The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-04-10
FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS.
As They Are Uuderstood by Large
Number of Citizens.


Despite the unfavorable weather last
evening about 500 well-known citizens, n
large portion of whom were leading bust
ness men. assembled at Lincoln Hall in re-
spouse to call issued bya citizens COM
mittee recently appointed, and comprising
Messrs. Simon Wolf DIR. Carl Rocscr, Aug
ust schmedtic, John L. Vogt, D. w. Glas-
sic, j.. w. Habercom, Chris Heurch, Chris
Abner, Paul Reinlein, Thomas M. Steep, Il.
N. Gray. NJ. Motzger, Charles Walter, Chris
Rupert and @. A. Denel1as, for citizens
meeting to organize National Protective
League TO defend the people in their llber-
ties and secure to them their rights.
Tho committee above named were seated
on the stage, as were also Representatives
Fielder Weller aud Murphy aud Coroner
Ellinger, of New York.
Officers Elected.
Mr.. Simon Wolf called tho meeting to Or
der and committee was at once designated
TO appoint officers of the meeting, and re-
ported the following list which was unani-
mously confirmed:
simon Wolf, president.
.presidents-Horatio Browning, l.. @.
| Hine, j. G. Ergood, Or. 3. W. Began, l.. Luchs,
4. @; Johnson, Il. IL blackburn, e. A. peoka1s,
Stanton, John Keyworth, Hon. John Pool, OF
| North Carolina; Hon. W. II. Hill, OF Ohio;
Kinney OF KentueSy dsSrse b. Miller ,O Of
| New York; Colonel G. Myers, Colonel L. L. Fal.
| comet, Henry De Bas,. onio; NJ. Metzger,
Heurich, Gustav Lansburssh, colonel j. R.
| Thompson, Captain l.. Ii. orleman, 4. Dem
mead, OF Maryland; August Menkin, Mary
tee, New York; John II. Bette, Pennsylvania;
william Massey, Pennsylvania; Robert Port
ner, Virginia; August Benig, Illinois; Colonel
+ IN q ~ Dam
Observation-Disclosures D. Pennebakor, Major
Thomas Kirby, Thomas II. Roulson, Chris.
Abner, 8. q. Loyejoy.
Tho secretary then read tho following
platform, drafted by the committee:
We hold
That tho Constitution of the United states,
based on the Declaration OF independence,
| and religious liberty and the pursuit OF happi-
ness, and warrants tho enactment of no laws
which seek to abridgo or restrict the same.
That all existing prohibitory laws or con-
templated legielatIon which tend to abridge
| personal rlghts, are tyrannical heterogeneous
| on constitutional guarantees, ana should BIO
respectively repealed and opposed.
| That all Sunday laws which abridge rellg-
ious liberty and prevent the working classes
from enjoying the public libraries, museums,
| art galleries and public parks, are tyrannical
| and UNJUST and should be repealed; for Sun
day was made for man, and not man for Sun
day.
That the public school system is tho bull.
| wark OF our institutions, and must be kept
clear of and free from all sectarian influence
| and interference.
THAT ali organized ecclesiastical Interference
in civil affairs is In violation of tho spirit and
letter OF tho Constitution, tho genius OF Ameri.
can institutions, and Is demorallzing and per-
| nicious, and must be restrained.
| That all private and corporate property,
| whether real or per onal, should bear the
burdens OF taxation equally.
MIR. EIlinger's Remarks.
| Mr. Ellinuar nm nf tho nnrnnaru of ba
| city Of New York and president of the ro-
tective League ofthat city, was introduced
| and addressed the meeting on the subject of
| the injustice and improperly of legisla-
tion closing public places on Sunday legis-
lation permitting the reading of the Bible
and teaching of doctrine in the public
| schools and legislation prohibiting the sale
of liquor. Our ancestors, the speaker said,
| had sought these shores for personal aud re-
| ligious liberty and had framed the Decara-
tion Of Independence and tho Constitution
| of the United States to preserve rights of
which it is the tendency of the present day
| to deprive us. The speaker protested most
| vigorously against the tendency to intro.
duce creed and doctrine into politics, gov
eminent and education.
Representative Murphy, of Iowa,
was introduced and turned his attention to
the subject of prohibtory legislation. The
|
ance fanaticism had gone to tho greatest
extremes and overstepped furthest the
limits Of propriety, independence anu lib
erty in its prehibitory measures. He came
from State which had invited emigrants
from every nation, and after claiming their
energy, their capital their labor for twenty
years, and promising them full religious
and personal liberty, now turned her back
upon those promises aud denies those cti-
| fl,Av ifrht In NI,nt- sF.1s
and follow their own inclnations in decid-
ing what they should eat and drink. He,
for one, believed in liberty, pure and SIM
| pie unIestrained and entire, for the voice,
the soul and the stomach.
Another Iowa Man Speaks.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Murphy's ad-
dress the Hon. Mr.. Weller, also of Iowa,
was called upon and denounced the action
Of his State in the matter Of prohibitory
legislation and its Inconsistency in confs-
eating breweries, while 1t sustained distil-
leries. Iowa would not permit the sale of
whisky within her limits and yet would
permit the manufacture of whisky there for
shipment to other States. That State per-
mitted the manufacture of whisky to go on
on the plea that the industry secured q
market for corn and benefited the farmer
The speaker regarded the prohibitory legs-
lation as dangerous menace to the liber-
| tleS OF tne lana anu inc predecessor OF leg
islation restricting freedom in many other
matters, in religion, in political views, in
dress in personal liberty in all its forms
and he believed that the hour had come
for the organization Of league, national in
its scope and influence, and qualified to de-
fend the vast majority Of the people from
the encroachments and despotism of thu
powerful and fanatical few.
Congressman Fielder
was the nextspeaker, and opposed dragging
religion and temperance into the arena o
politics, but at the same time counseled al
energetic resistance to prohibitory legisla
tion restricting personal liberty.
Letters Of regret were read from Car
Schurz, Senator Edmunds and others, an(
the constitution and platform were enthu
siastically adopted. The constitution pro
vided for the organization of Nationa
league with a central committee in this
District and branch committees in eacl
State.
Horrors of Mineral POisOHi ng.fs
~ have been poisoned with MercARof AN
| Potash I" 10 the tale OF thousands wAgMflte GU
physicians in regard TO treatmffN OF BlOot
| and Skin diseases, and IL X0dfd seem tina
what they say must be t2e<t, for 1t 10 swift