Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-06

than Is Iully r0dllZ0Q. 50 6XGonS1V6 8 k1nS- dom has the demon of intemperance estab- lished in our midst that many seem inclined to admit its legitimacy and the impotency of ! the people to effect it's destruction.
 Possessed of 8 feeling of security them | selves they deliberately shut their ears to the cries of anguish arising from countless homes where King Alcohol reig-ns supreme. But, thank God there are many souls made of nobler. stuff, who, not content to wrap them selves up in the cloak of @ selfish security, have boldly and heroically embraced cause which till recently has been considered by many well meaning but ill-informed persons | as Quixotic and Utopian.
 The presence here to-day of so many dele gates from all parts of this vast country and representing oyer forty thntsand Catholics of the United States is conclusive proof the. the total a5SsEnence cause has established it. I self in the hearts of the people and should fill us with buoyant hopes for it's complete | and final triumph.
 i Yes, this vast body of intelligent Catholic ! men, united together as one man by the
 sweet, bond ef haternai charity and by indi- | vidhal Self -saerihce, 1aboring for the arnelioratfon of the miseries of their fellow men, is a spectacle that must excite the ad- miration and coInnaanh the respect of their fellow citizens irrespective of religious be- lief
 Neither are we alone, gentlemen, in this great work of God, the suppression of the ! vice of intemperance, and the deliveranee of | our fellow men from the bondage of tyrant more cruel than ever afflicted the human race Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens who are not of our faith give us their hearty sympathy and wish us God speed.
 From hundred thousand homes there ascend to heaven to-day the heartfelt prayers of suffering women and children that God may bless our efforts and deliver them from the terrible afiiction of a drunken father, sister or brother.
 be with you to day and to contribute; as far
 as my feeble efforts will permit, to the suc-
 cess of the cause of total abstinence.
 What especially comments our union and
 entztles 1t to the support of every Catholic in
 the laaas who deplofes the fearful prevalence
 of incompetence and its consequent evils is
 it's sole reliance on religion and moral sua-
 sion for the attainment of it's object. We
 may, indeed, heartily sympathise with, and
 as individuals encourage, every just and law
 ful means employed for the same end,
 but as members of this total abstinence
 union we can have no connection with po-
 htical parties, whether their object be the
 entire suppression of the liquor traffic or
 merely it's restriction and regulation. The
 day that politics, whether under the phase
 or prohibition or of nigh license, enter into
 us ..oiiDsration of our union and become a
 part of our plan of operations against in
 temperance, that day an element will be in
 troduced which will ultimately effect our
 destruction as @ society.
 As individuals of course we are free to
 exercise our rights as citizens, and to give our support to the party whose principles commend themselves to our best judgment; and it would be strange, indeed, if any total abstinence man should exercise his rights as a citizen in such manner as to 1, vii 1xx,bi inb of the union, he is trying to suppress. As a society, nevertheless, we cannot ignore the fact that the primary cause of intemperance is the liquor traffic, and that if we would help attain our object consistently with the principles of action already stated, we must be it's uncompromising enemies.
 It Is with deep feelings of sorrow and shame that see so many If those protesting our holy religion engaged in this mean and debasing business of selling liquor.
 I declare to you as my honest conviction that one of the greatest obstacles to the growth Uf our holy religion in this country to-day is the liquor traffic. 1 speak of course of the business in general and as we see it carried 6fi every day before 6tit eyes There ffiay be individual exceptions, but these aii ii6t bound t6 notice even if knew them, which, however, 1 titist confess d6 ti6t
 TRe sai88f Is the recruiting 6fiee 6f the devil, 6f b1aspheHiY atid If ihhde1itF: ii the sat68H tile ihHdel eat HHd lis nest sfdeHt admirers, atid tlie Church BE 19d its EH8st malignant opponents: II is the aHtF, therefore, If sii Wtt8 love a8d aHd the church t8 oppose the influence 8t the sate8R.
 kH9W there aFe s8Rle Wh9 will aeeHse FRe if exaggeFatiaR, bHt let me tell them that my experience IS priest has brought home ta me the e9nFietieas tG which l have given utteTance, and hardly day passes that does not bring me GarrQhoratiVe evidence of it's simple and unadorned truth, An, it was . glorious day for the cause when the bishops assembled at the late plenary council at Bal timore, recognizing the fearful extent of the Q sVil of intemperance, sent forth their man date to the priests of the country, "to induce all of their focks that may be engaged in the sale of liquor to abandon as soon as they can the dangerous traffic and to em- brace Q more becoming way of mak- ing 8 living" In these words is contained an implied condemnation of the liquor traffic a cause of the miseries we all de- plore. And who can doubt that the united and simultaneous action of the Catholic cler- gy in the fulfllment of this command of their superiors would lay the axe at the root of the evil and contribute in an immeasurable de- gree to the suppression of the vice of intem- 
 One of the results of this convention, trilst, will be that your action will give a renewed assurance of the support of the laity in this holy war of God against Satan, of vir- tue against vice, of the church against the saloon.
 FATHER ELLIoTT's SPEECH.
 Rev. Father Elliott, of New York, was the next speaker. It seems to me- said the speaker that there is little left for me to speak upon. unless it be the political side of the question. If there is such thing as love of country it is a virtue, and comes from above. Temperance is a virtue. We san learn lesson from the old Puritans in that they taught us that there s suoh thing as civic virtue We know that intemperance has wrought ssa in the liberties of our country and in the politics of our country. Oi the meanness of our politics that will be led by the grog sell ng element I sometimes hear 1ayman gay, Why don't the priest do this or that in regard to intemperance There are great and noble minds ar- ong our politicians, but .re net the most of them in league with the liquor sellera Have you not, Irishmen, been careless of your choice of men for your off sers when you have at times elected men to office who thirst for your bloods O! the vice of liquor selling politicians !
 FATHER coNNERTY's SPEECH.
 Rev. Thomas J. Connerty of Worcester, Mass, was the next speaker. He said: In Worcester we have fought this very evil that ,he speaker who preceded me has been talk ing about. We not only preached temper ance to the people, but we preached 70 the iquor seller as we'll. What is there that brings evil to the community as do the sa- oonsa None of my business, they tell me, or that am interfering with their busi- ness. It is not my business to care for the welfare of my people? believe that the time has come when we should talk to the drunkard maker as we'll as the drunkard. In one street in Worcester where there were nine saloons we opposed their license. until now there is but one on that street. We show the drunkard maker that it is some of our business. (Cheers.) There is 8 strong feeling against .monopolies. Let me say to you workingmen, consider for a moment the monopoly of the liquor dealer, which grinds and grinds, crushing the very life blood of our laboring people. The heart within me is an Irish heart, and it beats to-day with the nope that we may soon see better things in our own land than our fathers saw. But while we work for Ireland's freedom let us not forget that there is a greater slavery ! light here in our midst than Ireland ever l ,aw Let us turn for moment from the | andlord to the rum lord. Let us see to it l hat it is no longer thrown in our aces that we Irish are 8 nation l ,f drunkards. That man is truly l rec who conquers himself and is able to bat l le himself through life, not as slave to ! appetite, but as freeman. May we live to l zee ourselves lifted up from that reproach, l hat because we are Irish we are intemDerate, | nd be able to win not only the freedom of | b17f .r,fa