The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-12-26
ADDRESS
Issued by the Fourth Annual Convention Il
the Catholic Total Abstinence Union
Of America, Held AZ Chica-
20, ILL.,, October
I, 1874.
To TIE Catholics of Amertcd:

To the Catholics of Amertcd:
The delegates here assembled send you 4
kindly greeting. We have come together
from all parts of this continent for The pur,
pose of consulting as TO the best means Of
promoting the noble and Catholic cause of
Total Abstinence among our coreliglonists
in America. 1t is not necessary for US to re
mind you of the many evils of intcmperance.
You are all aware OF the fearful results of this
terrible vice They are visible in every town
and hamlet in the land. drunkenness is one
Of the greatest evils that afflicts humanity al
the present day, aud, as one of the deadly or
capital SINS IS tie fruitful source of number,
less other evils 1t leads to poverty, suffer
| ing, wretchedness and crime. The mass of
inmates in o.. penal institutions can attribute
their degradation to the inordinate use Of in.
toxicating crnk. II affects all classes the
rich and the poor, the young and the old.
There is scarcely family IN the land that
has not felt, directly or indirectly, its desola-
ting influence. How many noble young men
of all ranks Of society has 1t not cut down in
the prime of their usefulnessg How many
wives and mothers has it rendered broken
heartedy How many helpless children has
1t made orphans, and exposed to the fearful
danger of losing their faith! No tongue can
tell the numberless evils it has entailed on the
human race.
The Catholic Church has always preached
the virtue of Temperance; il is one of the car
dinal Yirtucs she teaches, But alas! all her
children are not temperate, and hence the
necessity for Total Abstinence Societies. II
all men were temperate there would be nc
need of Undressing you upon this subject. HUI
man nature is weak, and the temptation Ia
drink intoxicating liquors is strong. Many
lind il difficult, nay, almost impossible TO keep
within the bounds of moderation. For such
Total Abstinence, with the assistance OF God,
grace, is the only certain remedy. As AN in
duccmcnt, then, TO such as are not already
members, we here present lew of the many
advantages to be derived from connection
with our grand organization,
Our Union is founded upon the Catholic
basis, and has the cordial appreciation of III,
veneratcd Hierarchy of the United States ant
Canada We have transfer system in sue
cessful operation, by which persons changin!
their places of residence or travelling on bust
ness or pleasure, are fraternaliy received
wherever society aggregated 10 this Cniol
leXistS. This feature OF our Union we woul,
especially commend 10 your earnest cOnsid
Grafton. The Catholic Total Abstinence In
ion of America is now spread all over tn
" continent and wherever its members ma
n travel they will meet with friendly greetings
= There Is, however, another reason beyon
. that of temporal advantage which should b
oi greater weight with Catholics, namely
the spiritual advantages 10 be derived tros
IT connection with our organization. The men
N berS are required 10 approach the sacrament
at stated pcrIods-an advantage which Cal
not bc too highly priced, since we rely tO
success upon the grace of God, communicate,
] to Us through the sacramcn,s of the Churcl
l. In conclusion, fellow Catholics of Americ;
Is We earnestly appeal 10 you to unite with u
', in allevia,ing the vast amount of misery an
=, lsuilcring inflicted upon our fellow beings h
! the destructive vice of inlempcrancc.
y. Respectfully submitted,
Rev. j. '. Conlan, Ohio Chairman
j. John F. Murlagh, Brooklyn
It. Rev. W. Murphy, Illinois.
Rev. :. Doyle, Tennessee.
, Wm. McMcnamin, Wilmington, Del
l Very Rev. W. J. Dunn, Louisville. Ky
T. Thos. r. Dwycr, New York.
Patrick Byrnes, New Jersey.
10 FL. Murphy, Indiana.
"a JIG. Donnelly, 81 Paul, Ninn.
I'll Joel Zane, Philadelphia.
VI. % Carroll, Tennessee.
Rev. Andrew Cullen, Thy pIoNl n
Is Francisco, (CalD
Iel Committee.