The Portland daily press., 1876-08-10
NATIONAL TEMPERANCE CAMP.
MEETING.
Second Days Exercises-Address of Gov.
Conner.

temperance camp-meetlng at Old orchard
| Beach. The second day was ushered in with a
| clear sky and cool breeze, which continued all
day, much to the pleasure of both the manag
ers and the great crowd which attended.
At 10 a. m. about 800 persons assembled on
| the ground, rather small number, but the
| meeting made up in enthusiasm what was
| acked in numbers.
| Mr. Osgood of Gardiner presided and after
| calling the meeting to order introduced Rev.
Mr.. Luce of Portland, who offered prayer. AT
ter prayer Mr.. Osgood made few Introductory
| remarks. His remarks were confined chiefly
| to description of his own experience both as
| drinking man and reformer. Mr.. Osgood
| is a man of modest demeanor and thoroughly
| in earnest in his work.
| Dr. Brickett of Augusta, former President of
| the Gardiner Reform Club, next spoke. He
said that the three great cardinal principles Of
the reform clubs were non-poltical. non-secta-
| rian and prosecuting. Under the guidance
Of these glorious principles they had accom-
plished their great work of reform. He allud-
ed to the two different wings of the temperance
party under the leadership of Mr.. Osgood and
DR.. Reynolds. The difference between these
contending factions is simply this. The former
are known as the men of the blue ribbon, the
latter of the red ribbon. The enc admits both
the signers of the iron-clad and general pledges
into its reform clubs the latter admits as mem
berS ef its clubs only those who have signed the
iron-ciad pledge. Both DR.. Reynolds and Mr. !.
Osgood the speaker considered excellent men
and acknowledged the great work performed
I,x,& IL - e.
harmony and exhorted all to throw aside all
minor differences and present a solid front
against the common enemy.
He was followed by Mr.. Chadbourne Presi.
dent of the Saco Reform Club, who spoke
strongly in favor Of the prohibitory law. Mr.
Osgood then introduced, in a pleasant speech in
which he alluded to the power of the press,
Mr.. Warren, President of the reform club of
Mechanic Falls, and one of the editors of the
Androscoggin Herald. Mr.. Warren delivered
{. polished and finished address which was fire.
quently interrupted by applause. He is fine
speaker and has done much for the reform
movement.
Mr.. John NJ. Thompson, President of the
Newfied Reform Club, was the last speaker of
the forenoon. He said he was moral suasion.
list, He said there were too many luke-warm
Christians in the movement, and handled some
of the ministers without gloves His remarks
elected much applause, the audience greatly
enjoying his sharp hits.
About 5000 persons assembled on the ground
in the afternoon. When the Governor with
the Executive Committee came upon the plat
form the audience burst into a thunder of ap-
plause which lasted for several minutes
After prayer by Rev. Mr.. Allen of Orono
Mr.. Murphy introduced Governor Conner. His
excellency was received with great enthusiasm.
He spoke as follows:
GOV. CoNNoR's ADDRESS.
The Committee of the Association has asked
me to speak word OF greeting to you. 1t is
an honor and a pleasure to me to perform that
office; to bid you who have come here in the
love of your fellow men and with the desire
and will to benefit them, to consult together
how you may best relieve them from the cause
of intempersnce, an ernest and cordial well
come. l know that L utter the sentiments of
the people of the State in assuring you that
this assemblage is an honor and qualification
to them, and you who know Maine to be the
theatre of a Lexington and Yorktown in the
war of independence you are now conducting,
cannot doubt the sincerity of the welcome they
extend you.
The scope of such benevolence assEyours
includes broader and broader fields and enlists
an ever enlarging concert of action. The bond
which unites the friends of temperance in all
sections and all lands, is not alone one of SYM
pathy, of sentiment merely, but of common in
terest and mutual benefit. You cannot not, if
you would, restrict the good effects of your
labors to the respective localities where they
are exercised. An impetus given to the tenn
perance movement in one State is transmitted
to State after State, and refreshes the courage
and hope of its friends elsewhere. Every ad-
vance made in other lands tends to further pro-
gress in ur.own country Every point gained
in one quarter helps to like success in other
sections and countries. The knowledge of this
mutual dependence, common sense Of the
need of cooperation and reciprocal support
has led to the formation of this National
and International Association, under whose
auspices you are now assembled.
The very fact of the establishment of such
an association, is the proof of the strength
which the great social Of reform of our age has
acquired. The days of small beginnings in this
reform are past. Not many years ago the pro-
test that arose here and there against the evils
of intemperance, were regarded as the vain
pleadings of weak philanthrophy, and they
who cried out in warning and strove to rouse
their communities to action against the great
wrong they were tOlerating, were held as fana-
ties and impracticables. The men are among
US to-day who have suffered prosecutions on ac-
count of their devotion for conscience sake and
for humanity. to the work of relieving society
from the monster vice that afficts it. Aiding
the incorporate by entreaty, encouragement
and sympathy to regain sober manhood, bring
ing all influences to bear upon youth to keep
them from the destroyer, appealing to individ-
uals and society for sympathy and support, and
boldly denounclng the men who gather their
profits from their brothers misery and degreda-
ton, these "little companies of poor men"
worked on, strengthened by success, yet undis-
mayed by failure. To-day, hostility to the sale
and use of alcoholic liquors is power in the
world. Religion, science. morality, public
order, political economy-these are now the
friends and allies Of temperance, and give it
their support through able advocates. 1t has
given laws to many enlightened and important
States, and has gained respectful consideration
in some of the proudest forums; wherever it has
been accepted and honored there the sum of
public and private prosperity and happiness
has been so advanced as to afford the most
cheering hope that the solution OF some of the
darkest social problems has been discovered
and that this way lies the path of mankind to
higher state of well-being.
On whatever new ground the standard of
temperance reform may be planted, the ustre
OF its achievements commands attention and
compels respect for it, This association is also
hopeful augury for the future of the reform.
The workers in the temperance field have been
sngularly ingenious in the application of the
common methods of action and in devising
new instrumentalities for accomplishing the
work before them. May this new enterprise
which we are assisting so happy in its concep-
ton, realize in effectiveness the utmost expect
atioDs of its projectors and founders. An an
nual conference of the representatives of the
worlds thinkers, directors and laborers in this
beDefcence, must be productive of the grand
est results. Here is fitting field and occasion
for reasoning together giving and receiving
counsel, publishing reports of the condition and
prospects Of the cause IN the various countries
and sections where it is making way, and for
consolidating the agencies and inspiriting the
influences which bear upon the object in view.
The arguments here ELECTED by discussion, the
facts presented, will furnish all the host who
hattie for the right and the good with new
weapons, and attract recruits to the ranks.
Above all, this contact and union of earnest
men will serve to confirm the strong, strengthen
the weak and enlist the hesitating through the
magnetic power of enthusiasm.
L congratulate you on the many auspicious
circumstances under which you are assembled.
And first, that you are met on the soil of Maine,
the state that by its world-famous law has
made itself an exemplar to all other sta ties, and
Mecca to all temperance men. This is the
twenty-ffth anniversary Of the adoption of
that law. Save a brief Punishment from
which it returned reinvigorated, it has kept its
place and withstood the assaults of its enemies
for quarter of century. To-day it is more
firmly fixed than ever in the regard of the PEG.
pie and is as strongly enforced as any other
law of the state. 1t is the natural product of
1ao