The Richmond palladium., 1874-02-07
FROM vINCENNEs.

EDITOR PALLADIUM-On the 22d
l lectured At Boonville, in Warwick
county. Here / found few earnest
temperance men working to enforce
the law, but whisky has for long
time been in the ascendant, hence it
is like sailing against the wind to do
The court house, however,
was crowded to hear me. In letter
just received from that point, Lawyer
Gaugh writes me:
"Your presence and labor here for
three hours has done an incalculable
amount of good"
On the 23d I spoke in the Masonic
Hall, at Mount Vernon, the county
seat of Posey. The house was crowd
ed in every corner. There were
present to hear me every grog-
seller in town. Two Of the most no.
torious ones declared, At the close of
the lecture, that they would abandon
the business, for it was a mean and
develish calling. At this place I
found there were twenty grog saloons
when our present law was passed. Now
they are reduced to ten. Intenlper-
ance has largely decreased, and the
Sabbath is much more respected.
On the oath spoke in the Presby-
terian church, Evansville, to full
house. On the afternoon of the 18th,
1 spoke in Trinity NJ. E. Church to
fully one thousand people. and in the
evening to large union gathering Of
the colored people. From the appa-
rent interest manifested in the au-
dience, I hope the cause Of temperance
was somewhat advanced. But / found
Evansville the most backward place /
have visited, so far as temperance is
concerned. There are a few earnest
temperance people, but the masses are
strongly in favor of lager beer and
whisky. This state of things is doubt
less caused by the fact that more than
half the population is German. And
in addition to this, there has been a
large importation into the city from
Kentucky since the war closed. The
Sabbath is ignored by the saloon
keepers and billiard establishments.
A gentleman told me that he knows
one establishment kept open all day
on the Sabbath. running seventeen
billiard tables and selling liquor
They say the grand juries are so much
under the influence of the whisky
element that they fail to indict even
when the evidence is conclusive. A
great deal of religious preaching and
temperance work will have to be done
before the power Of the drink demon
is curtailed.
Evansville possesses many advan-
tages in business point of view-situ-
ated as she is, she has q magnificent
outlet for trade on the Ohio, Tennes-
see, Green and Cumberland rivers
She has several very large furniture
manufactures = about 50 wholesale
grocery, hardware and dry goods
houses. Coal fields close at the door,
furnishing very good semi -bitumin.
Gus coal to the consumer at nine cents
per bushel. Were it not for the curse
of whisky and lager this would be .
very desirable place for any young
man to settle in business. But whis.
Ky and lager are its great curse
ly every person drinks-so common il
it that young men seem to be regard.
less of their character in this respect
I tried to get the ministers Of thu
gospel to combine together and hole
q union temperance meeting ever,
Sabbath afternoon at the variou,
churches in town. I hope they viii
do it.
On the 18th lectured at New Har
; mony, in Posey county. The NJ. E
church was crowded-all the salool
: keepers we're there. Intemperanc,
has largely decreased here since tn
!, passage of the law. This is the plac
: where the celebrated Rapps settle,
: and founded colony more than hal
,, a century ago. Since that time Rober
! Owen, the great liberal and commun
: list and father of Robert Dale Owen
founded colony many years ago.
Here was the residence of David Dal
3 Z Owen, whose large cabinet of spcci
mems of natural history is now in pos
session of the Bloomington Univer
sity. Here is the home of Rober
Dale Owen, the author Of "The De
batable Land" Twas introduced t
two of his sons and one daughter.
found them very intelligent, cordis
I and polished in their manners. Ne,
. Harmony is a very pleasant littl
u town of about 800 inhabitants. Their
: is vigorous society of Good TEN
= plars, doing good work here.
On the 9th I leetured at Posey
ville-also in Posey county. Here
found that temperance was largely i
: the ascendant. Every saloon say
! one has been closed, and that one
= about to be closed. I am very muc
: pleased with the country through her,
My previous impression of the 'Pocl
. ct" was not very good. A trav,
through here has given me . muc
more favorable idea Of it-althoue
It there are not SO many improvement