Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-03-04

The following letter from Hon. Wm. T.
Frye was rad by Secretary Munsou Al the
resent meeting of the Maine Temperance
Alliance
UNuEp SrATE SENArr,
wA,mNoroS. d. c., Jan. 3j,' ,'ot :
Rec. a. O. Mlasoa, Ns,rsiay, h..
DrAE SE-Your Kind letter inviting
me TO be presen, And address the Maine
Temperance Alliance is received. Il
would be great pleasure TO me 10 accept
bat my engagements here render i en-
,ircly impossible. WIN you please eH-
tend iof me an earnest greeting 10 the
Alliance. and bid these determined work
ere to be Of good cheer, for The response
10 their organized and Persis,en, efforts
will be a splendid victory in September.
| am entirely satisfied ,hA, large ma
joriiy Of the voters Of my State are de-
eiledlyi in favor Of prohibition; ,hA, while
there may De. and in ,ae, is. difference
Of opinion a. TO the efficiency OF neeess-
ity Of Constitutional amendment. little
reflection will satisfy al iha, the de-
iea, Of the proposition would be dis
.s,rous. no, oaly 20 the cause q tenn
peranee in Maine, bg, al over the coun-
Try.
/, would BE- seized upon AZ once by
the enemies of the restriction of the Ii
quor traffic. A. the deliberate verdict Of
our people agains, prohibition, after a
fair trial Of thirty year. The friends Of
Temperance have every reason 10 thank
God and take courage. The spirit Of
this reform for years seemed con,en, TO
abide in Maine, bu, lately has refused TO
Be confined TO such narrow limits. I,
has pervaded almost every State, in some
engrahing upon the laws prohibition in
Others melting eArnes, inquiry. consei-
en,ious investigation and mos, determined
effort.
The advance in temperance seniimen,
has been marvellous. Its strides have
been longer and more rapid than have
been known in any other moral reform.
Washington is the political centre Of the
Republic, and the sentiment bes, indi-
Gates tia, Of the whole ooun,ry. In this
matter Of temperance, the Washington
Of today hardly resembles tha, Of twenty
years ago. Thea on " New Years Day"
the open house withoa, the hosPiialiiies
Of the side-boArd was almos, unknown.
Now is tempting display Of the wine
,ha, mocks is Almos, forgotten. Then
the governm.n, official who was no, Law
ish in bis offers Of liquor TO every caller
was looked upon as oatre-a fanatic un-
worthy Of his high position. Now moth
ing would be more discreditAble. Then,
the public man who refused was regarded
as eceenirie-improPerly odd. Now the
majority decline. In this reform Maine
took the lead. Surely she will not now
become weary in well doing, will no, now
declare to the whole country that her
course for thirty years has been a mis-
taken one. God forbid. The harm
,hA, nigh, come, no, only to our own
State but to the whole country, from
such a defamation, who can contem-
pla,e'
Temperance men Of Maine, irrespective
Of party. casting aside partisanship and
prejudice, forgetting those things which
are behind, reaching forth to things that
are BEFORE" press forward. without di-
vision, without petty strife or foolish
chickering's to q victory, not Of a bare ma
jority, but 90 overwhelming that its voice
shall reach the utmost limits Of the Re-
public, with no uncertain sound.
youn Truly, VIZ. p. FRrr.