The Portland daily press., 1880-04-07
Inc Citizens Temperance Meeting at the
Chestnut Street Church.

The vestry of the Methodist church on
'Jhestnut street was about half filled last even
ing with the members of the Citizens Tenn.
perance Union. Most of the prominent tenn.
perance workers of this city were present. DR..
True presided, and prayer was offered by Mr..
Leavitt.
The presiding officer announced that 2O2
names were added to the pledge at the last two
meetings. The purpose is to secure 1000 names
to the pledge this spring. He made an earn
est plea for those present to add their names to
the list Possibly there was not one present,
he said, but that had some friend who was on
the downward road. Far too many men. and
women too, have already acquired a taste for
lntoxlcants. He offered also the petition for
the introduction of a temperance text book in
to our public schools.
Capt. j. B. Coyle was then introduced and
remarked that while he never lectured. he
did sometimes talk against rum. Capt. Coyle
made an earnest address. and was followed by
MIR. Henry Towle, who favored home infiu-
ence In educating up the children Let us
have temperance song books as we'll as tenn
perance text books.
Mr. Il. II. Mcdonald was then called on and
referred to the work of Mrs. Holland who he
said was censured by no one who was honest
or sincere. The men who stand behind the
colored lamps are as bad and the same as
those who stand behind the screens of Centre
street. The rumsellers of this city are for
eign element. He rejoiced in the arrest of
George Frye. "Glory to God for one woman
here in Portland who is ready to do her duty"
Mr.. Drew believed in Christian work and in
the law.
Gen. j. j. Perry made radical address. He
was cut fifty votes while running for the Leg
lslature years ago, on account of his temper
ance principles. The public sentiment to-day
is ahead of any law in this State What shall
be done with the representatives of Portland
who betrayed the temperance cause?
Gen. Dow-'We'll look out for them at the
next election"
Gen. Dow was then called upon, and evil
IDENTIFY was prepared to make radical speech.
What is needed is earnestness and persever-
ance. "The trouble is there is too many cow
ards in the ranks of the temperance men
Here's a woman-Mrs Holland-who proved
herself to be no coward at all, and she did
what, could it be sustained by the temperance
men and women in the city, would crush out
the traffic, and the rumsellers knew it and
raised cry against her, and the cowardly
half-hearted temperance men of this CITY
joined in. Gen. Perry has told you that the
rumsellers cut him to the extent of fifty votes.
and they did right. They showed that they
had the courage to support their convictions
(Applause.) You sir burning to DR.. True)
talked about getting thousand name to this
pledge-a regiment in all-and what then?
What do you propose to do?
DIR. True-"We mean to fight
You do. WE'LL have seen little signs of it,
Uaughter) Of the five Representatives from
this CITY, four voted against the amended
liquor law, and one-he lodged. daughter. J
What will you do? VIII you go to the front to
fight? Will you copy from the rumsellers?
Will you cut them?
A voice-"We will"
General Dow-"Will you-ands you' turn
ing to several present, who replied 1--WE will.'')
Well, wonder how long this temper will
last. Is it good till the next election? I hope
so. Applause and laughter.) This talk, talk
ing it as it is spoken, of beseeching the Throne
of Grace is all moonshine, it is the veriest of
nonsense We must fight. (Applause.) One
OF the Representatives who betrayed us last
winter wrote fsiendly note to, for we were
warm personal friends, and said You have
a right to your convictions, we to ours. We will
remain friends as before. Now do YOU mean
what you say? Are you resolved, are you re-
mi fhn rC1,< y
ago the Democratic party was in the majority,
Its leaders undertook to lead it in the wrong
path, to put it on the wrong platform, and It
went down, till from the pit where it is buried
comes up nothing but the fumes of the sui
phurous sacid gas. Uaughter) And the Re-
publican party have gone the same road The
Republican party through the efforts of its
wire pullers, stands the defender of the rum
sellers. By the efforts Of its politicians, and
wire.pullers say flor am a thorough going
Republican, it is standing by the rum-shops.
we Went to the Legislature last winter and
asked for law to prohibit this illegal trans
portation of liquors. This bringing into the
state that which it would be crime to sell.
The answer was: "We won't give it, We
said: Help us to crush out this traffic,
which, even if it is not extensive, is yet bring
ing sorrow to hundreds of thousands of homes,
and they said: We will not p Why? What
caused this? The fear of the rum element,
which will not stand by any party that stands
by the temperance cause. We have many
things to contend with. We cannot reach the
people through the daily papers, Can you un-
derstand why it is so? They fear the rum
power.
We must make them fear us. Last summer
we had temperance meeting at Old Orchard
grand scene, 5000 people, 5000 Temperance
men and women present. (Applause) And
a series of resolutions, and not long series
was read and adopted; adopted by 5000 people
and could not get them printed in any daily
paper in Portland. l myself carried the
resolutions to the office of the Portland PRESS
and asked their publication and was refused
The papers fear the liquor element and we
must make them fear us. Thirty years ago
we had every thing in our own way. Now we
have nothing. Everyone consulted us. Now
the politicians dare not nominate temperance
man. We must make them afraid to nomin-
ate any but temperance candidate. Zap
plauseD
Fifty-seven names were added to the pledge,
also large number signed the petition to the
School Supervisors for the introduction of
temperance text books in our public schools.