National Republican., 1880-10-21
THE ANTI-LICENSE MEN.
Meeting OF the Temperance Crusaders
In East Washington.
Liquor Responsible for The Murder OF Lin.
coln-Iiev. George v. Leeoh and the
District Commissioners.
Antl.Llcense Iempernnce Meoting.


An anu.license temperance meeting was held
last evening at Rev james W. Grays methodist
protestant church, corner Of Virginia avenue and
Flnh street. Rev. Isaac Coleorcned with strong
temperance speech, drawing illustrations from his
experience us phytlcion, carly IN life He turned
the assassination ofPres.dent Lincoln into an ef-
fcctyc temperance lesson saying that If the as.as-
vim Booth had not drank he would not have dared
to murder this good maa. There was no neces-
sity," remarked the speaker FOR this murder The
war was over, and Lincoln had passed through
the streets uI Richmond uuharlncd, None but Il
man Ciazed with liquor would have done t."
Rev, George Y. Ieech, The next speaker called
attention to the public statement Of member of
the license committee 90 lhc effect that coo uppli
cations for license wCrO made last year aud $50
granted. In addition to this, the speaker said.
there were l 200 groceries selling liquor some Of
them being US bad MS saloous, twenty-five hotels
licensed to sell liquor, and, rs he understood, u
largo number Of drug stores which were little bet.
ter than lippling-houscs. lie called attention to
the iuCt that II was common to see cigar and con-
ieGti?nary stores open o. the sabbath. The com
missloners said there was no law to prevent this In
Washington, except a. obsolete Maryland law.
Georgetown has law but things ara Just as bad
there. When pressed to take some action the
commissioners say that the public looks upon this
sort Of thing as necessity. In fact the sabbath
was very nearly gone. He stated that protests sent
case Of the restaurant near the Y. NJ C. a. build
ings had been utterly disregarded by tho
authorities II looks said the speaker rs though
thcy had set Of rulers WHO managed TO set loose
all kinds Of evils upOu the community. When the
ministers went forward aud protested against the
lax administration oil the license laws the commits.
sOuers confronted them and thrust down their
tlrO0ts the statement that members Of the church
signed these pettions Our ioreiathers went TO
battle for grievance less than the one which they
now protested against. II they could find a way
to- counteract the evil they owed it to them
selves, to religion aud to humanity to do
it, and II they did not do 1t they wero
towards. Referring TO the duty OF policemen
to see that applications for license had the requisite
number Of sigucrs he said that 1t would be we'll to
look Riter the policemen, as hU had heard 1t stated
that some Of these officers are in Colluson with tho
saluOn-kcCpers. If the gentlemen on FOutaud-a-
half street proved mithless to their promises to the
ministers II was proposed 10 so to the president Of
the United States and see II the citizens had not
some rights. The speaker said that he
was fast coming to tho conclusion that II
was absolutely Necessary to have the bal
lot here, that the people could hold their rulers
to some ideas OF propriety. lie trusted that IN the
near future they would have some law eitherocal
option or prohibition, which would settle the
lquorquestiOn He urged that citizens and church
members were responsible for the existence OF
Rev. George w. Hyde of the Twefth-strect NJ. l..
church followed He said that proiCssedly INC
liquor traffic had few friends, but practically ithad
many friends. If the church people dld
not do the work OF suppressing the trniiic
ii would never be done. Every man or
woman who signs an application for
license was n partner in all the responsibility
OF the restaurant, but not In the profits. He be-
cvcd that IL the efforts now bciug made were cOu-
inued for two or three years every liquor saloon
In the city would bc closed. He did not believe
much would be accomplished this year, as they
had begun TOO late, but they should not be dis
couragCd.
Rev. MI Leech inyledthoso who were willing
to assist in the anti-liccuse work to send In their
names, and presented for signatures two petitions
-one to the secretary of the navy asking him to
object TO the cstNbshmcutsol of liquor sqOous near
the navy yard, aud the other to the school trustees
of similar pnrnort, regarding liquor saloons in
the vicinity Of school houses.
Rev. Mr.. Gray having made n few closing re-
marks the meeting was All urnei.