The weekly clarion., 1878-04-24

! n mes. Earring households. ruined busi-
eSses, impoverished states, ragged and ig-
norant children. sin, denominations, dishon-
eSty, disgrace, crime aud ignoble drunkards
graves,
In the light of these great figures will
| any man who has the good OF his fellow
creatures heart. who loves his wife and
children, and wishes to add some little mite
! 10 the common glory of his country, tell
| me there is no necessity for this Murphy
movement. In the light of this colossal
expenditure, for an article which can de us
| no good and which only tends to sqnalIid
wretchedness, can any thinking man affect
/ surprise at the widespread bankruptcy
/ which affiicts the country.
Ine American people are to-day groaning
ahd nearly paralyZed under the weight oil
| An enormous indebtedness. Their public
and private debts have been estimated rs
/ hlGh as ten thOuS md .niilons of doll9Is
| Ihrre have been forty thousand business
| failures in the last tour years, and every
| Hash OF the telegraph is freighted with the
/ news of tumbling houses. To daY the C. un-
/ try Is Infested with three millions OF a J.
pers anu trampS, men and women and no :
ana giris, reduced to the verge of despair
/ brought down not only to hard tack and
/ begGtry, but called upon not unfFequeutly
| 10 Lace the guam and hungry wolf, aud to
choose between crime and starvation The
heart sickens and the soul is appalled, at the
magnitude and extent of the suffering and
want of millions OF our cOuntrYmen.
Shall we look for the grand M wing cause
of all this bankruptcy aud poverty aud woe
| and want and misery. | do not charge il
all upon whisky There are other causes
political ana social causes-which lend
powerful helping hands To the present un-
happy condition of our people But 1 tell
you, my friends, in all sincerity and candOr,
that il You will institute a rigid analysis of
the subject. you will be sure to have your
minds thrilled with the stubborn c,nvic-
ton that whisky is the parent OF much the
largest portion OF it.
Is there no necessity, then, for the Muir
ply movement? Ask the pale, languishing.
long suffering, patient and fearful wife,
whose husband dalieS at the grog- shop.
Ask the stricken, sorrowing, agoniZad moth
cr. whose son is wandering. \ k the little
tOe-headed boys and girls that run loose
about the sirrets-why are they ragged oh.
why are they hungry Should you not. then,
my good brothers and sisters, albeit the arch
enemy has never darkene1 the portals Of
your door; albeit yO6T children have never
Anown what it was TO want for good clothes
and wholesome food should yOu not, never
thelesS, be willing to extend IA helping hand
to the unfortunate and suffering, aud to lay
hold with all your might upon this blighting
monster, the author of so much misery and
wretchedness, to check his ravagcs and
throttle him If you can. 1t is the grandest
movement of the age-of the world. 1t is
founded on correct principles. and is all
sweeping in its scope. It gathers within its
the meek, and strong and weak. 1t is the
handmaid OF religion, and may be likened,
without irreverance, to the voice of John in
the wilderness, inviting the erring back to
the paths of sobriety, which are the paths
of peace, prosperity and happiness. The
necessity here and elsewhere for iJ. is pal pa
bic and urgent. 1t is a universal moral
cyclone to whisky rings, but it is gentle
and sweet-scented Zepher to the patient and
still hopeful wife and the trustful little
ones. All hail, then, to the Murphy move
mentl God bless the movement! All hon
to the man who first invented it, and all
praise to those who are moving in il.
Whisky is a big thing in this country, but
the Murphy movement bids tair to become
about as big thing as whisky. Wherever
the movement IS in9Ggurated it takes firm
root and grows with the rapldity tuat must
be alarming to the soldiers of King Alcohol
aud very depressing to the old party who
holds his domlnions down in the birthstone
country. 1t meets with encouragement
everywhere. All the editors and other
preachers and good men are in favor of it.
The lawyers and doctors stand by it. All
the ladieS-GOd bless them-are willing TO
work and pray for it. If is bound to move
on and work out a grand and glorious revo-
lutionS for this countrp. Let us all, there
fore, put our shoulders to the wheel and
PUSH ON THE CoLUMN; Let qot the reyoluirr
lukewarmneSS.
1t is a great Job the valiant Murphy has
undertaken. Perhaps he may NOT succeed as
fully aS we could wish. 8 1t is not given 20
mortaIs to command success-he has done
more deserved it, Already his army num-
hosts march southward other millions are
standing ready to fall into ranks. Let the
bail roll on and gather recruits 10 every
round.