The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-03-24

Mr. PRESIDENT: We are here to preser, to the
Nation through its hOnoled chief a temperance
testimonial from the men and women, high and
low, rich and poor fortunate and unfortunate, who
have loved her whose pictured presence is now be
fore US, because they have felt that she the
defender of our homes: because amid the togs OF
a time worn social conservatism she held steadily
aloft the torch OF an example safe gentle and be
nlgnant. We stand IN the presence of one whose
utterances and character known TO all the
ton | do not forget how in the tumult and strife
Of great political convention, James A Garfield,
of Ono, said: "Remember II Is III the home where
the sovereign citizen has his wife and children
gathered around him that God prepares the verdict
of the American people | do not forget that he
reminded the women OF Cleveland when they came
to Mentor with their congratulations, that, in every
army there are three classes the scouts, who 90
anead the soldiers who do the fighting and with
in all the home guards, and that he said, God
bless the women they are Amencas home guards.
| do not forget that in his inaugural he reminded
us BY the sacred words "A little child shall lead
them, that the tenderness ard sweetness of child
hood had place in his thought in that supreme
hour, and so standing here | feel very much at
home, do we all in this kind and brotherly pres
ence. Mr. President. whom do we represent! We
are a part of your constituency and we represent
a great deal of earnest. hard work done i'll the name
of God, and home. and native land We represent
a volume of prayer rising Ike incense to God from
the very first hour that We knew the burden which
had been lald upon you; and always have we
sought blessing also from on high upon her who
IS the mother OF your sons and OF your sweet
young daughter. and upon her who bore and
cherished YOU We represent that numberless
throng who have right to be heard in this pres
ence because Of all they have suffered We can
not speak TO you of the graves OF the living and
the graves of the dead that have strewn our path
way, because of the cup that tempts only TO de
srOy. Our principles and our endeavor are the in
evltabe outcome OF the philosophy OF our century.
" Tell Is it understood by the scholar President
For one dominant purpose runs through all our
modern civilization. Science spells it out slowly
from the writings in the rocks-from scattered
monuments and fossil languages and pronounces
it the "1iy Of a.u, Craftsmanship discovers that
the woes of one nation are the misfortune of all
and frames treaties and forms alliances Of mutual
defence and service il the name of the solidarity
# ma" but Christianity perceiving the higher
significance of all these studies and their practical
results prays, pleads and labors for the "llceyal
brotherhood Of man. Among the applications of
this great underlying principle none is gaining
ground more rapidly than the practice of free
and voluntary total abstinence for our own and
others sake from those alcoholic drinks which have
aenated more hearts dissolved more homes, pos-
oned the air with more cruel words and moved kind
hands to more hateful deeds than any other agency
outside OF Pandemonium. Where is thy brother ?"
is to-day the central question in that larger home
which we call social life, answered by thousand
kindly charities but most significantly answered.
as we believe, by the great army OF total abstain
ers, which in the present military exigency is call
ing all up and down the land for volunteers We
are here to leave in your care the picture which
symbolzes so much Of hope and glad expectation
for the future. Ne are here because it is women
who have given the choicest hostages to fortune.
Beyond the arms that hold them long the boys go
forth and come not back again, and the mother
heart prays that society may hedge them round
about with loving safeguards and restraints and
ervent is our hope that steady signal light for
them may shine forth from the conspicuous win
OF the Church of Christ, we appeal to you to help
hasten the time when all mems veal shall be each
mars care, and we pray Gods blessing upon you,
upon your wife, aud upon those that cluster around
you IN your home. Well has the Laureate said
concerning that good time coming which the tri
umph of the temperance cause shall help to usher