Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-13
SENATOR coLaurrrs srEEcnEs.
Great Crowds 60 Hear Him nj Mozart
Academy aud LeiGh-street
Raoflsf Church.

Great Crowds 60 Hear Him nj Mozart
Academy aud LeiGh-sereet
baptist Church.
Mozart Hall was packed toits utmost
capacity on Sunday afternoon with An
audience representing oil creeds and
classes, attracted by the reputation OF
Georgia's distinguished senator, ex-
Governor A. ii. Colquitt.
There were on the platform q num-
Der Of the ministers Of the city doth
white and colored), and many temper
ance workers and other citizens.
There was very sweet singing, led by
quartette, q prayer by Rev. DR..
Cooper, Of the First Baptist church,
and solo, after which Mr.. George W.
Mayo, chairman of the City Local
Option Committee, introduced in few
fitting words Hon. A. Ii. Colquit,, OF
Georgia.
Senator Colquitt is in appearance a
typical southern gentleman. His man
DER is easy, his speech fluent, and as he
warns up with bis subject he becomes
very vehement. lie began by saying
that he was no specialist, no propa-
gandist, and no reformer. And he
claimed tina. he was not, as he
bad been called, ga teetotal fanatic
and a prohibition crank" But he
trusted that he was a patriOt-he
humbly hoped that be was a Christian
and he came to speak on an old theme,
which would be a topic Of discussion as
long as there are blasted homes and
blighted hopes and broken hearts, re-
sultiDg from this monster evil Of the
centuries.
lie spoke in the most sarcastic man.
ner Of the indifference of the higher
circles" who seem to think that this Is
a matter for the women, but that they
have "more important affairs " TO claim
their attention, and insisted that selfish
ness is the philosophy Of the liquor
traffic, their aiders and abettorS.
He made an eloquent allusion to
Richmond and his relations to her when
a soldier defending her homes, and in
sisted that he came now to defend the
homes Of the city against worse ene-
my than ever beleaguered her walls.
lie then proceeded in an able and
telling manner TO meet objections to
CARRYING Richmond for prohibition such
as. at will do for small towns such
as Wytheville, but not for big Richmond
on the James -; " it will injure bust
ness -; 81 it does not prohibit >" " it
violates personal liberty" &c.
He pictured a man sitting down to
make a mathematical calculation OF the
advantage Of the revenue derived from
liquor compared with the loss Of the
Young men ruined by it-especially if
one Of those young men should be his
own son-and made a sketch OF a
city whose brick were reekiDg with the
blood Of her slaughtered sons and ce-
mented with the tears OF widows and
orphans.
lie denounced in unmeaSured terms
the " false statements that had been
published to the effect that Atlanta had
been injured by prohibition
lie gave a very amusing picture OF
the sorrow Of the liquor-men that pro-
hibition does not prohibit and that the
temperance-men were trying to make
and sell more liquor than ever before,
and gave facts and figures to show tina,
prohibition has been effective where
tried, and especially in Georgia, where
there are over one hundred counties
which have adopted prohibition.
lie brought out the fact that there
are 5000 church members in Rich
mond who are voters. and that the de-
cision of this question is virtually in
their hands, and eloquently appealed to
these to follow their pastors in the
stand they have taken for " God and
| the truth
he gave a very vivid description o.
how prohibition was carried in Atlantis
by the preachers, the young men, and
the women.
lie closed with an eloquent appeal &c
all to 60 to work for the cause and &c
leave no stone unturned to win for thi.
"proud old capital Of the Confederacy
her highest honor and blessing in free
irg herself from the curse Of the liquor
traffic.
Senator Colquitt spoke for nearly
two hours, but held the undivided at
tention Of the vast crowd, who were
enthusiastic in their expressions Of ap
proyal.
Professor W. W. Smith made an ap
peal TO the young men in few ringing
words, which were loudly applauded.
pr. J. William Jones pronounced tht
benediction.
At night Governor Colquitt ADDRESSED
another packed house at the Leigh
Street Baptist church IN speech en-
tiIely different rom the one Of the at
ternoon, but which made a profound
impression on the vast crowd.
At one point he asked those willin:
to work for prohibition to rise. and th'
crowd, with scarcely twenty-five ex
ceptions, sprang to their feet and en-
Enthusiastically made the pledge.
lie left yesterday morning to speaf
in Lynchburg last night, having spokeI
in fredericksburg Saturday night, an
the friends Of local option claim that hi
visit has been a great help to the,