The Portland daily press., 1878-02-28
TIE TEMPERANCE ALLIANCE.
Organization of a State Associa.;on-
Large Gathering of Tem perauce Meu-
City HALL Meeting.


| parts of the state gathered at Congress Hall t,
| consider the matter of the organization of
| State Temperance Alliance similar 10 the or
| ganization in Massachusetts,.
| The meeting was called TO order BY Hon
Benjamin Kingsbury, Jr., and after the sing
| Jog of hymn, Rev. Mr.. Luce offered PRAYER
"Hold the Fort" was then sung, after whicl
| the chairman was made temporary President
! 6. G. Rich of Portland. and Col. Milstt o
Gorham, were appointed Secretaries, and Hon,
| Neal Dow was chosen Vice President.
The following committees were chosen:
To Nominate Oficers-Rev. WI. Eaton q
Cape Elizabeth, NJ G. Palmer. Portland, J. L
Frink, Bloomfield, Rev. Joseph Colby, Cor
ham, Rev. q. Munger, Pennington.
On Constitution-Neal Dow, j. B. File
brown, Rev. !. Luce, f. A. Smith, Portland
Rev. Zeuas Thompson, Deering.
On Resolutions-F. 6. Rich and Rev. j. r
Day of Portland Judge Tallmau of Bath, W
j. Corthell, Calais, Fl. R. Millitt, Gorham.
The congregation then sang "The Sweet
Bye and Bye
A resolution was offered that frst-cass
state temperance paper be established, under
the auspices Of the Alliance and it was referred
to the Committee on Resolutions, and they in
turn referred it to the Directors
Mr. Ssearns of New York was called on to
address the meeting. He said he was not pre-
pared to speak, and would only say word. He
said that the liquor dealers in New York paid
more than $3,00O,O00 for licenses the past year.
When Mr.. Astor gets up and says that liquor
selling is all right, the press of the country say
it is big speech and is all right. Thus the
people have no idea of the temperance senti-
ment because the newspapers will not tell the
truth about it. The law of Maine is the only
one that fills the bill to prevent the sale of
liquor. We can't make much Roadway in New
York because we have no law to back US up.
If we had the Maine law we could do some
thing.
Mr.. Kingsbury said that the people Of the
state proposed to show the world sovereign
state where there is not to be found single
open ram shop. This is what we show the
state of New York, which is the head centre of
this liquor fend. There is sometimes curiosi.
ty to know how this temperance movement
started. 1t commenced in the Kennebec val
ley and now we have sent out from this state
such men as Francis Murphy, Bryant and Dr.
Reynolds. Now L will introduce to you the
originator of this movement, Mr.. J. K. Osgood
of Gardiner
Mr. Osgood said he YVES always willing to do
what he could to help forward the grand move.
ment. We must remember that it is the duty
of this convention to cement together all the
Temperance elements in the state. 1t was Gods
work which six years ago saved me from a
drunkard's grave. l am not prepared to make
a-speecb, but do wish to say that ifor more
than four years have been praying for Just
this movement. l am glad to be able to see
this gathering, and hope we may act pru-
IDENTIFY and wisely, and God will help US and fu-
ture generations will rise up and call us
blessed.
The audience then sang 'Rock of Ages
with much spirit.
Gen. James A. Hall, of Damariscoita, was
introduced. He was willing to make an ALI
auce with any temperance society. He thought
there should be an alliance in fact as well as in
name. II we can't have better alliance here
than they have in Massachusetts we had better
not have any at all. do not want to have this
sly lie of temperance reform. If were citizen
of the State Of Massachusetts, should ever de-
mand that the liquor traffic be stopped or Bun
grace to have such monument in a State
where this traffic is allowed. They license MUIR
der and every other crime in tAat State. This
may be called radical, but that is just what is
needed 10 some parts of this country. The
time has come when any one who proclaims the
advancement of education and morals dares
not argue for license. The hard-fought bat
tie at Augusta recently showed what the"sick"
people of this country want. The vote on the
druggists bill, however, showed that there was
not much sickness after all The result is
glowing eulogy to the people of the State. L
have been reading upon the question of medic
inal qualities in liquor, and l believe it, A
few years from now we shall not be talking
around upon who and where the stuff shall be
sold, but it will be said that nowhere will it be
allowed We shall never rise to the point
which we wish to reach until the manufacture
and importation of tLis stuff is prohibited.
Mr. Kingsbury said in answer to remark
by Gen. Hall that there was not single open
bar in Portland city, and what was sold is to
be found 10 the slums of the city.
Rev. I. Luce of the committee on constitu-
ton reported as follows:
Whereas. The friends of temperance in Maine, act
ing through variety OF organizations for the period
OF more than quarter OF century, and aiming at
the general dsuse of intoxicating liquors as bev-
erage and the suppression by law of all traffic in
them except for medicinal use and the purposes of
the useful arts have with the blessing of God,
wrought most desirable changes in the sentiments
and social customs OF the people Of this State well
as in Its laws; and
Whereas, The glorious results of past efforts
should not only excite thankulness for past success
but stimulate us to the employment, on more ex-
tended scale, of all Observation-Disclosures thus blessed of
God and sanctioned by experience. it has seemed
good to the undersigned citizens of Maine to organ
hQ mn nd W
accomplishment of the great and benefcent ends we
aim at, viz: the removal from this state OF the
scourge and curse of drunkenness, and so far as
possible, OF all which tends to its production land
for our guide and government in an associate
capacity we have adopted the following:
ARTICLE L. This Society shall be known by the
name Of "THE MAINE TEMPERANCE ALLIANCE
ART II. This Association shall consist of all such
persons who have signed the call for its organization,
its officers, aud all who may contribute one dollar or
annually to its funds agreeing to the terms of
Art. Ill. of this Constitution.
ART III. The members of this Association pledge
to each other and to the world. that they will abstain
from the use, as a beverage, of all intoxicating
liquors, wine and cider included; that they will not
manufacture traffic in them to be thus used; that
they will dscountenance such manufacture, traffic
and use by others, and that they will make direct
and perseverng efforts to extend the principles and
blessings of temperance, and to recover the intern
perate to habits of sobiiety.
ART w. The funds of this Association, for the
prosecution of its labors shall consist of such moneys
as may be obtained from annual members honorary
members and life members and from donations and
from other private and public requests to its treas
ury.
ART. V. The annual meeting of the Alliance
shall be held in the month OF January, the day and
place to be fixed by the Board of Directors.
ART. vi. The officers of this Association shall
consist of President, ten Vice Presidents, Secre
tary and an Executive Committee consisting of ont
from each county in the State who shall be chose1
at the annual meeting and who together, shall con
stitnte the Executive Board.
The reading of resolution called out a lively
discussion as to whether it was necessary to in
clnde wine and cider, and Mr.. George W
Murch stirred up the troubled waters still more
by motion to strike out the word beverage
in the pledge and TINS prohibit the use of liquo
as medicine The object of the society was
also questioned. One gentleman thought that
unless the society was to do something more
than other societies were doing, it was useless
to organize. Messrs. Osgood and Hall defend
ed the association and thought it could be made
the means of good.
1t was finally agreed that wine and eide
should be made part of the pledge, but on thu
question of striking out the word beverage tn
matter was not so easily settled. Mr. Osgoo
said that there were many good temperate
/ workers in the otate who would object to &C