The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-27
Temperance DTeeting Yesterday.

Temperance Meeting Yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon Washington Hall
was crowded, showing that the interest
in the temperance movement is not YET
dead in this city. About hslt-past three
o'clock the services were opened by the
singing of a hymn, after which Rev. G'
D. Crane, Of Springfield, Illinois, LED IN
prayer.
Rev. j. r. Thompson introduced to the
audience Prof. W. K. Pendleton, OF BEN,
any College, who said that he woulo
cheerfully take his stand with the irieno Us
of the temperance cause. There ID 80
much to be said on this question, and 30
much that has been said, that the DIM
Guilty is not to know what to say, but IN
knowing what not to say. Before tne
flood. i6temperance was curse 10 the
earth Before its waters had dried up on
the earth. Noah was drunk. You ask
vhv This sudden outburst OF enthusiasm
aosinst' This old vice. You cannot but
have observed that moral evil in this
nniveTse ia lust like physical evil in
this universe. Both OF them. multi
niles in power, and nothing but a great
revolution will restore them to
their equilibrium. Ordinary diseases we
can meet. Extraordinary visitations OF
pestilence cause us to all rise up, and with
our whole hearts meet the case. We do
meet it. God blesses US, and guides us,
and gives US the victory. We have had
warSterribIe war; and we have had IN
some places famine. We are having 1t to-
day in parts OF our country. ana we
have got the pestilence OF intemperance,
which walks all over this land. A pesr'
lence that lays hold of the physical man
and prostrates him-a pestilence that lays
hold of the intellectual man, ana reduces
him: This is the pestilence that corrupts
the moral and political life. See how 1t is
found in our political life, in our social
life. in our economical life, in our domes-
tic life. There you will find the evidence
of the proposition that this is pestilence
that has laid hold of Us. Ought we not
to rise up against itP Ought we not to
raise our voices against itY
The question comes then, what shall we
do? Now, if it be true that this evil be
a political evil; if it be true that it is q
social or economical evil; if it be true that
5000 600 900 of revenue are wasted by II
every year; if it be true that from the
White House down through the judiciary
and State Departments, this evil poisons
everything; if this all be true, why should
we not legislate against il? We have
right 10 speak; we have right to com
plain. We have a reason TO complain
The right to leglslate is conceded, because
we do legislate. We have right to sell
protection. We legislate against poison
GUS drugs, and this is poisonous drug. Ii
can in no case, none whatever, be re-
garded as beneficial to the human system
when taken as beverage. Never!
defy any man to justify the use OF alco-
hol except in some very few ex-
tremc cases when prescribed by 9
physician. The habit of using these
liquors as beverages is always dangerous
1t is because this is poisonous drug, thai
it warrants legislation. l hold that tne
evil of intemperance is worse evil than
the evil of smoking opium. It leads tc
darker crimes, and It more surely leads 9
man down to degradation. We are used
to tive have made revenue out OF it
but it comes so near US that we do moi
realize its magnitude. We don't know
what this evil is-we don't feel it. 1 am
no fanatic. l am not for an arbitrary en-
actment of laws that do not respond tc
the feelings of the people. l am free tc
saw that we ought to have an absolute
and unconditional prohibition of the sale
of intoxicating liquors in the country
This is what we ought to do: See what
can be done, and then work patiently
and pe1severingly. This movement is
born of enthusiasm, but like all things
born of enthusiasm, it should be guided
by wisdom. l hope that we are In the
beginning of revolution which Is the
beginning of success.
i think that we have as good law
against the sale OF intoxicating liquors as
any State in the Union. 1t is better
law than can be executed. We mus
labor for what we want; we must take
what VIC can get; and we must wait for
more. The law is dead-letter unless II
is executed. The ladies ask the men
everywhere to come to their assistance and
help execute these laws. They want men
to work out this moral reform.
/ am not here TO abuse drVpka:ds. That
would do no good. think il were a
drunkard the love of woman would re-
form me-the love OF mother, oil a Sis
ter, or of wife: We want to take hold
OF those chords that will reach down into
the lowest nature and lift it up. We want
love. Instead OF fighting men because OF
their creeds the Church is going out alter
them with words of love. Work by love,
and not by denunciation. l think this
ought to be sustained. IL Is
an extraordinary one-and respect II
more because it is an extraordinary one.
Circumstances have justified it. Let us
90 together in this grand and good work
and we will succeed.
Alter the usual announcements, the
meeting closed.
CIRCUIT CoURT.-The argument in the
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