Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-03-08

The subIect Viewed from Catholic stand
pslHt-A stirring ApBeal

The Suh1ect viewed from n Catholic stand
psist-A stirring Appeal
In the National Catholic Temperance Tim.
yontlon lately assembled at Baltimore, Mr.. p.
MoNerhany, a delegate from this city, PIE.
pared, by invitation, the following address, TO
accompany the constitution adopted Tor the
organization Of permanent union Of Catholic
total abstinence societies IN rou ghOut the United
states and Canada. The address states the case
clearly, conclsely and forclbly, and cannot fail
TO touch the popular heart and promots the
good cause. IL was adopted by acclamAtion
Address TO TIM CATHOLICS on AMERICA.
In the name and on behalf OF the National
Catholic Temperance Convention, assembled In
1874 We respectfully address you on the impor.
tant subject Of our anxious deliberations.
As the primary object Of our assemblage was
the adyancement Of the blessed cause Of temper.
anoe throughout the Catholic communltIes OF
America, 30 In our honest and Esalous efforts to
mlnll the noble task assigned TO US by our several
iG sh, We h nvos ,i,ysn 70 follow the
We have tried TO shun the Scylla Of tanaticlsm
on the one side and the Oharybdis Of HuplneneaS
on the other, and thus to pursue that calm,
promises assured success In any great rcforma.
tory movement There is nothing partisan or
political 10 our plans or purposes. Coming to-
kether solely as Catholic temperance men, We
have regarded the suniect purely "A moral one,
appealing for countenance and support 10 the
enlightened Judgments and conscienoes Of the
Catholic people In this spirit aud In this spirit
only, have We IAbOred, and do we propose 10
lAb,r.
our motto Is moral suasIon." Under this
banner, a. unfurlod by the Church OF uOd, We
wage war against the demon Of intsmpsrsncs.
with prOhibltOry laws, restrictive license eya-
tens, and special Legislation against drunken.
me MIA s5a 81 y ~ ~ ny stand
faith, aud WELD only the weapons which religion
places In our hands. We regard the temperance
pledge, administered under Catholic auspIoes,
as the initlatory step In the practice Of tho more
solemn and sacred duties Imposed by the Church,
and In the faithful performance Of these IL our
assured security for unWAYefing fidelity to the
pledge Of total abstinence,
As the result Of our most earnest thouxh t aud
careful consideration, and after q null, tree, and
frank Interchange Of sentiment and opinion
among the delegates to tho convention, repre-
SsntinK every section Of the country, We present
herewith the DRAFT Of q constitution designed to
secure tho formation OF total abstinence bench
aggregate them Into general union, We be-
speak for this constitution your generous ap-
proyal, and solicit your hearty cooperation IN
the noble work q which Il 10 Intended TO form
That the proposed plan Of organization will
commend itself TO the Intelligent Judgment and
powerful influence q the reverend clergy We
feel perfectly assured; and We therefore cont.
IDENTIFY rely upon them to guide and direct the
9oyement now inauyurated To q grand and ulo-
One 81 our chief aims 10 gathering and con.
sultinE 10 general convention has been To devise
some Simple and feasible plan whereby all tho
Catholic temperance locietiel OF Amsflca may
be aggregated, consolidated, bound together In
the holy bond u charity, united and haTmonlIed
In = common brotherhood, having hat one
thought, one hope, one obIect-the spread Of
FSli our great, our prasPy pu S snS y
Incidental TO snd promoliye Of q, there Is blended
with ths proposed plan Of Organization the At.
tractiye feature Of mutpai relief, Thus temper.
hand IN hand together along the bright aud
beautiful path over which we Invite our Catho-
W ielloW-ol'iIens to walk with US In peace and
Shall our invitation meet with cheerful, q
hearty respOnSef Wit the Catholic community
OF every parish in America, headed by iIs pas
tor, at once establish = nee society upon
the basis Indicated 10 the accompanying consti
tu.lon, form state union, and ally itseIf 10 the
kFand Central Union founded BY this conyen
uOnl We hone and believe So because We have
observed with inexpFosslbl0 RratIheatlon that
in almost every diocese Of the American eplseO-
pacy, through all the pastoral addresses recently
lssuSl, the authoritative voices Of our Teyorsi
bishops have been lifted up 10 emphatic warn.
Ing aRaInst the terrible vice Of Intsmpernpce.
which, like a mighty flood, IL sweeping over Inc
falrs.t portions g the United Suites, marking
mood. fIIlnK the land with Jes5Iatlon and dealb-
and threatsninK 10 underinlne the very ioundn'
lions 81 society.
No wonder, thpn, that the Catholic hierarchy
Of tie United States, seeing thO great evil,
which, Of late years e5pecInIfy, The curse OF in,
temperance has Inflicted upon a people 90 houp.
and happiness, send forth their WIsJ o1ansels
and solena warnings against this monster inl
guilty. No wonder that the distinVuIshed
bishop Of New Jersey sounds the ksy:nots Of
echoed nv pnipIt And prJ,S from tbs asn,rs ~
~ cIrcumI.tepee Of liz repubfc No %ond 20
that, under these SpsplcIogs influences 4 now
cause. No wonder That Catholic tsmhersnos
societies are springing up In various sections OF
the country. God grant that wherever esia6.
| lIsned, they NAV prove 10 bo insurmoun tahie
| barrisr1 10 the angry billows Of intem peraneeI
| Ia me Uathoilc, tsmperance 4 no new theory.
| IL Is a old as The Uhuroh Itself and for u.
GATED Il both by precept and oInmpls' II M n
cardinal virtue, and one OF the brKhsst gems in
the dladein Of religion. Ifall men were temper.
| ate there would be no necsssity for total AbsII
nence Societies Hui, unfortunately human na.
ture is SO weak aud temptations arc so strong
that comparatively few, amid the present vi.
clous customs Of society, can keep, at all times,
Intoxicating drinks. Hence, for most people
total Abstinepce Is tha only security asalnsi
drunksnness, The rrIt great danger lies Ia ths
GiiaTsmentI Of the social glaSs, and this danger
Is made more Imminent By lie 100 Ish dastotSS d
who were moderate drinkers In ISL, are drunk
briate 10 America to-day who was not at ono
S5sidtnCS Is sssoatiai to the liberation Of sP tSt
1l.v. Of !hls dsba.lns SgPsEits y y none ne
ing the victims Of an indrtlInate thirst ar drink
| The pledge, therefore, IL good and desirable I0I
gII-iOr the drunkafd that hS may be saved, i6r
| The moderate dTlhker that he may guard aviInsI
Tho UanKeTg oil eIoOss and even Tor the abste
mlOub man that, by ldentlfyinH himself Win
' this blessed cause, bid sanitary Influence NAV
be more prominent and Bldespread,
| Wo need NOT enlarge uDon the manIfpld evils
ofintsmpergnoe. Tiley Ire painfully yIpIbIo XII
around d, We SOC Them alikO Ia lie palaoe of
the rich and tho hOyel OK the poor, 10 Inc hIah
and the low places Of tho land. In every eity'
town, village and hamlet throughout lie Widt
expansS OF the republic. The mlssrIes that iol
low in the train OF the great curse are as count
line source OF poverty, suffering, wretcheih es,
and crime 1t nils our penitenIiar tails
Almshouses rsfITmatory InstIIutIons a nj IN "a n,
asyIums il Affects ali classes, il Is The ban,
Oiyontb, the blight OF manhood, and the degra.
dalton Of old age. InuumerabIe premature
graves denote It's desOlatlng nia fch, and aInctoi
husbands and wives, sOrToWlpK 'fatheTsI and
ius M'uons SUI W ~ tne ltihs witnesses
| ", ~ iyhVteo,so V'shhy p'et ,ho hohits hnu