The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-10-10
A BISHOPS ADDRESS.


Remarks of Bishop Spaldtng at the Re-
cent Catholic Temperance Convention at
Peoria, Ill.
The annual convention of the Catho-
lie Total Abstinence Union of the State
of Illinois was recently held at Peoria.
Rt Rev. j. L. SpaIding, Bishop of
Peoria Diocese, was chosen President
OF the Union for the ensuing year.
After the business of the convention
was finished a public meeting was held
and B.hop Spalding delivered an elo-
quent address on Temperance, from
which we make the following extracts:
The Temperance cause is one which beyond
all question COmmcndS itself to all who have
the welfare and progress OF mankind at heart.
Inc bases Of all human happiness is virtue
right conduct. 70 be governed by that moral
law of which we are all conscious is the best.
W EatcNrr tends to make men more earnest in
Their conduct and more able to practice what
they preach is GOOD. Since this is a general
pr'ncIpe II follows thar SObriC'y-tcmpcrance
life.
The temperance quest. ION is one of the alb
sOrb no que ,tiOnS OF to-day.
Gladstone has said that intcmpCrance has
upon. mankind than war, famine and pcoti-
iGnce combined. And am convinced OF this.
There is no evil to lc compared in its dread
ana 1aiM power with the vice Of drunkenness.
Between N1,UJJ and !OUUt human being, die
dtIly: ms is uHnULCcu; but II l,5JO die IN
one day in Spain OF cholera, everybody talks
auoul H. ana people become alarmed thou
S'lHtN OF mics away. II My or KY people
az Killed IN Il railroad accident the newSpa-
PcrS TEEN with lnc news. We need something
startling to attract our attention. IT is so
j. "a 4,tFrf on 1rly
IN many Il hOuSchOid-pavin the way to rum
thousands ItworkS it, way silently. If you
could gather in one place the drunkardS of II
CITY or state, ana could depict the histOry of
those hIghtcd lives. public opinion would
stand a9hust. A KIND OF moral paralysis
would take possession Of all We lose sight
OF IT because il does not come ON us ike a
pcStlIencc IN an hour, bat by slow and
sicuihF advances.
There are, hONCyc very few even of those
VINO nate temperance who do succeed in shut
unE their eyes to the CnOrmIty Of the owl
There IS no evil which to me Is so repul>ivc,
that affects mCin 50 unpleasant way. There
ale other vices that may be wOrse--GOd knows
But 10 me tie most pit able wreck of Il man is
Drought ABOUT by drunkenness. 1t seems
more than any other vice TO get control OF Il
man. OF course there are some reformed
drunhMdS, but is Il rule they de by The hun
drcd thousands and reform by tens. Its pow
crs are almost rs fatal as the force of graVIta.
ton that holds us to the ground. 1t wcaSCnS
the VIII more than all the other vices. The
/,
which places him above other creatures. The
tendency OF all wrOng-dOing is to weaken the
will, and drunkenness has that effect more
thtn anything else.
My notion IS that men do not love liquor for
Its pleasant taste, but Tor the effect it pro-
duces, and the directetcct is to deadcn CON
SclOuSnesS. 1t makes man for the time forget
ms IuDoi, MS troubles, the cares OF life, ana
therein is the greatest charm of using alco-
none stmulants. But as the habit grows upon
many 1t brings about the lessening of VIII
power ana induces intellectual and physical
decay IL IS unworthy OF man to seek this
uuualura unGohScIoushesS: IL IS Il coward
refuge from lue fcalil.es OF me- ana results
III lhe ueSlrucjth OF the man.
nave supreme hcilel III the good of life
as II Is gwen TO us on earth, 1t is GOd-like
privilege 10 De aDle 10 thlnk, to love, to work,
10 console 10 see ana enjoy the beauties and
advantages OF nature. 1t IS crime in any
man 10 lessen the perfect goodness Orhs life,
Whlch thihk drunkenness does. That is why
hatc II. LIE Is SWCetcr, iohder and trecr to
me as total abstalner than as moderate
uf.hker; so say II you want TO get the most
out OF lte' II you want 10 sFmpathlZe with
your leIioW men 10 feel the true force OF your
prilS, absta'u from alcOhOlc StmuantS. l
am cohN ihCtu thaI even the most delcatelY-
cohsututrA man Is HapIe 10 endure more as
an aDNtalhcr IMAM moderate drinker.
enness has crown ', more re gcHrrn ' n o %Tln
thanin past ares. On the contrary, am con-
Erot th1 tb lIS country ana IN Europe So
even approved of one hundred Years AGO " If
was thought once to be gentcnanilc vice.
WHAT htI 9I' s " no, o G9G Ken t htayen