The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-23

1
at the meeting of the National Temperance
| Association of the United States, called out a
very large audience at City Hall last evening.
| The hall was packed, and people clustered in
the door-ways and aises. The deepest interest
was manifested by the large audience, and it
cannot be doubted that the earnest words of
| the speakers made an impression which will
| not easily die away
Mr, Francis Murphy. President of the Ma
uonal Association, in few appropriate re
marks, stated the objects of the meeting and
che associations, and announced Governor Ding
ley as the presiding officer of the meeting
Gov. Dingey took the chair and called upon
the Rev. MIR. Martin of Augusta, for an invo-
cation of the Divine blessing.
Gov. Dingley avowed his great pleasure at
being able to participate in the meeting,
and bis deep qualification at the evidences of
interest he saw. He announced as the first
speaker of the evening, Mr.. Owen 3. Chad
bourne, President of the reform club in Saco.
Mr.. Chadbourne stepped to the front of the
platform, and happily prefaced his remarks by
loosely questioning the system of tactics which
sent raw recruits to the front. He then gave q
simple, unvarniShed account of the reform
movement in the cities at tbs mouth Of the
Saco and Of the circumstances which first led
him, at the National Camp Meeting to sign the
pledge. Lie saw unmistakable evidences thas
the reform movement was sweeping over the
county OF York. An earnest appeal was made
to the citizens of Portland to move in the good
work, to put their shoulders to the wheel, to
hold meetings by day and meetings by night
and never to falter in their efforts until they
were crowned with success.
The Rev, Mr.. Pitblado was called upon, but
declined in his usual happy and peculiar vein,
to trespass upon the time which should be
given to visitors.
Ira H. Foss Of Saco, one of the prominent
movers in the reform in that city, was the next
speaker. He gave an amusing a3count of his
incredulity at first, his distrust OF motives and
of men, and of the appalling news that Frank
York and Owen Chadbourne and forty others
have signed the pledge" Before that announce
meDt his incredality and mistrust went to the
WALL and very soon after he was in the thickest
of the fight battling for the good cause A
business man himself he called upon the bust
ness men of Portland to take hold OF the cause.
Great is the force OF example, and it behooves
the chiefs and leading men of the community
to take their station at the front.
The Rev. Mr. Jones OF this city followed Mr..
Foss, and spoke of his great and increasing in
terest in temperance. He begged the audience
TO excuse him from extennd remarks.
Mr.. Jones was folowedsby Mr.. A. Sou!e of
this city, who spoke few earnest words for
the cause He thought that if the loading men
n.k 10 Io,1
would band together in the good cause of tenn
perance, would put the same amount of energy
and work into it they have put into the Ogdens-
burg railroad and kindred enterprises tremen-
aous revolution would be wrought in Portland.
T. w. Guptil Esq, of Saco was then called
upon, and gratfied the audience by an earnest
and brilliant speech, in which he vivedly pic
tured the evils of intemperance from the stand
point of personal experience and made o NOV
ing appeal to people Of all classes and eondi-
tons to unite in doing away with the curse.
Such course has been followed in Saco, and
to day there is not an open bar in that city. and
not drunkard to be seen in her streets from
one days end to another.
AT this stage Of the meeting the following
despatch was read
Inc boys OIL Bangor send you greeting. Go
on in your noble work. We are gathering
them in. DR.. HENRY A. REYNOLDS.
This dispatch was received with cheers.
The Rev. Mr.. Blanchard OF Biddeford, then
briefly addressed the meeting. making an earn
est appeal to those present to help on the good
cause.
Mr.. Blanchard was followed by Miss Scales,
President of the Women's Crusade organza-
ton in this city, who made an eloquent appeal
to the ladies to join her in saving men from the
curse of intemperance She related many touch
ing incidents which had come under her obser-
vation during her labors in the noble work.
Mr.. Frank York, President Of the BiddefoTd
Reform Club, then made a touching appeal for
all to sign the pledge. He was followed in
brief and enthusiastic remarks by Messrs. T.
81. Foss, Francis Masphy and j. K. Osgood
BY this tins the audience was worked up to a
high pitch Of enthusiasm, and over a hundred
signed the pledge.
The meeting was spirited and evidently sat-
isfactory. 1t will be followed by another at 8
o'clock this afternoon Worthy men in this
city have put their hands to the plough, aud
will not turn back.