The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-03-25
FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE.

3D. Mo. II, 1874.
Ed. PALLADIUM:-Since my last /
have addressed very full houses at
Lebanon. Thorntown, Lafayette, Day
ton, Transitville, and Darlington.
The tidal wave of temperance seems
to be reaching all these points. Peo-
pie are eager to hear everywhere.
Men and women who would not go
near a temperance meeting two years
ago, are now eagerly crowding into
the thickest Of the work. One re-
spectacle and influential citizen Of
Lafayette, said to me yesterday, why,
Baxter, a year ago [ did not care to
hear anything said on the Temperance
question, but now l see it is THE ques-
ton of the hour, and demands the
most earnest attention and active sup
port of every lover of his race. The
fact is, this whisky traffic must be put
down or our young men will be ruined,
and our country will be made great
moral and political wreck-a monu-
ment of the curse and blight of the
whisky traffic. | See it is a grand and
awful struggle for life on the part of
the nation. The hydra-headed mon
ster. whisky, is seeking to strangle
this republic, and without a persistent
and desperate effort on the part of the
people. we shall be cngulfed in this
great malstrom of iniquity." And
such is the cry l hear on every hand,
where Il year ago men would not open
their mouths on the subject.
At Lafayette, where just year ago
this question of temperance was made
a square issue in the municipal cleo
ton, the whisky ring carried every
thing with a whoop and yell, now
the tide has completely changed. Sew
enteen petitions for a permit to sell
whisky were this week refused by the
Commissioners. Not a single petit
ton granted. Among the petitioners
was the keeper Of the most elegant
and fashionable saloon in town, who
had two thousand dollar organ con-
tinually playing, and magnificent bill
lard tables running. the proprietor Of
whom claims to have great influence
yet. even this man was defeated in his
application for permit Such is the
revolution of public sentiment there.
1 spoke in the Opera House, which
seats about 1900 persons. 1t was lit
orally packed; every foot of standing
room being taken. For two hours
that vast audience listened with the
most intense earnestness, showing
their wonderful interest ON this SUBJ
ject.
Every day woman's devotional and
business meetings are being held in
Lafayette They have divided the city
into Ii districts, appointed energetic
committees over each. Pledges for
druggists and saloonkeepers arc in
vigorous circulation. and papers are
presented to voters to sign, to the
effect that they will not put their
names to any petitions asking for a
permit.
As l move along from county to
county, the most cheering news follow
me. At Upton, where spoke two
weeks ago, the people went vigorously
to work-the women taking the lead.
The result is. that every siloonkeeper
is now preparing to quit the business.
At Delphi, in Carroll county, and
Frankfort, in Clinton county, the
pressure on the saloonkeepers since
visited there. has become so great that
their business is ruined. The women
of Frankfort, in their first visit round
to the voters of that city, succeeded
in eating 1913 to sign paper declaring
that they will not put their names on
q petition for a permit. Only a OF
all the voters In that town refused to
sign said paper. What glorious re-
suit is this!
Great, however, as are the achiev-
ments already made. We must not
slacken our efforts, but rather increase
them. The enemy is hard at work.
They are Organizing all through the
State for the direct purpose Of carry
ing our next Legislature, and repeating
the present Temperance Law. We
must stand by the law 1T all hazards.
Instead Of having it repealed. il must
be made stronger! Our final success
depend upon this. w. b.