Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-07-15
Address to the Christian and
Temperance People of
Tennessee.

tive Committee and Advisory Board
of the State Temperance Alliance.
held in the TO ms of the Tennessee
Historical Society, on the 10th day
of June, 1856, the following resolu-
ion was adopted:
Resof9ed, That committee of seven be
appointed to prepare an address to be sent to
ministers of the gospel, pastors of churches,
County Temperance Alliances, and all other
Temperance organizations in this State, set
ting forth the needs Of the State Committee
and the importance of its work, and asking
through them the assistance Of their respect
i've organizations and all friends of Temper
ance in forwarding the cause Of Prohibition
in Tennessee.
The undersigned were appointed
to prepare this address, which is sent
to you with an earnes. prayer to God
for his blessings on every effort that
may be made in this behalf.
We submit no argument to con-
vince you that the cause Of Temper
ance is the cause OF Chris ianity
and right. Christian people every
where recognize this as a truth.
The following Amendment to the
Constitution of our State has been
proposed:
No person shall manufacture for sale, or
sell, or keep for sale,. as beverage, any in
toxicating liquors whatever, including wine,
ale, and beer. The General Assembly shall
by law prescribe regulations for the enforce
ment of the prohibition herein contained, and
shall thereby provide suitable penalties for
the violation Of the provisions hereof
To so amend the Constitution, the
matter must first be submitted to
the voters in the State, and this can
be done only by al act of the Legls-
lature.
The matter has been passed upon
By the present Legislature, and if
the next Legislature agrees to sub
nit the question to the people, il
can lie voted upon at an early day;
but if the next Legislature refuses
to submit it to vote of the people,
it cannot be reached inside of eight
years.
The plan is to have the question
voted upon at special election APP
pointed for that purpose, in which
no other question will enter.
The men we elect to the Legis!a-
ture next November will say whctl.-
er we shall be allowed to vote upon
this question or not, aud the key to
the situation is in the election of the
men who will compose the next Sem
ate. Twelve me nbers of this booty
failing to vote tor Submission will
defeat the measure and it is conced-
ed that in all probability at least
nine of these will be elected.
The State and County Liquor
Dealers Associations are organized
and at work, and we are reliably in
formed and believe that they are al
ready using money to influence the
approaching election, and that they
will not hesitate to use it profusell
if necessary to accomplish their
purpose.
We realize that unless the Tenn
perance people are aroused all over
the State, the proposition to submit
the question of Prohibition to a vote
70 the people may be defeated in the
next Legislature.
To arouse the Temperance senti-
ment in Tennessee, it is necessary
to send lecturers and Temperance
literature into the field at once, and
keep them there until the close of
the campaign. To DO this will cost
at least five thousand dollar, which
we ask Temperance peopl through
nut the State to help us raise at once.
There are Gel tainiy one thousand
Churches and Temperance organiz,-
tons in the State that can afford to
give at least ten dollars to this cause
and many of them. no doubt, are
able and willing to give even more
than this. Surely halt of these are
sufficiently interested to join us in
this effort to protect the homes and
save the Young men of our country.
Dear brother will you not see to
it now that your people put them
selves in line with this great moral
reform, and thus assist in bringing
grand triumph for the cause of
Christianity?
Let us not only raise money to
advance this work, but let us agitatc
The question at home, and let US
prepare for the campaign by organ
ling without DELAY.
This is not question on which
political parties are divided in Ten
nesSee, hut is one on which the best
men of all parties are united; and
the sole object of the Temperance
Alliance is t. see that men who are
willing t. allow the people to vote
on Prohibition" are elected to the
Legislature, regardless of their pn-
litical affiliations.
Money sent to John Hill Eakin
will he r"criptcl for. announced in
The Issue. and judiciuu>lv applied
by the Executive Committee of the
State Temperance Alliance.
T. NJ. HuRsT. Chairman.
j. ID. BARBEE. d. ID
NJ. b. DEWITr, d. ID.
w. NJ, LEFrwIcH, d. d.
+. w Cole.
G. n. STRICKLAND. d. u.
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