The Portland daily press., 1884-07-24
THE PRoHIBITIONIsTs.
Proceedings of the National Convention at
Pittsburg, Pa.

PITTsBURG, Pa, July 23.-The National Prohi-
biton Convention called to order at IL O'Clock
by Gideon j. Stewart. Prayer was offered by Rev.
Dr. Miner of Boston.
The call for the convention was then read by w,
r. Nelson of Chicago.
An ADDRESS Of welcome was delivered by c.. l..
Rose Of Pittsburd. He described it as a very great
honor and pleasant duty to welcome to Pittsburg
The delegates of the National Prohibition conven-
ton Never did party more justly plead for. help
than this one. Back of them was a century of des-
olstion caused by the legalized liquor traffic The
demands OF the age could not be met without the
Gideon l. Stewart Chairman ofjthe National Com
m1ttce, responded on behalf of the convention The
nall Lafayette hall, in which they met, added, he
sald oy lis history, to the welcome. Nearly 80
years ago the Ant-slavery patriots assembled in it
TO organize another national campaign against the
ed the republic.
When he had finished his reference to the address
ofWeicome Mr.. Stewart proceeded to deliver the
opening ADDRESS. He referred tothe relatonIbetween
the liquor crime and the slavery crime. Anti-slav-
cry men, he said strangely blind to the correla-
ton OF the two evils Their platform so years ago
was sienl as to the parent crime of which slavery
was but the natural offspring. When Senator
Brown OF Georgia declared in the Senate some
weeks since that African slavery WIS the product of
northern dstilleries he only echoed truth evil
dent in the whole history of the African slave trade
and of slavery. Anti-slavery reformers had lifted
Of the upas tree, which with its malgn shadow had
darkened the republic, and today they met to lay
the axe to the roots OF same upa5 tree and to
the main source OF oppression and injustice to labor
and OF all crime, vice, ignorance poverty, debase-
ment and misery. There were four nominally Pre-
hibition States at the North and half dozen at the
South and yet in the late National Republican Con-
vention not delegate from of those ten States
hal dared to sign minority report on the liquor
question. And it ives the same in the Democratic
convention. Thus ali Republican and Democratic
Prohibitionists were bound as Eerfs of the liquor
power under the y sh of heir party keepers. When
the dc or of the Republican National Convention
pleading for protection of homes they treated
with silent contempt. What could more wildly
illustrate the abject seryty of that party to the
liquor power?
a Telegram frem Rochester, New York, that ex.
Governor St. John of Kansas, stated postively that
he wes not candidate was freely circulated. Dr.
Blanchard of Illinois said that Notwithstanding
this, Mr. st. Johns would ba presented to the
convention, and if nominated, he would accept.
The temporary organization was effected by the
choice of William Daniels of Maryland, as chair
man and Mrs. Woodbridge, President of the Ohio
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and Charles
S. Carter of Washington secretaries.
Mr.. Daniels in taking the chair, spoke of the pro-
gress which prohibition YVES making in Maryland.
The general result he said that the ias of Ma
ryland were empty, property had appreciated,
schools and churches were better filled and every
interest in the State was better promoted.
The secretary made report of the number of
delegates 800 in all from the various States and
committee on credentials was appointed. When
the roll of States was called for members of the
committee, the duties of secretary were performed
by Mrs Woodbridge and responses were made in
two or three case3 by ladie5. Members of the COM
mittee credentials were also in few cases ladies'
The convention then at 1.30 took a recess until
Bpm.
On reassembling prayer was offered, followed by
singing Of Coronation" by the whole convention.
The secretary reported the following representation
in the convention: Alabama O. California %, Con-
necticut 2, Illinois 40, Maine 3, Kansss II, Ken
lucky q, Michigan 56, Nebraska 8. Dakota 1, Ohio
~, New Jersey Is, Maryland 10, New York 70,
Missouri 10, Tennessee IL, Texas 10, Pennsylvania
%, Wisconsin 30. Total 446.
kilograms encouraging the convention in its work
were received and read from various parts of the
country.
Miss Frances Willard, president of the Woman's
CHRISTIAN Temperance Union presented a memori-
al from that body, similar to that presented to the
National Republican convention. 1t concludes:
'We do hereby respectfully and earnestly petition
you to advocate and adopt such measures as are
requisite to the end that prohibition of the mport
ton, expectation, manufacture and sale of alcohol
national Constitution, and that your party candi-
date shall by character and public pledge stand
committed to national constitutional prohibitory
amendment"
The report of the committee on credentials was
presented showing 81 States and Territories repre-
sented by 676 delegates and that there actual
ly present 461 delegates.
A resolution accompanied the report to the effect
that delegates be authorized to the full vote of
the States they represented. The report was ac-
cepted and resolutions adopted.
The convention, by rising vote and much enthu-
slasn, endorsed the views and principles expressed
in the memorial of the Womaa's Christian Temper
ance Union.
At the evening session the committee on perman-
emit organization reported Professor Samuel Dickey
OF Michigan as president and large number of
vice presidents lam ng them several Ia lies and Gen.
Clinton B. Fisk of New Jersey, and several secre-
taries drst among them being Mrs. Woodbridge of
Ohio. The report was adopted and committee ap-
pointed to conduct Mr.. Dickey to the chair.
Mr. Dickey in taking the chair said they were here
for work. not for words; they were here because
they were driven into the work by powerful convc-
lions. This prohibition party siood committed to
earnest independent political action. (Cheers)
Their object was to found and to build up from its
foundation an intelligent body of voters whose DO
litical thought would be the complete suppression
OF the liquor traffic. To that work they were pledg-
ed, and by that work they expect to stand.
Inc committee on rules made their report fixing
the dally hours of the convention from a. m to
p. m, and from to p. m. Speeches in present.
ing candidates for nomination are to be limited to
10 minutes, and balloting not precede the ador-
ton OF the PLATFORM the vote of State shall not
De altered until all the States are called.
proposition to adopt two-thirds vote for nomin-
alton OF candidate rejected and it was decid-
ed That 1t would require a majority of the votes
cast to nominate candidate. Various propositions
were submitted and referred to the committee on
resolutions and the convention then adjourned till
y O'Clock tomorrow morning.