The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-05
FRANCIS MURPHY.
His Recent Speech at Brooklyn.

Francis Murphy, the great leader of the
Blue Ribbon movement, formerly of Portland,
had rousing reception at Brooklyn. Tuesday
night, on the occasion of his return from
Europe. Upon being introduced to the audi
ence Mr.. Murphy spoke as follows:
Mr.. Murphy said he was grateful to God for
the privilege of being able to stand in such a
place and address such an audience. He was
thankful for the kind words said about him by
the previous speaker. In speaking of the tenn
perance work he said it was a wise thing to be
kind and considerate to ALL All were liable
to err. A mans greatness was in his power to
be charitable to the mistakes of his brother
Some were stronger aud braver than Others
Some were less tempted than others. "Let us
all labor" said Mr.. Murphy, Sin love, kind
ness and mercy. l have always believed in
temperance, even when / drank liquor and
sold it. This seems strange, but am an Irish
man, and my countrymen do strange things
sometimes. There was an Irlshman once who
signed the pledge to help the cause along and
when he was asked to explain his conduct for
drinking he said he was temperance man,
but not like some, he was not bisoted one. "
Mr.. Murphy in vivid manner described the
social manners of drinking men, their great
friendship for one another and their generosity
to friend in trouble. If it were possible, he
said, to have church members shake hands
like the drinking men there would be such q
enlarged. There was real kindness among
drinking men, and if they were to be reformed
they must be treated as men. If men, he said,
were as successful in catching men as they
were in catching trout, there would be no
trouble 10 retaining the fallen ones.
In referring to the temperance work ia Eng
land, he said that DR.. Lyman Beecher was
remembered very kindly for the work he had
done in that country for the cause of temper
ance There was great knack in getting al
people. 1t was not always best to talk the
truth to people. 1t was an article to
be given in homeopathic doses II
was not always best to tell man just how bad
he was. M Murphy said his motto in the
temperance work had been with charity for
all, malice toward none." From the time
Lincoln had uttered those words they had
been the speakers constant watchword. Men
were to be taught by example more than in
any other way. "There was a nobleman in
England" said Mr.. Murphy, "and one day be
found his little boys ia the dining room max
ing believe they were drinking wine and re-
spending to toasts. Their father asked :hem
what they were doing, and they replied: we
are Just acting as you do, papa Childr en-
will play papa, and parents should look well
to the example they offer their children"
In speaking of his visis abroad, Mr.. Murphy
said he had been treated with the utmost
kindness everywhere. He had come back to
the countsR of his adoption, and should take
up his residence in Brooklyn. II am here"
said the speaker, "by invitation of the COM
mittee, and if you people want temperance
work with charity for all and malice toward
none, you shall have it in good earnest. APP
pause.I believe ntemperarrce is going down.
On the walls of this country God has written
the death warrant of the liquor trafic.
[Applause.l Let this city do its duty, and the
cause will go on and God will prosper our
work. Applause.