Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-24
Gov. COnnOr's Address.

| Following are the remarks of Gov. Common
made at Portland, on Tuesday, in welcoming the
Right Worthy Grand Lodge of Good Templas
| Mr.. President II am called upon by your com
mitee to render what is essentially, SO far, l am
sure, as the ladies and gentlemen before me are
| concerned superfluous service to welcome to the
| State of Maine representatives from abroad of au
organization having for It's object the entire sboli-
ton of the use of alcoholic liquors as q drink.
Superfuous, because they must indeed have served
| a short apprenticeship in the work to which the
Order of Good Templais is devoted, who do not
feel at home and sure Of welcome On the soil and
among the people Of this State ON an occasion of
this kind 1t is. however, pleasure able office to
me to formulate the courtesy which the hearts of
our people greet you WITH and to bid you, dele
gates OF the Good Templars to this grand gather
ing Of your Order, q warm and cordial welcome
for the sake OF the cause you serve and in the
hope that your assembage here may be fruitful of
good to our own communities and 10 those which
you represent. Whether you come from sister
states near or remote, from neighboIing countries
or sroff lands, or from the islands of the seas
Maine gladly receives you and holds in honor this
parliament and federation which you have con-
voked heTe in her Chief city.
TDe branches of your order established In the
| towns and villages Of this State are known and
appreciated as doors Of good works and centres of
benefcent influences. he hun dreds Of their me m
bers now ming Ing with you, superadd TO their
greeting of You Good Templar., the courteous
dues of the citizen and host TO the stranger and
guest. Not only are you among these sworn
friends, comrades in q strong union for knightly
service IN tie rescue OF your fellow men from the
penis Of indulgence in drink, but you stand upon
The classic ground OF temperance reform, and in
The midst Of people, majority of whom are
staunch Hegemen to the cause you have at heart,
the earnest friends and supporters of every sgen-
cy and effort that tends to aid it on 10 victory.
Years ago they were strong in the be lief that the
baue Of strong drink could aud should be de-
stroyed; and out Of that belief sprang determin-
alton, and determination has invented and in
spired varied forms Of action, and through them
some tomorrow will be made glorious with sue
cess.
The magnitude Of the evil which you array
yourselves against does not need to be established
oy argument or proof. You do not war with
shadows. Eloquent orators who address them
selves TO this theme, stare US with recitRls Of the
costumes and wasteiulness of the drinking ha bit,
and thHl US with vivid portrsyals of the crimes
The s1hetngs and shames, the innumerable forms
OF wretchedness and woe which il entails; but
rarely does deliberate Investigation disclose any
material discrepancy between the facts and state
ments that seem to be the exaggerstions of fervid
defamation. Its urdensomeness and horrors are
known and confessed of all men who read. observe
and reflect The long lists of unIm pc acha BILE wit.
nesses, OF men whose opinions have the weight OF
authority, who cry out against it's constantly
lncreaselng, and the appeals that are made to
rescue It's victims, to protect the unwary from its
whes and 10 do away with it utterly as sin and .
reproach, swell ever higher and louder and grow
IN the earnestness snc power and pathos Of their
ND gnation and entrealy. Ask the patriot the
statesman, the political economist, what one thing
would cohduee more than any other to the glory,
Tue strength and prosperity of his countryf.
some OF the nobest Of them have answered. The
removal Of the blight and curse of strong drink.
ASK The ohicers OF justice how crime may most
eiiectually be lessened. the dispensers Of public
charities, how the number Of applicants for their
doles be diminished, the physician, how the raw
ages OF disease Of body and mind may be checked,
aud Ike reply Is prompt and decided. What
thinking man can fail to concur in the opinion, SO
often and authentstively expressed, that the most
dlcect and eihectual way OF aiding every kindly
clarity. every agency for allevating human misery
OF leading men TO better lives and Of making hap
pier homes, Is to destroy the hide0us vice which
al every iuin obstructs, mocks at and brings TO
naughl the good that human pity seeks TO do.
lhere are no compromising benefits from the
habhual use Of Intoxicating liquors to Affect the
mischief 1t works. Ii is, at least . "pleass ut
wee, the satisfaction Of luxurious taste Grant
ing that soiAe may crafty that taste without in
jury, an admission that does not 20 unchallenged
no man can be sure that be s not Of that humber
we may point al this man and that who tempts
| ne Danger without seattle, but we cannot argue
nefefom that that way no danger lies. As we'll
point at the decimatcd regiment marching from