The New York herald., 1877-02-05
AMERICAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

Science Hail. Ia Eighth street, was filed 10 is ut.
most capacity yesterday afternoon at tho meeting Of
the American Temperance Union. Tho meeting was
called TO order ut three O'Clock by Mr.. j. b. Gibbs
tho President, and several hymns were sung after
which prayer IN rather vigorous style, was offered
by tho Rev. Mr.. Hutchinson. Mr.. Gibbs then intro-
duccd Mr.. Elijah A. Morse. OF Massachusetts, as
the speaker Of tho day. Mr.. Morse's address was
witty aud full Of droI stories aud illustrations He
began by propoundlng tho conundrum, ''why am | a
temperance man ?" and in answer. told the story OF
Leigh Hunts "Abou Ben Adhem." and then said that
he was temperance man because he loved his fellow
mon.
APPALLING STATISTICS.
In the OF his address ne said that statistics
showed that each year thero 90 600 who died
the drunkard's DEATH 600 murders and 500 suicides
and 10000 paupers, all directly attributable rum.
In view OF these appalling figures how II be said
that there Is nothing new 10 bo said the temper
ancc question: There Is always something How
Is II these figures are iruo that our courts and
Legislature DO not ihcm Mr.. Morse
SAID that reminded HIM Of u story about
man tho was accused ol stealing hams. Four W.T.
ncsscs saw HIM steal the hams, aud his own counsel
could say nothing IN his iavor but his previous good
Character and yet the jury acquitted him. HIS counsel
aiicrward privately asked nun how It was, and he
plied, "Thc Jury had some OF tho hams. rhat's
what's tho matter with our lawmakers, saia tha
speaker; they've Lad some OF the hams Henry vii.
son. the late Vice President, asked at dinner
by lady to take glass OF VINE. He refused, aud
then askci pass IL to lady near him. liz
again refused. saying "Wo to him that pultcth thu
bottle TO hts ncghbors lips" That's tho kind VI
temperance men ~ have.
mot PEs.n
Some men call themselves temperance men, but
wont sign the pledge They like an freshman IN
Boston who went cold morning to sell pies.
'Hot pies /" he cried. About a bought one,
but, on biting IT, found It frozen iIow, you rascal,
do you Call hot pies, when this Is frozen ~ "Arrah
bc aisy sir; that's the nanic oi EN-" And
II Is with temperance men VINO object 10 sign tho
pledge They have the name but nothing else. Tho
hope OF tho country, said Mr Morse Is IN the boys
hcathcn mother took her boy tho altar aud
ought We to take our boys and mako them
nal hatred 20 rum. Some say they drink let 10
alone This IL faacy. The man VINO begins TO tam
per with these poisons knows where no s gong
10 fetch up whether as suicide murderer pau
per. The speaker then told mule story TO illustrate
ton TO the bncksder VINO had broken hts pledge TO
renew IT, 'We will save you, Will help you. 4"
Rum never did any one any good, and when Mr.. Bar.
0nco Iccturing Philadelphia n man SAID
that rum had done hun good, and Barnum wanted Ia
engage him as wonderful curiosity.
riiE LADIES IN THE CAUSE.
Addressing himself then to tho ladies Mr.. Morse
In tho town in Massachusetts where came from thcro
have been 900 signatures tho temperance pledge.
onchait OF which were obtained through tho persua.
SION OF women IL tho young ladies' would decline 10
be couricd or married Oy drinking men they would
wonderfully ncp the cause. But ttcy don't Iiko 10
appear mean. tell you there Is something worse
than appearing mean, ana that Is to be drunkards
wiie.' The speaker tncn read extract from paper
referring to case which recently happened in tnls
CITY OF young woman who driven from her homo
ny drunken husband, and whose chl frozen 10
death Ia her arms IN consequence.