St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-09-07
President LincoIn's Temperance Record

A few years ago we spent month in
Springfield, ILL.,. examining authorities on
State history. Very naturally, there, in
Lincoln's home, we came across many
"reminiscences of hini.
Among these were facts concerning his
temperance record, which greatly inter-
eSted US, and will interest our readers.
Among other things we found copy of
the first public address Lincoln ever de-
livered; we were surprised as well as
pleased to find that it was temperance
speech. 1t was delivered at Springfield
on the occasion of a Washingtonian cele-
bration, February %, 1912. Commencing
with tribute to Washington, he said :
''This is the anniversary of the birth of
Washington we are met to celebrate the
day. Washington is the mightiest name
on earth-long since mightiest in moral
reformation; brightest in the cause of
civil liberty. On that name eulogy is
expected. 1t cannot be. To add bright
ness to the sun or glory to the name of
Washington is impossible. Let none at
tempt it +"
From this he glides naturally into his
ubject-temperance After enumerating
the grand principles established by the
glorious results, past, present and to come,
it had it's evils, too it breatbed forth fam
inc, swan in blood and rode in fire. Long
after it's close the orphans cry, the widows
wall continued to break the sad silence
that ensued." He then proceeds to show
that in the war against King Alcohol, worse
sequences follow; it's victories dry the or
VIII irc4 ofo fn
flow; instead of making widows, they re-
store to wives who were worse than wild
owed, husbands who were worse than
dead. He closed with an appeal for total
abstinence, and for crushing the liquor
traffic, which in power and pathos prefg-
ured his Gettysburg speech.
When we consider the time and the cir
cumstapces under which the young lawyer
spoke, in the capital city where to day few
public men dare stand for temperance, this
speech is certainly remarkable. The fact
that he was chosen to deliver the address
on this occasion proves that his temperance
sentiments were even then well known.
Nor was this the only time he spoke upon
a temperance platform.
We have a pleasant account of Lincoln
signing the pledge. A personal friend of
Mr.. Lincoln told Mrs. Lucy Rider Myer,
president of the Chicago Missionary Train
ing School, that Old Uncle John, as he
was called, an itinerant temperance lee
turer in Southern Illinois, nearly two gen.
erations ago, speaking in an isolated coun-
try district, probably in the school house,
offered the temperance pledge. as was his
custom, at the close of the meeting
whereupon a tall, Jank, awkward youth
came forward and affixed his name. Years
after, when he had come to great renown,
Abraham Lincoln, meeting Uncle John,
said to him: II owe more to you than to
almost anyone else of whom can think,
for if l had not signed the pledge with
you, in my years of youthful temptation
I might have gone the way that the ma
iority of my old comrades have gone,
which ends in drunkard's life and a
drunkard's grave"
His conduct when receiving notification
of his nomination to the Presidency is
part of history. A friend, knowing that
he never kept wine in his house, and
thinking it an absolute necessity on so
great an occasion, had some in readiness to
present to the committee who formally
notified Lincoln of his nomination. But
Mr.. Lincoln quietly set it aside, and order
ing pitcher of water and glasses, filed
them and passed them to his guests, say
ing: eve will drink to the fortunes of
our party in the best beverage ever brewed
for man. Union Signal