The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-07-02
Temncrnncc Meeting.

ne citizens oil Morgantown held
temperance mass meeting at the
Presbyterian Church an the evening
of June Goth. After reading of
scripture by G. b. Foster and prayer
ny w. c. Snodgrass, Judge John A.
Ollie was made President and G.. b.
Foster, Secretary.
Judge Ollie, on taking the chair,
declared himself heartily in favor of
prohibition. He was in n convention
30 years ago where this question was
considerably agitated. He was now
an advocate of moral suasion, prohi-
hilton or anything else that would
stop the liquor traffic in our State
Then Prot. A. L. Purinton, the Wig
orous, live, efficient Superintendent
of City Schools of Parkershurg was
called for. lie, in an earnest, fear
less, positive speech said: "There
are two popular errors of thought, to
which, at the outset, j wish to pay
my respects. First, the idea that Il
political caucus, composed of states
men and patriots, or OF trcksters and
demagogues, as the case may be, is
the supreme ultimate authority in
human belief and human action
that the great principles of justice,
mercy, generosity and humanity, at
the door which encleses this mystic,
sacred caucus. ,mush lay down their
scepter and say, by your leave,
gentlemen
"Secondly; that the Devil is, nat
urally and of right, the, author and
autocut Of every political deliver
ance. Il
t"As TO the first, / submit, that pol
ities arc for men, and not men for
politics. Political caucuscs must
voice my sentiments if they want my
vote. As to the second, the Devil
has too long controlled the affairs of
politics. 1t is time that christian
men rose in their might and with
strong arms redeemed their share of
| political power. / mention these
things because some may GO from
this house tonight growing because
a political meeting has been held in
Gods house and on the Sabbath.
These GROWERS will be either first,
whining hypocrites WHO love their
bottles better than either Sabbath or
sanctuary, or second, antiquated fog
horns of a by-gone generation, or
third, possibly few honest conserv-
atives. To the last let me say, il
anything shall be said or done here
tonight which shall hush one human
groan, strike the CALLING shackles from
one bleeding human wrist, or lift one
throbbing human heart TO higher
plane of happiness and blcssedness,
then surely Gods day has not been
dishonored nor His temple desecrat.
ed.
"Ths meeting is in the interest OF
prohibition.
"Prohibition is, first, right. If SO
ciety has right to exist, it has a
right to protect itself. There is nc
other 80 great destroyer of American
society as the line of grog- Bishops
which girdles the continent, and
stretches its arms through every
state.
"Prohibition is, second, cxpcdicnt.
1t is not q failure, as some would
have you think. Its success has al
ways been more than commensurate
with its opportunities.
'Prohibition is, third, desired by
| the people OF this State. Thirty-ninc
out Of fifty four counties in W. Va.
already prohibit the sale of intoxi-
eating liquors within tlieir limits.
True, many leading men stand off
from this movement, but they are
chiefly cringing, fawning, hypocritic-
al towards, who are looking for an
Office, and dare not be men. There
are such men in this town tonight,
and some of them aspire to be lead
crs of the people They will finl
very soon that we are not only on the
right side, but on the winning side.
1--WE should do three things here
tonight. First, elect wise and suit
able delegates to the State Temper
ancc Convention at Wheeling Sec
ond, provide for the complete organi-
cation Of the county for temperance
work. Third, undertake to introduce
the West Virginia Freeman, the
State temperance paper, into every
temperance family. We specially
need this paper that we may have
means of reaching and utilizing our
forces. There must be an organ Of
communication among temperance
workers If we are to act in harmony
and effectively. This the Freeman
was created to supply. 1t has no SUI
perior in the State, and If it were in
every temperance family it would
prove an engine of untold power for
good"
Then, on motion of Hon. w. T.
Wiley, the following gentlemen were
appointed. delegates to the State
Temperance Convention to be held
at Wheeling: Prest. ID. B. Purinton,
Prof. A. l.. Wade, Samuel Hackney,
w. w. Houston, Esq, Rev. w. G.
Snodgrass and Mr. Il. c. Allender.
Senator Wiley offered the follow
ing resolution, which was unanimous
ly adopted
"Reselred, That the late action of
the County Court of this county, in
refusing to license the sale of intoxi-
catino liuuors meots tho hearty an