New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-08
TEMPERANCE AGITATIONS.

THURIOw WEEDS "REMINISCENCES OF FORMER TEN
PERANCE CAMPAIGNS-THE REFORMED DRUNK
ARDsp AND TEMPERATE DRINKERS THE
MOVEMENT IN THE WEST SPONTANEOUS, NAG
NI.rIC, AND EXTRAORDINARY.
TO the EdttOr Of The TrtbUne.
SIR: The Rev. John Hail. who comes so seasonably
and happily to the support of all good and beneicent
enterprises and missions, has anticipated, by the
letter which you published on Saturday, purpose
which had in contemplation, with this difference
that he has done his work much better than l could
have hoped to.
Twill now content myself with brief letter de-
signed to confirm and fortify DR.. Halls views, by
observation, experience, and results. Forty years
ago the pervading evils of intempeance occasioned
apprehensions as universal as the disease. In the
City of Baltimore, where incompetence was then as
ruinously and lOathsomely apparent as it is now in
Liverpool, England, movement was inaugurated,
which not only worked salutary reform there but
extended rapidly to other cities and villages, espe-
cay in the Middle and Eastern States. The workers
IN that really great movement were " Reformed
Drunlards.' These composed mostly OF mechanics
who had experienced all the mis- ;ries OF lntemper-
ance could speak practically and feelingly, and-if
it be not irreverent to say so-they were, like the
Fishermen commanded TO follow Our Savior, I'M
bued with wisdom not their own. At any rate
they spoke to large audiences with telling effect
They were doing, among the classes furnishing the
largest number of victims to ntemperance the work
which the great and good Father Matthew accom-
plished ten years afterward among the poor OF
Ireland. In a word, the Reformed Drunkards' of
Baltimore, Philadelphia, New-York, Boston, Albany,
and other cities were converting thousands from in
temperance and idleness to sobriety and industry,
for which they were repaid by the gratitude and
&C tba ,-i,-a nd Obi nj
husbands and fathers.
But this auspicious movement was soon over
thrown. The temperance question was seized upon
by different class of reformers, who not only
twisted" il out of its original channel and pur-
pose, but soon ran it off the track and into the
ground Not content with seeing mechanics and
laborers rescued from habits which involved them
selves and their families in a ruin, they sub
stituted crusade against Temperate Drinkers"
in place of u reform which converted druDkards
into sober men. In the Reformed Drunkards' labor
the laws Of charity, kindness and affection were OBJ
served In the warfare against Temperate Drinkers
the spirit of bitterness and denunclation was
sorted State and county temperance societies were
organized in which " total abstinence from all that
intoxicates" was demanded. Ultra temperance men
concerned themselves very little about the thousands
who were poisoning and brutifying themselves with
bad rum and worse whisky. x. Their anathemas
were hurled at the temperate drinker. ~ In
1892, the great champion of ultra or impracti-
cable temperance, as the Chairman of the
Executive Committee Of the State Temperance
Society boldly and recklessly charged, in printed
document that every victim of either sex to that
fearful scourge, cholera was either incorporate
or temperate drinker of alcoholic liquors This I'M
founded and cruel accusation was soon followed by
a step which brought discord and strife into our
churches. The Executive Committee Of the State
Temperance Society avowed its determination to
exclude wine from the communion table. While
that crusade was in progress simultaneous move
ment was made to induce the passage of laws pro-
hibitng the sale of liquors and wines. Maine yielded
to the Gressufe>> Massachusetts and Connecticut
partially succumbed. Nev-YorS was the scene OF
contention for several wears. AL these extreme
measures were carried forward fat she expense of
Zeal temperance. Where prohibitory laws existed
drunkenness still more abounded. The evils of III.
temperance, like other vices incident to human
nature, can be greatly diminished but not wholly
eradcated. The zeal, persistence, and expenditure
which have been devoted to the extreme and i'm
possible wisely and practically directed would have
immensely mitgated the evils and averted the
miseries of intemperance. But as was foreseen by
the thoughtful and rejecting the warfare upon tenn
wine, and the cry for Prohibtory laws, came either
to an ignominious end are but feebly and
spasmodically urged. Meantime. intemperance
has made and is making hearts and house.
holds sad and desolate, so much SO as
to provoke a movement by the women of our
country alike spontaneous, magnetic and extraoTdi
nary OF that movement, emanating from the high
est and purest sympathies aud emotions of the hui
man heart, can neither speak think but with
profound and intense respect and admiration. 1t is
"A movement of those who are happily described as
Heavens last best gift 10 man "a movement in
defense Of their children and with the hope of re-
claiming their husbands, their fathers and their
brothers. Itiwas nobly conceived has been cour-
ageousy prosecuted, and shonld rejoice 10 see IL |
crowned with success. Nor can bring myself to |
utter a syllable calculated to embarrass discour-
age the generous women who endeavoring To res
their homes and their hearths from the blight or
intemperance. i have simply indicated the rocks
and reefs upon which the cause of temperance wa;
in former years, wrecked for the information and |
guidance OF temperance pilots OF the present day.
Nels- York. Apri 4. 1874 W. 4