The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-30
AN AyDEEss


/,fa. R,s,r.,,.eT Me United States an
W Me D1e'0 isscmbled at Boston, Mass,
LynS an. and 5h, 1874. TO the
y liz at Large Of the United States Of
america.
In view of the aggressive war against
,ha manufaeture of and trade in bever-
"gss waved for years by many State Leg
;sIstnres' and especially Of late BY. some
female organizations under the leadership
~ certain fanatics pretending TO seek the
sdvance Of the cause of morality and tenn
nsrsnce. the Fourteenth Annual COnven-
lion az the United States Brewers Associ-
alton. assembled in the City OF Boston
and State of Massachusetts, this 4th day
of .June. AID. 1874, desire 20 address the
President, &c, and their fellow citizens
of the whole country in words of earnest
ness and remOnstrance, prompted by hrm
convictions of right and the highest re-
gard for the welfare and prosperity OF
this great Republic, and not by selfish in
terest.
The pith Of the question in issue is not
that Of morality as against immortality,
nor of temperance as against intemper-
ance. Were it that the whole member
shin of our Association would be found
battling with all its might and influence,
and BY the side Of all other Organiza-
tons. of whatever name or kind. secular
or otherwise, 10 promote morality and
temperance throughout the land, and
would cheerfully submit to even personal
sacrafcies in the effort. In their own
wav. the members of our Association,
represented in this present Fourteenth
Annual Convention, have done as much
as lay in their power by personal exam
pie as well as argument and persuasion,
10 foster among their neighborS and
friends life of heightened morality and
sobriety. They can point with pride to
the fact that many Of their fraternity have
risen from humble station TO prominence,
and that in the locality of their residence
MANY of them have repeatedly been cho-
sen BY their fellow citizens TO occupy
public positions of high trust aud respon-
sibiIity, in which they not only retained
but increased that confidence OF the peo-
nle 10 which they were first indebted for
their elevation. A pursuit that can point
with truth TO such proud instances OF dis
linction accorded to many OF those who
follow it as a legitimate business cannot
be of that degrading character ascribed
10 il by those that war againstit; nor can
its influence be such as necessarily &c
lead to immortality and intemperance
We refer to this with Just pride, and as q
complete answer to the unwarranted accu-
satiOns Of our enemies, conscious that the
sound sense of the American people viii
not be misled by unfounded clamor.
We propose TO submit to the people, in
their primary capacity as the only sover-
eign source of the governing power IN the
Renublic. the very pertinent aud impOr-
tapt question, Whether they set any valae
upon the credit and honorable standing
of the United States among the nations
of the world? That this is no idle query,
A few automatically established historical
facts will show. Within the last eight
months the country has passed through u
most disastrous financial revulsion, which
affected the revenues of the National
Government to a very serious extent.
The President Of the United States, at
the beginning Of che Congress now in
session, called attention to the fact that
the revenues were decreasing, and that
20 cover the appropriations made taxa
ton would have to be increased to the
extent of S4OOO0,0O0 in order to meet
current expenses. FROM the monthly re-
ports of the Secretary OF the Treasury
the people have ascertained that while
during the twelve months ending with
the 30 of June, 1878, about S43, 100000 OF
the national debt had been paid, the tOta
of that immense debt of over two thou
sand millions had on the lst of May, 1874
been actually increased since then, owing
to the want OF a surplus revenue applica
BILE 20 its reduction. The Hon. Henry l.
Dawes, an honored and distinguished rep
resentatiye from Massachusetts in Con
gress, and as the Chairman of the Com
mtttee on Ways and Means, the leader o
the House-a gentleman than whom, boil
from his ability and long official position
no one is better capable of forming an,
giving n correct opinion che CONDITION
of our national finances, rose III his sea
in the House on the 9Th Of May last, ant
in the course of long and carefully pre-
pared speech stated, that while by exist
inc laws the sum of $50, 100000 shoul
have been turned into the sinking fun
during the year closing with the preseu
month-sacredly pledged for the ultimat
redemption Of the debt-not one dolla
had yet been paid into that fund, a
though the year was then nearly past
and this because the revenues were def
cient We ask the people of this cour
try whether they are ready to conser
that the revenues Of the Government
still further and more largely reduced
that not only payment of the national del
shall cease, but that the Governmer
should also, without running still deept
in debt. be unable TO pay the interes
and thus assume before the world the p,
sition OF dishouored bankrupt
The continued agitation OF Total Abst
neuce, to be forced upon the people
prohibitOry laws--by the unseemly pi
rade and self-debasement of female ''crl
saders, whom we consider to be the III
conscious but misguided tools in the hanC
of INSCRIPTIONS men aiming at person
ggrandizemeut-by iorcibiy, either
statute law or otherwise, compelling Il
stoppage Of the manufacture of, and .
trade in beverages, must, we assure OF
felluw citizens, ultimately deal death
blow to the finances of the country. W
wish to refeI to the following official fact
extracted FROM the last annual repo
made TO the present Congress OF Il
United States by the Commissioner
lnteral Revenue:
Total Internal Revenue Receipts for
the last fiscal year. SIIS.f4', 'Z~
OF this vast amount the following SUI
were collected during the year from q
tr@te In stimulating beverages
Fermen.,a liquors, bar
Brewers special :. Sni Gs0 81