National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-01-18
TEMPERANCE.
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY.

A Meeting Mt the Congregational Church
Last Niaht-speeche- OF Hon. VIM. X.
Dodts, Hon. Henry Wilson, Feilx II.
Brunot and Othrr--Thc Resolutions
Adopted.
The National Temperance Society heidi public
meeting last night at the Congregational church,
corner Of Tenth and O streets. There was a fair
audience Of ladies and gentlemen present After
prayer, Hon. VIM. y. Dodge, president Of the
society, stated that they had met In the interest
Of the National Temperance Society. Alta recent
meeting Of the society II was resolved TO hulu
public meeting In Washington, and this one mad
been called IN accordance WIN Inat Ies s,n,,,
The National Temperance Society mas been stem
ming the tide Of intemperance by publishing sew
erai weekly papers and large number OF tracts,
more particularly preparing temperance utcra-
The TEMPERANCE cause has experienced seasons
Of very great interest and pertods o. great de-
preston. There Is now more Intelligent inter;
est manifested IN regard to temperance anu
prohibition than ever before. ,-
Some Of the Western states have passed very
stringent laws In regard TO the sale o. liquor,
which not only hold the seller Responsible Tor the
damage TO the purchaser, but also tue owner OF
the building liable. ~
During a recent visit to England he found that
great progress had been made there. While the
higher classes understand very little Of the phil
OsOphy Of the temperance cause, anu Whlle they
indulge TO great extent In spirituOus llquorsthey
are asking themselves what can be done 70 stay
the tiIe of IntemperaDce among the lower classes,
where the worst results ART seen.
The following resolutions were then read by
the secretary: ,,-,...- ,...,,...
tlon Of the progress Of the cause OF temperance
the praiseworthy national example OF the Presl-
dent Of the United States, and the heads o. De De
partments, as wen as many influential citizens
OF Washington and elsewhere, In excluding
wine and other intoxicating beverages as =
symbol Of hospitality on the recent New hcHs
day. a., ...,-
hlbltlon OF the trafic In intoxicating liquors as
beverage inlmical to the public welfare, we re-
jolce In the rapidly increasing public tavOr eN-
tended to such restrictive legislation as the
''Ohio damage law" holding responsible, Jointly
with the consumer, the vendors OF strong drink,
and the owners Of premises thus used Tor the In
Jury 10 families and for the crime caused by In
tOxlcating liquors; and also In the growing
popularity In many sections Of the movement for
the right Of local prohlbltlon, ,,a.,, A.,
Resolved, That we welcome the slRnlncant IN
PRODUCTION OF the temperance question ~ both
Houses Of Congress the present session through
numerous petitions and memorials, and by me
introduction Of restrictive and prOhibltorY blls
| for the Territories Of the United states and toi
the District Of Columbia, offered ny senator
sherman tnd PomeroJ In the Senate, anu Dy tht
Hon. Mr.. LampOrt In the House; and We call upon
the Senators and Representatives In the interes,
OF their constituents In all parts OF the country
and for the promotion OF the national welfare, tt
give prompt and hearty support to those meas
Rssolred, That we warmly approve the propo
sition for q commission Of inquiry concerning
the results Of the trac 10 intoSes s iianOr,
legislation for the suppression oil lntemperance "
presented In the bill offered In the Senate o. th'
United states on the 10Th instant by the Hon
| Henry Wilson, aud we trust that tho thorough
| impartial Investigation OF the whole subject ~
contemplated by said bill, furnishing much
needed basis for judicious legislation, and intel
| ligcnt consideration Of the temperance problem
| may be authorized by Congress before tue al
lUhrnmcnt Of the present session..
| Resoipsd That we recognize In a right publi'
| opinion the only sure guarantee OF substantial
progress for the temperance cause, the vitaliEinl
lOrce Of all useful legislation, ensunng It's fath
| ful execution. We therefore earnestly appeal
especially 10 clergymen, TO members OF all re
| IIRlous denominations, to superntendents ant
| teachers Of Sabbath schools, and TO all VINO nav
| the care OF the young, TO teach, both by example
and precept, the duty OF total aDstineno9 i ,S
| to build upon permanent foundation, TO ensur,
| the stability OF republican institutions and U
prepare the way for true Christian clylllhs'io ,
Hon. Henry Wilson was then introduced, an,
said that he did not suppose u was IN NJ
power to add anything to their instruction, or y
say any thing that had not been heard over an
| over again. But the temperance cause must D.
supported by repeated appeals to conscience
| The temperance cause Is sixty years OH a
times II has made progress, and at others u ma
| experienced reactions. lie was not able to sA
how much progress had been made In the pas
few years, but he believed we had maze SON
progress.
lie did not believe the work could be carrie'
on by spurts, but by the constant prayers OF tn
men and women Of the country. We have on
hundred churches In Washington, and suppos
that the pastors aud every member OF ines
churches were earnest and sincere Temperance
men what power they would be IN AID Q
Temperament There are sixty thousand chnrche
In the United states, with eight millions o. mem
hers. The members profess TO believe that Co
has placed us here for better life. They pro
fess their readiness to sacrifice their money am
their all for the cause OF God and the good 0
their fellow-men. Now, we have In the Unite
states tens of thousands OF poor drunken men
No one can describe the evils that lntemperanc
brings upon the human race. Slavery u the ont
thing that ever existed that, ~ the evm Anu sui
the evils that intempeance brings upon u,
II the pastors and members Of Christla
churches would live up to their professions nun
drcds Of thousands Of people would be save
from drunkards' graves. 1t was the duty o
cergymen Of this land to advocate this caus
from the beginning TO the end OF the year. II
had little hope for the cause Of temperance unit
pastors and Christians rise up and exert them
selves In Its behalf. lie believed the cause q
temperance, like the cause OF Christianity, Shout
be carried forward by appeals to the hearts, COZ
sciences and reasons OF the people, aud by pei
sistent and neyer-falling efforts, by examples q
well as by words. Some people say that Wash
ington Ii the worst place In the world. think
Is the best. tApplause.l SOME think that u
temperance prevails TO great extent anon
congressman. think there Is far leSs drinkln
among congressman than when nrst entere
II Il harder work for a drunken man to I'm
his way into Congress than at any former perlO'
! hope there will soon be public sentiment Una
will not allow any man to staggcr into any OF IN
higher Oifices Of the country. The great thin
} Is q sound public sentiment, sentiment that y
! COgniLes the transceudent magnitude OF III
evll Of intempeTance, and realizes what we ow
TO our country, TO our felow-man and
our Divine Master. Each and all Of us should
I what we can.
have been a temperance man for forty-tw
years. and hope TO die one. man who don
drink, other things being equal, can out-worl
mentally and physically, one who does. l ha'
canvassed with men who drank and with thos
who did not; ! have sat In yonder capital Il
eighteen years, by day and by night, aud &c
you that the laboring man who tolls In the mel
and does not drink can do more than one WI
does; the mechanic who does not drink IN alno
q master Of his trade, and men In the Nation
Councils who do not drink can do more work an
. are to be depended upon more than those WI
DO.
The use OF intoxicating liquors weakens me
, morally, physically and every other way. ] b.
lieve one Of the greatest evils Is the vast amour
OF liquor given out as medicine by physician
who do not know what else TO give. Men, wome
i and children should give their time to advant
the great cause OF temperance; hut words al
weak unless sustained by examples, and than
the leading men and women Of this city that tnt
did not place intoxicating liquors before the
! visitors on New Years day, and hope the Inc
and women Of the land will follow their g!
ample.
Mr.. Dodge said he was glad to see that the r
pOrters were present to send forth these CLOWN
words TO the country.
: Mr.. Felix II. BrunOt, chairman Of the Board
, Indian Commissioners, was next Introduced, al
/ referred To the disastrous results OF lntempe
ance among Indians. This race, which had
one time numbered millions, had decreased
! more to the intoxicating liquors furnished by u
/ white man than TO anything else, lie STAT,