Kelly Foster, had little or nothing
to say. Their costumes were characterized by the
presence OF fronts aud waterprools and tie absence
OF any thing becoming.
The giant form or Mr.. USHER, with the voice
already described, called the body TO order, and,
| when silence WAS secured, he went on to say:-In
obedience 70 thu call we are here this morning TO
lnaugurate as We believe, an important measure an
important society," for the furherance OF the great
interests OF temperance. We rejoice that we stand
| so far to-day IN advance OF former days. When we
] cast our minds back twenty-five, thirty or forty
years. we behold far different state OF Things than
we now behold. We are far in advance Of our
| fathers. who battled nObiy, who buckled on the
and in those days. For the present state of cause
| we are indebted, and to them we tender our most
cordial thanks, not TO individuals only, but to
organizations also, who have worked energetcaliy
faithfully and earnestly to promote this great cause.
We look back TO the formation OF the old Massachu-
been noble one; TO the organization OF the StaUe
| Temperance Alliance, whose work has been efficient
and worthy; TO the Sons OF temperance; the Good
remplars TO the Temple OF Honor aud to the various
similar ana more local institutions that have unfured
ther banners anu have done, and we hope still are
doing and Will continue to DO battle Tor this great
and noble cause. While all these things nave
peen brought TO bear against the liquor drink
Ing customs OF the times, there great deal yet
staring us in the Iace. And, believing that new and
important agency might with great profit be intro
duced, we invited you to assemble to-day IN this
building for the Inauguration Of the Institution OF
State society which snail act exclusively upon the
moral and the religious feelings believing that the
moral forces Of the people must carry forward every
good work. and that the power or Christian truth
must touch and warm the hearts before we have
| thorough conversion. We shall this day, ! trust
enrol this association helpmeet with all other
organizations in this great and noble work. that
| chem. The Committee OF Arrangements have IN
vited William H. Baldwin to occupy the chair tenn
porarily, and as we have deal OF work TO do
! beg to Introduce him at once to you.
A WORD OR TWO FROM MR.. BALDWIN.
MI. BALDWIN thanked the Committee or Arrange
ments for the honor conferred upon him, and said
| that he felt from the bottom OF his heart that II
there was anything tnat any one of them could do
to help along the cause that they should do It. lie
believed the building had never been opened for
ANYTHING any of, Of greater @ Importance to the people OF
tended that the interest," In the movement was not
confined to the audience present, but was
n,eac6sr be lGuna 10 saa az over ,he state No
the pulpit ~ uniess es he nslleSea S'ano IN tnia
Sunday preach on temperance without having any
body go away angry with what he had said. With
the pulpit and the press on their side, the latter
which lie SAID was all right, they could accomplish
al great deal. The movement he believed, would
also be agtaeu IN the Sunday schools, and they ap
/ pealed TO the young men In the commonwealth 10
| work In the movement, and to the influence OF the
| parents in the same direction.
| SHIPPING MERCHANT FOR PRES IDENr or THE
| CONVENTION. tA e'R
| EDWARD >. ToBEY, the most prominent OF Bos-
standing was selected to preside over the delibera.
ti0ns, and In taking his place he INDUCED in the
customary ADDRESS, Assembled, he said. as the rep
resentatives from every part OF the Commonwealth,
| TO consider and act on subject which lies at the
| very foundation OF her moral welfare, let us hope
| that the result may be such as shall commend
itself TO tho conscience and Judgment OF every
true friend or tnat cause which we now
4 seek to promote. Often have the people
| been summoned to devise measures by which the
| terrible cause OF intemperanCe may be exter-
| minated, but never under auspices more hopeful
Sincere differences OF opinion exist among men who
are entitled TO mutual respect and confidence, as TO
the extent which legal enactment can properly and
| at the same time effectively regulate and control
the sale OF intoxicating beverages. NO subject mas
PROBABLY more burdened the conscience or taxed
the mental powers OF true phanthropiss as TO their
practical duty in reference to 1t. In seeking soul
| ton OF this great problem one may therefore well
avoid elimination and recrimination which must
inevitably prevent the harmonious cooperation OF
All good men, Tor II may be confidently assumed
that this cause can be carried forward successfully
only BY unity Of pnrpOse entirely consistent with