The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-04-06
piled. "as he had been in addressing a

piled, "as he had been in addressing a
Temperance meeting.n
At the celebration of the twenty-first
anniversary of the order of the Sons Of
temperance, in Washington, the
Grand Division, under the chief-mar-
shalship of F. M. Beadley, marched
with music and banners in large num-
oers to the White House and presented
an address to President Lincoln, In
which they asked that drunken officers
might be discharged from the service.
and that facilities might be extended
to organize in divisions and hold
Temperance meetings in the depart.
ments and hospitals about the citv.
The following is Mr.. Lincoln's reply in
full:
"As m tier of course, it will not
be possible for me to make response
co-extensive with the address which
you have presented to me. If I were
better known than / am. you would
not need to be told that in the adj
vocacy Of the cause of Temperance
youahave friend and sympathizer in
me.
when l was young man-:long
ago-before the Sons of Temperance,
as an organization, had an existence,
|, in an humble way. made Temper
ance speeches, and think may say
that to this day l have never, by nv
example, belied what then said
In regard to the suggestions which
you make for the purpose of the adj
vancement of the cause of Temperance
in the army, can not rake particular
response to them at this time. To
prevent intemperance in the army is
even a part of the articles of war. It
is q part of the law of the land, and
was so, l presume, long ago, to dis.
miss officers for drunkenness. am
not sure that, consistent with the pub
lie service, more can be done than has
been done. All, therefore, that can
promise you is Gf you will be pleased
to furnish me with copy of your
address), to have it submitted to the
proper department.. and have it con-
sidered whether it contains any suo-
gestions which will improve the cause
of Temperance and repress the cause
of drunkenness in the army any better
than it is already done. l can prom
Use no more than that.
81 think that the reasonable men OF
the world have long since agreed that
intemperance is one of the greatest, il
not the very greatest, of all evils
amongst mankind. That is not mat.
ter of dispute, believe. That the dis
ease exists, and that it is a very great
one, is agreed upon by all.
1.-The mode of cure is one about
which there may be differences OF
opinion. You have suggested that in
an army-our rmy-drunkenness is a
great evil, and one which, while it ex.
lists to very great extent, we can not
expect to overcome so entirely as to
have such successes in our arms as
we might have without it. This, I'M
doubleday, is true, and while it is, per-
maps, rather bad source to derive
comfort from, nevertheless, in hard
struggle, l don't know but that it is
some consolation to be aware that
there is some intemperance on the
other side, too; and that they have nc
right to beat us in physical combat on
that ground.
"But l have already said more tina
expected to be able to say when 1 be.
gan, and if you please to hand me
copy of your address, it shall be con.
sidered. 1 thank you very heartily,
gentlemen, for this call, and for bring.
ing with you these very many pretty
ladies'