The Cecil Whig., 1879-05-17
LOCAL OPTION.
MEETING AT ODD FELLOWS HAL
Address by the Rev. T. L Poulson-Organ-
ization in the Third District.

Address by the Rev. T. L Poulson-organ-
ization in the Third District.
The temperance meeting in the Odd Eel
lows Hall, on Friday night of last week,
was called to order at o'clock by James T.
Mccullough, who introduced Rev. Thomas
l.. Poulson, who said that he came before
them not in the interest of any person or
class of persons, but as Il Christian and
citizen of the State of Maryland.
The speaker then proceeded to say that no
question before the American people was so
important rs the temperance queStion-that
it affected every thing else, that not Il blade
of grass or stalk of corn but We're more or
less affected by it. The speaker said that it
was impossible by means of legislative en-
actments to reform the petsonal habits of
drunkards, and that only about one out OF
fifty reformed drunkards remained true to
the pledge. He then argued that the only
way to reform the inebriate was to restrain
the traffic in Intoxicating liquors. After
many happy illustrations of the subject, the
ance people for centuries past to that of the
boy in ten-pin alley, who did all the work,
while the rum-seller did all the play. The
speaker said that the license law of the State
was unconstitutional, because it was for the
benefit of the few rather than of the many.
He then narrated in 4 pathetic and feeling
manner the sad experience of 4 young lady
of Easton. Pa, who sought his advice, while
he was stopping at her fathers house, many
years ago, about the propriety of marrying
Il young man to whom she was engaged, but
who was addicted to the use of the intoxi-
eating cup and had promised to reform as
soon as he was married. The speaker ad
vised her not to marry him. Returning to
EaStOn some ten years afterwards, at the
conclusion of his sermon, while being sa-
them Il forlorn woman clad in the habili-
ments of SORROW and closely veiled. She
grasped his hand and inquired if he did not
recollect her. Upon seeing her face, he
recognized his former youthful friend, now
sorrow stricken and detected. Her story
" dS sool tplti 'Nllt
man, and while in Few York on their we'd
ding tour, he the night after their arrival
there, had deserted her for the society of his
boon companions, who, i'll the early morn
ing, after she had spent 4 sleepleS$ night,
brought him to her room in such beastly
state of intoxication that he could not stand.
In his drunken frenzy he gave hera blow in
the face, the mark of which WAS still there.
He was never sober afterwards and died in
u few months.
He then advocated the justice and equity
of Local Option, and argued that the gov
ernment had no right to license people to do
wrong, and that it was a flllacy to suppose
that it was any advantage to the State to
license liquor dealers. He thought the time
had come when something should be done,
more had petitioncd the last Legislature
largely for the right to vote upon this sub
iect, it had refused to grant them the privi-
lege. He then advocated the organization
of an auxiliary temperance league, the mem-
berS of which would only be required to
Believing that every community ought
to have the right to determine by ballot
whether Intoxicating liquors shall be sold
therein:
Therefore, pledge myself to vote for no
man for the Legislature who is not i'll favor
of granting this right of Local Option to the
people"
With a view of forming an auxiliary asso-
citation, at the conclusion of Mr.. PoulSon'S
address James T. Mccullough was chosen
President, with George \. Blake Secre-
tary, of the incipient organization. The OBJ
ject OF the alliance is to create 4 public sen
timeut i'll favor of local option, and to pro-
cure rs many Signers As possible to the above
pledge. with Il view of securing the nomina-
ton and election of candidates for the Leg
iSlature that are i'll favor of granting the
right of local option to the people. The
friends of local option will do well to be-
stir themselves, us the politicians OF the
county are already engaged in making up
Those wishing to sign the pledge referred to
above, can be accommodated by calling upon
Mr.. Blake.
The benediction was then pronounced hy
the Rev. Vaughan Smith
We have given less space to the report of
Mr.. PoulSon'S speech than we otherwise
would desire, solely on account of the fact
of having in this issue three other commune
cations on the same important subIect.-EDl