The Portland daily press., 1876-01-21
The Temperance Convention.
Governor ConnOr's Address-The Reform
Club-The Woman's Temperance Move-
mens-A Review of the Movement.

The following is the text of Gov. Connor's
address on taking the chair:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Conventions:
am sensible of the honor of being called
upon to preside over this assembly of temper
ance men and women of Maine tender you
in return, my sincere acknowledgements and
the best services at my command. The call by
which you are convened is comprehensive
one in regard to both persons and purposes. 1t
extends to all who have desire to promote
temperance and to put stop to the sale of in
toXicating liquors in the state. and it proposes
the consideration of whatever measures may
be brought forward for accomplishing the de.
sired object.
The present year is fitting time for review
ing all that has been done in any direction
affecting the welfare of the people, and for de-
irving from the experience lessons for profit in
the coming years. The success which has been
achieved in this, the greatest social reform now
engaging the attention of those who love their
fellow-men, is most gratifying and encouraging
However far the full realization of the pur-
pose in view may seem, there is yet much to be
thankful for. There is the undeniable great
good which has actually been accomplished for
humanity. Intemperance has ceased to be re-
garded as venial sin, the use of Intoxicating
liquors, in this state at least, has gone out of
fashion, and public order and private happi-
ness have been greatly advanced. There is,
too, development and organization of forces
which must eventually win over or overpower
all opposition and fulfil the perfect wo-k Of the
reform.
Among the potent agencies which are now
arrayed on the side of temperance, are the
prevailing public sentiment; large body of
earnest, able men devoted to its advocacy;
leagues and organizations for protecting the
young from the dangers ahead and for reclaim
ing the unfortunate who have become the vic
tims-in most cases the unwilling ones-of the
baneful habit; science teaches that alcohol is
injurious alike to body and mind, and religion
and morality, warning of its destruction to the
soul and all the higher powers that man has
been endowed with; social economy present.
ing its statistics of the COST the wastefulness
and utter unprohtableness of the use of in
toxicating liquors, and humanity, crying out
imploringly against the countless woes it en-
tails; and all these voices have their expression
in the law upon the statute books which sets
an authoritative seal of condemnation upon
the sale of liquors and makes all who engage
in it illegally as the defiers of their fellow.
citizens and the enemies of the public good.
The call for this convention indicates pur-
pose to adhere to the two methods of action
which have thus far been pursued with such
81 gnal success-the persuasive method and the
coercve. 1t is idle to query which is the better
and more efficacous. Both are needed; each
supplements and reacts favorably upon the
other. The law, if it does no other good, de-
notes the sentiment of majority of the people
and thus lends moral weight to conciliatory
efforts. On the other hand, persuasion induces
greater respect for the law; in the presence of
the manifold kindly acts and the unwearied per-
sistence which characterize the efforts of tenn
perance men and women to incline all to prac-
tically side with them, the opponents of the
law cannot without shamefacedness stigma
tie it as the offspring of fanatical and tyran-
nical spirit. But the persuasive method has
the important advantages of drawing to itself
the approval Of the whole community, almost
without exception, and of doing noble work
which is entirely beyond the scope of the COM
pulsory method. Here at least there can be no
mistake; here every instrumensality at COM
mand-tongue and pen, individual and organ:
lied energies may be exerted to the utmost of
their power, and none can gainsay the fairness
OF the triumphs that are sure to follow. Your
presence to-day is an assurance that there will
! be no relaxation of the strenuous work in this
direction, which has distinguished the temper
ance movement In these later years.
would not presume to advise what further
/ line of action should be followed. Seldom has