Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-05
REV. j. A. POTTER:

ny, the slave OF vicious habits and evil pas
sions, Freedom in mind body and soul was
his birthright and its restoration was the
object ofall reform and all human progress,
to the end that man might attain to his nor
NAL condition-the condition in which his
maker left him when he pronounced him
very good. When every foe to pure and ex-
a.ted manhood was subdued and honesty, so.
briefly, purity and temperance prevailed
would this condition be attained. The
speaker congratulated the country that a
celebration of the national holiday upon q
Temperance basis was possible-that the
many would to day sing the country's
praises with sober breath and steady nerve
who had in times gone by been accustomed
to join In baclanalian feast and maudlin
song. He congratulated the city of Yank-
ton upon the growth of temperance senti-
ment here-a growth which made possible
the gathering he addressed, the friends of
temperance on the success Of their labors.
the noble women whose zeal and earnest.
ness had been so previdentially instrumen.
tai in forwarding the success of the move
ment, the band of beautiful and interesting
children before him who thus early in life
had enrolled themselves under the banner
of temperance.
He conceived it to be emincnty proper
and right that the maintenance of tie grand
principles of the Declaration of Indepcn-
dence and the institutions to which it had
given birth should engage the attention of
the people on this 1920 anniversary of the
nation. We had too long given neglect to
the moral character of national social and
political questions rs bearing upon the
qualifications Of free citizenship. 1t was
time to learn that mental culture alone was
not sufficient to constitute the American
freeman in his highest sphere. 1t was time
to learn that large moral and spiritual ele,
ment must enter into the texture Of a mai
hood strong enough TO meet the strain of
democratic institutions. The sad examples
furnished by the republics of Greece and
Rome taught US that no amount of mere IN.
tellectual culture was sufficient to render
government stable. The widespread cor
ruption attached to the important functions
of American citizenship was largely attri.
butable to the neglect to enforce the moral
character of social and political actions.
One of the neglected public reforms was
that of temperance. which had an important
bearing upon national politics. 1t had been
confined to the sphere of private work.
Intemperance was no friend to peace, good
order, right, liberty nor national prosperity,
and it should be considered not alone in
its bearings upon private morals, but
in the broader scope of its effect upon ma.
tional civil institutions. The records Of
history showed that the use of strong drink
had operated most disastrously against ma.
tivns and that many of the most powerful
in their waning days had sought by legls-
lation to prevent its USE Drunkenness wa.
the inveterate foe of national greatness. Oul
beloved land would prove no exception to
the sad precedent of history. Intemperance
was today exerting the full strength of its
influence to undermine the temple of liberty
to thwart the aims of our bencficient insti
tutions. 1t was thrustine it gaunt, and
trembling fingers into the nations vtals to
tear and rend them when the day of its pow.
er should come. 1t was spreading blight
and mildrew in the homes of the land
wrecking their fondest hopes. blasting their
fariest dreams. Its bleared and bloated
presence was thrust upon society, tainting
its very air. 1t was eating out the charac.
ter Of the nation, debauching its manhood,
the hope and stay of our free institutions.
1t was devouring our revenues, and burden.
ing the government with q vast army ol
criminals and paupers.
The evil effect of the use of intoxicants
were shown up in detail, the speaker clos
ing his address as follows:
} Through no agency has the integrity Of
our legislation been 80 outraged ,our nation Z
honor 30 disgraced as through the agenc,
of intoxicants. No patriot can recall thu
disgraceful scenes of the last session of the
g congress without shame and the prostitution
of the ballot through rum Is notorious
No part of community is SO active as tha
which lives in the indulgence of animal ap
petites. Hence it Is that rum has become
, psigns and elections. Hence it is that th,
rum shop and the club room here becom
: the centres of our political system. Her
= are mapped out our political campaigns, her
the machinery Of our elections Ii arranged
Here our national councils are begun. On
Of the ooze al mud ofdlinkin2 holes spri,
administrations. In this soil is planted tn
d seed ofjudges, and out Of spring much o
e our legislation. Rum. be it said, to ou
o shame, is one of the most active element
In American politics. This cannot bu
's spread ruin through the state. Jefferson
's said NO WON IN should be trusted with ofl,c
d who drank, and it Is equally clear that ~
;. man with his brain, muddled with rum
y competent to WELD bis countr,'s destinie
e by the ballot, and just so long as elector
N 60 reeling to the polls. and legislators r
j. drunkenlv about the business OF the natioI
Will We 90 people be victims of unwis
" L 1ooSa1ae1o~ nd n<41 ~ 4 -