The Republican journal., 1877-07-05
Plain Talk by the Mayor of Boston.
from the Boston Post !

'i'tii ASIIlI'1itIllC l lliOil Dt AlUSSlCUllStll
met Mayor Prince at his office in Cit
h Hall yesterday morning by appointment
d and presented him with memorial in be
d halt OF their organization, asking that II
. intoxicating liquors shall be furnished, a
! the expense OF the city, when the ban
/. quet IS given by the city of Boston il
honor OF the President OF the Unite,
States
The memorial says:
Much as We may desire ii, it is impos
/ slplt TO stop the Incorporate use of liquo
by the masses While moderate drinllin!
Is fashionable in the best society. Their
| VIII be Whiskcy- drinking in the slums 0
the city 50 long us there is Wine drnkn.
| III Its palatial residences. The perniciou.
social drinking customs ut the day, Whicl
are SO rulnouS to So many Of the sons o
the commonwealth. are not wholly the
outcome Of The appetitrs and habits o
their victims the fashions OF the bos
society are largely responsible for them
IN occasion Of this kind affords an o.
lortunItN for eNerting an influence loi
good or evil such as is rarev offered
Tins banquet is To be given hV the city
OF Boston III honor uf the Chief Magis-
trate OF the nation. Can he be honore,I
by the observance OF Il custom which is
closely linked with debauchcry and dis
grace, and which has led so many of oll
best citizens into shame and tlishOnur !
HOW can we urge total abstinence upon
lhe masses, to whom it is the only safe
guard, II the city of Boston gives respect
ability to social drinking customs by sane
tlonng them on this august occasion .
We pray YOU To take such ac-
ton that this banquet may be undetiled
by Il social custom which is the relic of
an age OF sensuallty, when the civilization
was ruder and less noble in its moral
tone than that Of our time 50 shall tile
city of Boston establish distinguished
precedent for all similar occasions every
where, and the Chief Magistrate Of our
nation be truly honored.
THE RESPONSE OF THE MAYOR
was as follows:
merely would Sly III tiis moIneut. in
response, that whilst | agree with YOU,
ladies, and those You represent IN respect
to the horrors of intemperance. and do
not believe there are any words in the
English language sufficiently adequate
to describe those horrors, | differ entirely
| from YOU and those you represent with
reference to what You say in respect to
total abstinence. In the first place. it is
the part OF wisdom to regulate what vou
| cannot eradicate. We have tried two
| prohlbltory laws and found they have not
succeeded in accomplishing their objects.
ald | may SAY in this connection that |
lhNsell, thirty years ago, or nearly thirty
years ago, was in the Legislature when
the Maine Liquor Law first came up. and
voted Tor It for the purpose of trying it,
and 1t proved an utter failure can un-
derstand how enthusiasts expect to make
angels Of men and women. when we are
told we are somewhat lower than the
angels. in their earnestness to effect good
objects. and want very much indeed to
prevent the people from drinking any in
toNicating beverage The motive is hon
orable in them, but in my humble ludg
ment, and say it respectfully, it shows
utter ignorance OF human nature and the
laws that rule human toilt'"t ~ 'n'.'i
Mrs' Elvermore ulitcrrjiptih&) Gad-
nit what YOU say in reference to the Pro
hibitory Liquor Law.
Mayor Prince If You will allow me to
60 on 1t ia not true that the great pco-
pie OF this commonwealth, as urged here,
are in favor of prohibitory legislation, Is
shown by the issue at the polls. and these
prohibitory people seem to be ''groWing
smaller by degrees and beautifully less
Mrs. Livcrmore We are not advocat-
inc u Prohibitory Liquor Law in this
memorial.
Mayor Prince But YOU say total absti-
ncnce.
Mrs. Lvcrmore The inability to en-
force the prohibitoly Liquor Law arose
from the absence Of public sentiment be
hind it to compel its enforcement,
Mayor Prince differ from You there
Mrs. Livermore Is not Il law alWaS en-
forced when there is I; public sentiment
behind 1t ?
Mavor Prince. Yes.
Mrs Livcrnore Then the reason this
was not enforced is because there was not
the necessary public sentiment behind
it!
Mavor Princc-No cannot create that
sentiment.
Mrs I.ivcrmore That is what We are
trying To do.
Mavor Prince Your motives are
honorable and trustworthy. have been
thinking for thirty Years how to manage
! this question.
| Mrs. Livcrnore We have been think
ing Of it also for thirty years, as we are
not young women
Mayor Prince i understand that. If
You can satisfy me that the great desid
eratum can be accomplished You will
| ti,l ,ila 1S | think tharn -
no language adequate to describe the
horrors Of intcmpelancc. You cannot
accomplish Your object because it is not
right it should be accomplished. be
| lieve in temperance i'll all things. be
lieve wine was made to be enjoyed bN
man, and the fact that he abuses the
thing is no argument against its use.
Mrs. Richards-Is it not moderation
you mean
Mayor Prince Yes Most Of our pco-
pie do use, and moderately use, Wine
Take all the weather. classes Of Boston.
they use wine: are they drunkards
Mrs. Lyermore-N sir. But think
they are responsible for any actual drunk
enness.
Mayor Prince-Hasn't a great change
come over the community in regard to
drinking? Formerly Il party could be
seen tipsy and not loose the esteem Of
his acquaintanccs, but now if man is
seen drunk his character is ruined.
Mrs Livellnore The fact that there
has been this change is an argument for
a greater change. While we are working
among the lower classes throughout the
State in our reform clubs, we We're per
petually met by the objection from both
men and women, "Why should we give
up our whskey any more than those per
sons of the higher society should not give
up their wine p
Mayor Prnce-That is no argument.
Mrs. Livermorc-But they are on a
higher plane, and we are much accus-
toned to copy the manners and customs
of those above us. | believe the time
will come when it is possible for those
who wish to drink wine to say, ''We take
our stand on the basis of Christianity