The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-03-07
VOLUME II.

even mOre-let IL rob the Nnurch OF lis
prestige, Christianity Of its purity, and
the Sabbath day of its holiness. Yes,
let it go on filling the penitentiary with
felons, the asylums with lunatics, and
the whole world with drunkenness and
murder But, fellow members, I have
/ too much confidence in your desire that
/ this great evil shall not remain a black
! scrawl upon the statutes of our young
State to believe that you will refuse to
welcome to your assistance rs soon as
possible the thousands of earnest and
cO-wOrking women Of this State, whose
assistance would secure victory. If the
object in framing the State Govern
ment was, as is stated in its Constitu-
I ton, for the purpose Of securing justice
and maintaining order, then let the liq-
uor laws be wiped from the statutes, as
[ they are calculated to secure just the re-
verse. Let these dens of iniquity be
closed by the strong arm of a just and
righteous law; and let the Government
cease to obtain revenue from a wrong,
from which the people reap naught but
misery, woe and sorrow. We well know
| the parties with whom we have to con-
tend. They always bring out their
whisky men for Office. To meet this it
will be necessary to take from among
us men pledged to our cause, and then
work with a will for their election.
This is the only way in which we can
defeat this whisky clan.
My friends, you see me as / stand be-
fore you dressed in mourning. Shall /
tell you the cause of these dark robes ?
'Tis but little word, but oh, how hard
to pronounced Yes, tits that enemy of
all womankind, Rum. Now that /
look back with memories eyes, I can
see a tall, noble and intelligent man.
T That person was my generous-hearted
and afiectionate father In his youth
he learned to love the wine Of the sunny
South, and in after years he became a
slave TO the fell destroyer. Many years
ago on Clatsop plains, where we then
lived, our worthy minister at church
one day circulated a paper which he
called Temperance pledge. I was but
eight years old then, but I remember as
ii were but yesterday how my little
heart palpitated with joy and hope as 1
saw my father go forward and sign that
pledge. And, young as / was, knew
that every heart murmured amen, for
my noble-hearted father was loved and
respested, though given to intoxication.
For six years he kept that pledge, but
six years of abstinence could not destroy
that craving appetite. In an evil hour,
meeting friend Of his boyhood, who
pressed him 10 take just one drink in
remembrance OF boyish days, he could
not resist. Then for fourteen long years
our home was unhappy. All, how often
we are told that childhood is the hap
piest period Of life. But when look
back upon my early days, l see the dark
clouds lowering there, with no ray of
sunshine. After fourteen years OF in
temperance my father was brought,
through the influence of family and
friends, to the Church. But did the
purity and influence of the Church drive
that demon from his path? Nol no.
For five years he continued to follow
him up, tempting him on all sides, but
for five years he kept his vow; then
misfortune and disease, which intem-
| peranee had left upon him, so pIostrated
him that this demon Of Satan again got
control, and to-day he sleeps the sleep
Of death, and leaves a heart broken wife
whose head is silvered o'er, but not
with age, and nine children to mourn
his fate. But the just God in His good
ness mercifully gave him ample time in
the two long months of his illness to re-
pent and find forgiveness, and only
through the power of that Divine Being
was Satan wrested from his throne.
And now, my friends, ask you could
my heart be otherwise than enlisted in
this cause ?-I, who have been made to
I feel the pangs that only such can feel ?
l, who have wept a fountain Of tears,
/ till that fountain seemed almost dry
Yes, labor l must, and labor I will, as
long as the life-blood courses through
my veins.