Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-16
Mission in Portland, in which he is deeply

| IOTtidnu, III WHICH he Is ueeDly
interested, in order to stimulate those here
who are to engage in this temperance reform.
We want you to come and join this reform
club tonight; you that have been stepped in
liquor, come and reform and we will help you.
The Great Sheperd left the ninety and nine
sheep and went out to seek and to save that
which was lost. The woman swept the house
diligently for the missing coin. This is the
way these reformed men wish to save YOU.
and this is the way they must search out the
! lost.
Capt. Wyman presented and explained the
pledge (not to drink Intoxicating liquors, in
Guiding beer, wine and cider, as a beverage,)
and invited all to come forward and sign it.
| 1t was announced by Mr.. Nye that the
name of the President of the club stood at the
head of the list, and this was received with
applause. good many came forward and
signed the pledge-well known and hard
drinkers, some of them, each person being
cheered by his companions as he took the
pen to write his name. Mr.. Osgood ex-
planned the cider clause, and said it was one
OF the most important parts of the pledge, and
no man can drink cider with safety.
DR.. L. II. Stearns of the National Military
Asylum, said the people had been trying for
years to close the dram shops by law; but
the experiment had proved failure If men
selling. People seem to have come round to
the effectual method of convincing people
that it was best not to drink-that spirtuous
liquors are not proper food, but that they are
simply injurious.
Hon. Joshua Nye was called upon, but said
that his heart was almost too full for utterance.
He rejoiced at what his eyes beheld No men
in the State had been more active in advanc-
ing and advocating moral suasion than those
who believed also in law. He would go
down on his knees, almost, to rumsellers,
and lmplore them not to sell he would give
them money to abandon the traffic-but after
doing all that, if they did not cease selling, he
would execute the laws and force them to go
out of the business. He had recently visited
Philadelphia, and during his absence had
many times reasonss to be thankful that he
hailed from the State of Maine, and to rejoice
in the triumphs of the Maine law. He thanked
the Gardiner friends for their interest in the
establishment of this club.
Rev. Mr.. Barber considered the objections
that some had to signing the pledge-that
they were signing away their liberties" and
presented the nature of these liberties, -
such as the liberty TO get drunk, to disgrace
ones self, family and neighborhood, &c.
Judge Chadwick of Gardiner, said that at
home when called upon to make a speech, all
he had to do, was to show himself, and that
of itself was a speech-the most eloquent
that had been made o-night. In our organ
ization we attempt no raid on the liquor deal
ers, and have nothing to do with compulsion
each man signs the pledge of his own consent
and free will. We take these men by the
hand and help them they cannot stand alone;
we keep the pledge because we stand close,
and each derives strength from the other.
DR.. Brickett said some had objections to
signing the pledge, as they might be classed
with those who were reformed drinkers A
man who has drank but few times and has
left off is a reformed drinker. Those who
have drank should now sign the pledge and
try to counteract the bad influence they had
exerted in the past. Intemperance in Angus
ia has been on the increase the past three
years. The rumseller is as good man as
the rumdrinker-it is as much a disgrace for
a man to drink rum as to sell rum. We want
to reform men, and then the rumseller will
stop.
While signatures were being obtained to
the pledge, the band played some pieces, and
spirited and encouraging remarks were made
by Messrs. Wyman, Sturtevant and Osgood.
The meeting was continued until half past
ten o'clock, and about ninety names obtained
to the pledge-a glorious beginning tor the
Augusta Reform Club.