St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-24
MURPHYS BLUE RIBBON.
Sketch of His Life and Temperance
WOrk-Born in the Emerald Isle.
A Boy In Blue in the Army Of the Potomac
From the Gutter to Noble Manhood.
Labor of Him self and Son in the United
States and Great Britain.

A slight sketch of the history and labors Of
Francis E. Murphy, taking few days of rest
this week in st. Paul after his three weeks
earnest, arduous and successful moral sua-
sion gospel temperance labors therein, DUR
ing which some 1900 of our people have
taken the pledge and become standard bear
ers of the blue ribbon of total abstinence,
cannot fail TO be of general popular interest
Francis Murphy makes no pretensions to
great intellect or great intelligence, but
carries in loving and sym pathizing heart
and hand, 10 which pleasant voice and in
finite good nature do bidding, the embodi-
ment of the blue ribbon pledge, "charity for
all and malice toward none" While on the
platform his searching, truthful words, words
spoken from experience, thrill all with their
soul lam hed utteranoe, but more especially
those who have fallen beneath the
influence, to greater or
lesser degree of intoxicating drink.
Added to this Francis Murphy is thor
ough Democrat personally, whatever he may
feel politically, which latter subject as well as
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS has no single recognition
by him in the great and good work he is do
ing in his masters name. He loves his fell
low man whether he be of high or low degree,
rich or poor in the things of this world, and
his public and private life is as free from
cant, hypocrisy, ostentation and pride as
human being possibly can be.
Mr.. Murphy was born in the village of
Fagout, county of Wexford, Ireland, April
"a, 1886, and is consequently but forty-eight
years of age, and is in the full vigor of health
and manhood. At the age of sixteen he left
his native island, which farewell he has most
graphically portrayed in his addresses here,
and sailed for Quebec. After remaining in
Canada short time he made his way to
the state of New York, where when the war
broke out he was engaged in working upon
farm. He was early to enlist,
and as private in the 92d
New York regiment and for three years
served his adopted country in the army of
the Potomac.
After the expiration of his enlistment he
went to Portland, Maine, where he engaged
in business aud where, by degrees, he fell
| into such habits of insobriety as to reduce
his family to poverty and want and to cause
his own removal to an inebriate asylum.
Here, through the kind offices of friends
that were friends indeed, he was induced to
take the pledge. He delivered his first tenn
perance address in Portland, April L,
1870, and entered into the work
of forming the reform clubs in that state of
which he was the state president for Two
years.
Mr.. Murphy was the origin ator of the Cos
pei Temperance work in this country and
the blue ribbon badge of total abstinence.
Connected with this work he has held meet
ings in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachu-
sets, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsyl-
vania, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, California
and the District of Columbia, speaking and
forming Gospel temperance unions in ali the
cities and large towns therein.
At the national gathering at Cleveland,
Ohio, of the organization of the United
States in 1878, of which Mr.. Murphy was
president for two years, being succeeded by
ex-Gov. St. John, Of Kansas, there were
twenty two states present by delegates of
the Gospel unions therein, who in their turn
represented 5000, OG0 of men, women and
children who had signed the pledge and
donned the blue up to that date.
Vim. MOBILES reformed and signed the
pledge at meeting held by Mr. Murphy in
Lancaster, Pa, Dec. 1877. He was a talented
young Englishman and going home to his
own country established headquarters at
Hoxton hall, London, with several branches
in other parts Of England, and vigorously
carried on the gospel temperance work
there. In 1881, Mr.. Murphy, with his tai
ented son, Thomas E., so popular with the
st. Paulites, sailed for England, and public
welcome was extended by Mr.. Mobiles, in
| London, to the father as the founder of the
blue ribbon movement. Together and sep
arately Mr.. Murphy and son spoke all through
England, Ireland and Scotland to
great gatherings of the people
and as result hundreds of
thousands signed the pledge, and donned
the blue ribbon, the sales of liquor decreased
in all places visited and many saloons were
closed up by their keepers themselves from
choice and from lack of custom. Francis
Murphy remained abroad two years and a
half, and his son six months after his father
left for America.
Francis Murphy is now resident at Chi
cago, where is favorite son, Thomas E., is
engaged in finishing his law course in the
Illinois law university. He will leave St.
Paul to-day to enter upon the gospel temper
ance work at Minneapolis, and has received
Mortified, Chstfeld, and other
cities and towns in Minnesota as well as
Fargo and other localities in Dakota
The GLOBE bat voices the kindest regards
of the people of st. Paul to this right kind of
a temperance apostle as it bids him God
| speed in his mission for poOd within tho hor-