The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-02-27
THE RAID AGAINST THE WHISKEY
SHOPS,

against rum sellers. From Ohio the
movement has spread like wild-fire into
Indiana, and from last accounts Massa-
chusetts has fallen into line, and the
streets of Boston are alive with the pray
ing band. The movement which first
commenced az q social reform, has now
taken on a religious aspect, and the en-
thusiasm reminds us of the Crusades of
the Middle Ages, and is just as likely to
sweep every thing before it. The rise OF
the movement was at first a local thing,
butts dimensions are now enormous,
Aband of people in q town
in Ohio dayton we Think composed Of
men and women of the highest social
standing in the community had watched
with pain the growth of intemperance,
and the ineflciency of any of the Ordin-
airy modes to arrest it. From GodalOne
could come its stay, and suddenly it was
borne in upon them, that He was ready
to bless the work as soon rs their hearts
were strong enough to attempt it.
There was no pause. A society was
organized, the wonen took the lead,
daily prayer inaugurated, and the deVo-
ted band set forth ON their mission.
They first addressed a circular to the
. saloon keepers, or sellers of ardent spir-
its any where, imploring them to give
up a trade ~disgraceful tothemselves and
to humanity. Where that was ineffect-
ual they proceeded in squads of from
seven to seventy to the different drink
ing places. They offered the pledge and
when it was refused, they went down on
their knees prayingSand singing hymns,
exhorting, e~xpostulating. When one
squad was exhausted another was ready
to replace it, and the day was sometimes
spent in one place. When they wereput
out Of doors, they knelt Of the icy pave
ment still praying, and the bittcrest day
we have had this winter one band, in
Cincinnati, remained six hours outside
an obdurate rum sellers door. Gray
haired matrons, blooming girls, and even
children are among them. A writer in
the "Sun," says it was the most solemn
spectacle he ever witnessed, this spirit
triumphing I'VE every obstacle. The
whole time these bands are at their work
the church bells are ringing, and people
inside are assisting them with feryent
prayer.
Very few of the liquor dealers but
what have succumbed. In the first place
their trade is ruined, for customers are
not likely to come in while all this is
going on, and in the second it would
need a deal of determination to perse-
we're, even in d good cause, when such
a strong social element is unclaimed
against it, fla nan knows seven or
eight hundred people in his own COM
munity are praying against any thing
he is doing, that man is mighty apt to
get q little weak-kneed about it. The
people too are iii terrible eaTnest-they
will travel over burning ploughshares
and to gain their point, and since the
matter has taken on a religious aspect
we believe it will succeed. No move
nlent warmed by religious zeal, but, has
had it's way for u certain period at least.
We don't know when it will get down
here, but there have been more unlikely
things.
The New Orleans Times says there.
are about nine thouaand-4000 white and
5000 colored persons in that city who are
destitute or have no permanent means
Of support beyond their daily labor;
that t5of this number perhaps from
twelve to fifteen hundred are daily EN-
ployed upon the leVee as laborers, leay-
ing a surplus Of about eight thousand
idle. men entirely destitute and depend
emit upon charity Oh their wits for their
daily sustenance.n
1t IS reported that too or three Of the
performers Of the Mystieke Krewe of
Conus died of apopiexy in New Orleans
immmediateiy after last Mardi- Gras.
IA Kansas paper gives the following.
report of Judges sentence, lately passed
on d criminal "Bruml6y, yOn infa-
NOUS scOundTell YOU'RE an unredeemed
villain ! YOn llain't d single redeeming
trait in your character. Your wife and
family wish we had sent you to the
~penitentiary. This is the fifth time I've
bad you before me, and yOu haVeput me
10 more trouble than your neck il worth.
I've exhorted and prayed oyer Won long
enough, yen scoundrell just so home
and take d glimpse at your family, 4
and be Off in short 0fderl Don't let mel
bear Of You againl The grand jury have
found two acknowledgements agaiBstyDu,
but I'll discharge You on YOur own REG
ogniZanees, and it ] keteh you iD this
nick of woods tO-mOrr0w morning at
daylight, I'll sock you right square in
Jail and hump you of to J~efeTsOnvilleI
In less than no time, you Infamous
su0undrel! IL ever / catch you Grass
ing your finger Altman, woman or ehild-i
white man Oh nigger-I1l sock YOn right
square into the jugl Stand mp, you
segHndTel, while I pass sentence on YOU"
Al GoyRRN0R AYBEA CONGRESSMAN
In the United States Senate recently
after the roll call had been completed,
Mr.. Robertson said he bud noticed that
the Clerk continued to call the naE4e Of
MFR. Ames, 0f Mississippi, on the r0RI. I'll
was lis impression that Mr.. Ames had
vacated his seat In tile Senate by accept
ing the office Of Governors Mississippi.
The Chair {Mf. EaTpeneer1 FemaFkedl
that the Senate had received no o~ificiAil
notification OF the fact. and the Chair
Ind no power to direct the omission Of
the name from the call. The fact was,
however, that d Governor ef Il State
might be q member OF Congress.