The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-16

The Temperance Convention of West
Virginia held its annual session at
Grafton, at which the State Prohibition
organization was thoroughly Effected
There were present about $50 delegates,
besides many visitors. The Convention
organized permanently with the election Of
Hon. Fontaine Smith as Chairman and
Rev. w. M. Weekly as Secretary.
The proceedings were very lively, owing
to the presence Of some Of the leading
Republican and Democratic temperance
men. Two sets of resolutions were pre-
scented, but after warm debate. the ma
jority report, declaring for the Prohibition
party was adopted by the overwhelming
vote of 118 to II. A Prohibition Execu-
tive Committee Of 10, apportioned among
the four Congressional Districts was ap-
pointed, and, at meeting after adjourn
! ment, it decided to continue the Freeman,
published at Parkersburg, under the edi-
torship of /. III. Johnson, as the State
Prohibition organ.
Among the Independent party men who
were in the Convention were Rev. DR..
Carter, Hon. T. r. Carksdon. Frank Burt,
j. Melvin Richards, D. D. Johnson, J. M.
Lyons and Rev. w. P. Walker.
The resolutions after vigorously arraign-
ing the liquor traffic for its evils, declare
that 'sin the name of home and country,
in the name of economy and safety, in the
name of right and justice, in the name of
God and humanity. we demand the Pro-
hibition of this curse Of curses and crime
of Grim esq
Prof. Miller, Of the Edinburg Uniyer-
sity says: Alcoholics are ordered rightly
or wrongly: the effects are not watched
their use is not stopped at the proper time !;
and the first intimation of the blunder
may be the painful discovery that the
man has become drunkard. would not
beuncharitable to my professional breth-
rem. but would entreat them to consider
this matter, well satisfied as I am, that
many case of hopeless intemperance,
especially among the better classes. owes its
origin to ill-regulated medical administra-
tion. Or the evil may fall short of this,a and,
in illustration, take another case. Suppose
a medical man to order opium to relieve
pain or procure sleep,in needful and urgent
circumstances, and that he neglects either
to regulate its dose, or to order its dis
continuance when the necessity for its use
has ceased. The conyalescent, improperly
left to himself, finds, first, that he must
increase this to attain ordinary effect land
second, that after time he can i'll do with
out it. Ere even he is aware, he becomes
an opium eater, the victim of an infrmity
most difficult to cure. And so with alco-
hol. Left without due control, the dose
is increased, and the habit becomes con-
hrmed; the system refuses to part will
ingly with its use and the man, besides
being brought into morbid state Of bod
lily frame, is in extreme moral danger of
intemperance.
A correspondent of the Voice, writing
from West Point, Miss, says Eighteen
months ago scarcely twenty-five men could
have been found here to sign Prohibition
petition. Within few days a petition
was filed with the Board of Selectmen, |
asking that no license be granted to sell |
whiskey for thenext twelve months, signed |
by nearly three hundred of our voters, |
about two-thirds of the entire registered |
yote.''
Lexington, Miss, recently became aroused |
by the filing of applications for an in
creased number Of saloons. A petition |
was circulated through the town, and in |
less than twenty-four hours, the council
acted on and granted the request of the
temperance people.
And SO it is, all over the State, which
will soon be second to Georgia on temper
ance.
The Voice: A report has been started
that MI. G. H. Sturgeon, the great Lon
don preacher IS not total abStainer. A |
correspondent writes us to ask if it can
be true. We were aware of the falsity of I
the report, but to settle the matter, wrote
to Mr.. Spurgeon himself, and here is his
reply 81 do not think the statement will
do me any harm, for every person about
me knows that never touch any alcoholic
drinks, and discourage the drinking Of
such things in others. This is no new
thing with me. and no matter of question.
am almost amused by anyone's asking
whether am an abstainer, for some folks