Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-03-26
THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.

Inspired by tho results Of the women's tenn. !
perance movement elsewhere, and impelled by =
n desire to aid the cause of temperance in this
city, number of ladies held meeung yester- ,
NJ. f. Church. The meeting was quite largely t
attended by many of the most respectable la 8
,les of our city We are furnished with the
following report of the proceedings:
The meeting was called to order by Miss 9
Annie Semple, tho originator OF the movement
on whose motion Mrs. Elizabeth Smith was
called to the chair, and Miss Emma Worrell
appointed Secretary.
the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians were read,
upon the suggestion OF one of the ladies', As
being quite appropriate.
Tho President then delivered the following
address
EaIEsp,:-We are here this afternoon to en-
ter our protest against Intemperancs and the
deadly evils resulting from the liq uor traffic, to
take council together, aud to consider what
measu es we may adopt TO prevent the importa-
tiop, manufacture aud sale OF intoxicating drinks
We firmly believe in the efficacy Of prayer, and
that the dear brave women who are working in
the cause elsewhere were inspired by God for |
tEeir grand work. Bat we also believe that NOR
al or religious means are comparatively powerless,
when not sustained by correct legislation.
| Perhaps all present are aware of the enor |
NOUS amount of lives lost, and Of money sacri- !
feed yearly. by legalizing crime and protecting
the liauor business We are told by the Liquor
Mems Aduocate, published at Pittsburg, Pa,
that fire hundred millions Of dollars passed
through their hands last year, and that each ga
loon averages eighty regular customers. When
We think how many saloous are daily and night
| ly open, we see what an element for evil is
cherished in our midst. Truly 'the fields are
already white unto the harvest, bat the laborers
are few indeed.
Common humanity requires that al should
labor for reform, snte ho sex, No aCrelurs, no
rank, no condition is exempt from danger
i Ii is peculiarly fitting that women should take
up this subject and seek to crush out the evil be-
cause women are Inevitably the greatest OF
sufferers
4 Shall We MT then euter the service into
which God seems to be leading US? Permit RE
TO call your attention TO the morifying fact that
even women themselves are not clear of this
fearful evil. Scarcely au evening paper comes
into cur homes but reports Que or more wretch
ed women locked up for drunkenness Now
and then We are shocked at finding not only
: poor outcasts but that educated women of good
families are guilty And certainly on Gods
, earth there eau be no more p,tiful sight than a
a drunken woman.
/ Realizing. then, the subject in all its snormi.
o ty. the question comes: "Wbat can we do to stem
x this current, to turn back this fatal tide?' Be-
8 ing only women, unfortunately we cannot enact
e laws forbidding the traffic-otherwise it would
. not be a year until the country was redeemed
To stop the effect the cause must be removed.
o And how shall it be done? AS regardes
v / the Civil Damage Act, we must remember it
does not precent the sale of liquor, but only
n compelS he vender to pay damages. 1t does
not cheer the wites broken heart, feed the
o hungry children, nor provide snug home,
Local Option laws are so easily evaded tina
E, it would seem scarcely worth whileto petition
for them, yeti might be one step toward
t. gaining absolute prohibition. But as half way
ii measuses will not stop an evil, Local Optiol
), and Civil Damage laws are better than Doth
= ing; but while We are on our knees let us asl
~ for what we want-and that is nothing shor
OF pr0hsbltOyy liquor law.
"The right of petition is one of the mos
+ precious boons youchsafed to us by the prin
u, cipeS of self government"
III We certainly have the need as well as tn
}; y1ght to be heard on behalf of social mora
~ ~ and national interests, and where il there
~ ~ subject in which the rights of the goyerne
Us are more deeply interested?
le May God grant it more and more. that /
81 every spehre of moral, political and social n
=. lations that the women of the whole couI
ar try unite in pronouncing most emphaticall
ba against its protection, and continuance
N And by all that is sacred and holy denidh
~. the repeal of existing laws which rob us {
fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons. w
nave the rigAt and it Is our duty to protest.
the name OF our children of the purity al
ID sanciity of our homes that they may no long
en- en- be exposed to this contagiOn. 1t Is desolatiI
h our happy homes AID drowning in its bitt
he waters youth and hope and life, and O
al, that life holds most dear and most sacred.
Il. Catharine NJ. Shipley, of Philadelphia, wi
.ss but recently returned from q visit to Cinci
as natti, was present and upon invitation ga
Of | an interesting account OF the wOmen'S wO
1 Oh .HNI
go organizations and operations which ha
re already been fully detailed in the daily pape
en of the country.
he She appealed to all for the largest chari
ess for thsee who feel impelled to work In W,
it different from their own. No one knew, s
said, what effect certain measures might hay
for influence over saloon keepers was oft
ar peculiar.
in The speaker cloaed with feeling appeal TO
his TO rousc up and begin the labor. She had mu
at faith IN prayes, in the conveyance OF the gosI
he to degraded men, but had also quite as much
good active work.
n):l hrs. c. w. Rowland then read an interesti
of letter from friend in the West, containing
he thrilling and insprlting account, and further
net; tails Of the womens movement in Ohio
wv; Mrs Spencer, while she had not any clearly
ese fined plan to propose favoredIorganization as
or first step
se' The President stated that she was anxious
u. do som ehing to affect legislation to havt
anita nf,,r av,Ae Ia lin,a
ley con.lo, .no NJ ,ha ,,ort narmanant sho d;d ,
:. fael ready to enter into the .crusade' as it
~, been carried on in the West, and feared the pr
aru ent excitement might pass away without effect
~ a lasting good
ON. Mrs. Hollingsworth wished more string
all prohioitory law, uhu iel. .eneouuagea oy Wual
are have the churches enlisted, the clergymen
of church members interested. Few, she tkoug
the lave not felt IN their lives the influence OF int,
rsal perance and therefore selfish motives if not
to higher duties ot charity shouid impei them 10
f f,.ts far a abatement