The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-07-28
The State prohibition .conven-


Col. W l. Nugent. Of Kinds county.
called the members to order, and moved
that J W G Watson, of Marshall be
elected temporary chairman, which
motion prevailed.
On motion of Rev. G B Galloway,
Spellman, Esq. of Kinds, was elect
ed Secretary.
The committee on permanent organi-
z~ation, Capt. j T Buck, chairman, re.
ported the following as permanent off .
GERS: President. Judge J w O Wat
son, of Marshall; Vice-P Presidents,
Gen. Alex P Stewart. Judge s s CAL
hoon Hon. J B Chrisman. l. P Brown.
wv Muse and G G Middleton, Secre-
taries, Fl II Hines and J J Spelman.
The report of the committee was
adopted, and the gentleman recom-
mended were elected.
The following counties we're repre-
sented in the Convention.
Adams, Alcorn. AttaIa. Bolivar, CAL
hoon. Carroll. Coahoma. Kinds, Holmes,
Jasper. Kemper, Lafayette, Lauder
dals. Lawrence. Leake, Lincoln,
Lowndes, Ltfore, Madison, Marshall,
Monroe. Montgomery, Newton. Noxu4
bee, Oktibeha, Pamela, Pike, Prentiss,
Rankin, Sumner, Tate, Tallahstchie,
Tippah, Warren, Wayne. Wilkinson,
Winston, Yalobusha and Yazoo.
Number of counties, forty>two, rep
resented by two hundred and eighty
two delegates.
On motion of Col. Nugent. a COM
mittee of two from each Congressional
District, and three from the State at
large, was appointed to consider all
resolutions submitted, and to report an
Address to the People, with such resell
utions as they may think advisable.
LIST District-Rev. j T Freeman, DR..
N G Steele.
2d-J A Rainwater, Rev. A P Sage.
3d-Dr. Fl A Minor, J B Streater.
Albion J G Hamilton, DR. j A
Bardwell.
5th-D A Williams, M L Harmon.
6th-Daniel Cohen, Rev CB Gallo
way.
State at large-Col W L Nugent,
Prof r B Fulton. Rev DIR Johson.
Papers were introduced and read by
Col Nu7eut, DR. Bardwell, Judge Tate.
DR.. Galloway and others, several of
which elected hearty applause, and all
were referred to the Committee on res
olutions.
At half past one, adjournedto 3 p. m.
On re.assemblIug several short adj
dresses we're made on the subject of
temperance. pending which Col W L
Nugent, for the Committee on Resoln-
tions, submitted the following report:
We. the representatives of the peo-
pile of Mississippi. from all sections of
the State, from all professions and pur-
suits, and from all political parties aud
races. profoundly convinced of the
evils and perils of intemperance and
the liquor traffic, and that our only res
lief is in legal and constitutional pro-
hibition, and invoking the favor of
heaven upon our cause and efforts. do
make this our solemn and careful dec.
laration to our fellow citizens in the
State.
1t is the calm aud unanimous voice
of this Convention that, as the liquor
traffic does more to exhaust the res
sources, retard the prosperity. debauch
the morals and degrade the manhood of
our commonwealth than any or all 9TH
er evils combined, our deliverance and
progress can only be achieved by wise
prohibitory laws and their faithful ad
ministration.
To secure such legislation, which we
confidently believe will overthrow the
liquor traffic and arrest its colossal
evils, to the great happiness and peace
1e coaioEu wa norpayflu Inuprn f1a
counsel and aid of every good and pa
triotic citizen in the State.
We regard it an occasion of profound
reorganization hat the people of all
parties, religions and colors can meet On
one common platform TO advance a
great public measure without any CON
flict of interests, without creating or
exciting any party faction, without
awakening any religious prejudice, and
without begetting any race antagonism.
We also, here and now, assert with
plainness and emphasis that this is in
no sense a partisan movement. We
have nothing TO az ~ffn party poilt1cs.
We seek not in the least to disturb the
party affiliations of any citizen. We
have only one aim; we are animated by
| OuiN OLc DlOtltts tuO LFtdSoLlShp Va
the material and moral prosperity OF
our beloved commonwealth, the promo
ton of the health, wealth, liberty and
happiness of our people without any
any distinction whatever. We shall
place no candidates in the field, we
shall not grasp for the spoils of office,
We deprecate and denounce the at
tempts of our enemies to drag our
righteous cause into the contentious OF
parties, thereby prejudicing and ipJur-
ing the movement.
We further declare that the prohibi'
ton movement is not inspired by any
motive or purpose to %affiict, or antagon'
ize liquor men, but to oppose the lq
nor traffic within the limits of this
State. Believing in the doctrine of q
universal brotherhood We war moi
against men but against q business,
which, though now legalized is blight
ing AID whitening in its effects upor
society. If other occupations would be
sought and this traffic have no Longer
an army of agents and employees in its
service, their individual usefulness an6
happiness would be promoted, aud
| mutblDlicu tUOuStllUS caNGu w Wax pew
pie of Mississippi.
The liquor power by secret and cor.
rupt agencies is seeking to secure the
nomination and election of men to the
legislature pledged against any prohi-
bition reform, who will resist the pas.
sage of stringent laws and refuse tc
allow the people to vote upon a prohi'
bitory amendment to the Constitution.
We warn the people against such ar
issue. We ask not for candidates Oh
pledges. We will only ask that the sa-
cred right of petition shall not be vic.
lated or denied, and to this end thai
candidates for the Legislature shall hold
themselves uncommitted to the enemies
of prohibition.
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS.
L. The right of SELF protection is in
herent to all governments. and carries
with it o great and noble duty. Nc
government car abandon the right NJ
evade the duty. t'If I have reason to
believe that an enemy is undermining
its power. and plotting in any way its
destruction" the obligation is impera-
tive, either to destroy the enemy or eff
fectually battle his designs. The prin-
ciple here enunc lated applies with
equal force to the right and duty oil
government to protect society against
evils as we'll as enemies. "Hence laws
against aduiterated food. against the
communication of contagious diseases
by the establishment of quarantine re-
strictions, and forbidding the sale OF
common ~virulent poisons." Whatever
therefore, entails upon society disease
and misery, poverty and wretchedness,
and is, in its nature, destructive to in
dustry, wealth. morals and reason. Of
ten making its victims dangerous, al
ways injurious to society. must be a