The Newtown bee., 1891-07-03

day of April, 1887, by and between George
Washington, Esq., of the parish of Truro, in
the County of Fairfax, State of Virginia, on
the one part, and Philip Bates, gardener, on
the other. Witness, that the said Philip Bates
for and in consideration of the covenants here
matter mentioned, doth promise and agree to
serve the said George Washington for the term
of one year, as gardener, and that he Will
during said time, conduct himself soberly
diligently aud honestly and that he will faith
fully and industriously pei form all and every
part OF his duty as gardener, to the best OF
his knowledge and abilities, and that he will
not, at any time suffer himself to be disguised
with liquor, except the times hereafter
mentioned. In consideration of these things
being well and truly performed on the part OF
the said Philip Bates, the said George Wash
ington doth agree to allow him (the said Phil
ip) the same kind and quantity of provisions
as he has heretofore had and likewise, annu
ally, decent suit of clothes befitting man III
his station, to consist of a coat, vest and
breeches, working Jacket and breeches OF
home spun besides; two white shirts; three
checked shirts; two linen pocket handker
chiefs two pair linnen over ais Jas many pairs
OF shoes are actually necessary for him
four dollars at Christmas, with which he may
be drunk four days and four nights; two dol
lars at Easter to effect the same purpose; two
dollars at Whitsuntide to be drunk two days
a dram in the morning and drink of GrOg al
Dinner at noon.
The above is signed by the two con
tracing parties and witnessed by George
A. Washington and Tobias Lear. In an.
other instance, Washington takes high
ground against this evil. In letter tc
one of his overseers, he writes:
shall not close this letter without exhort
ing you to refrain from spirituous liquors
they will prove your ruin if you do not. Con
slider how little a drunken man differs from 9
beast; the latter is not endowed with reason
the former deprives himself of it; and wher
that is the case acts like brute, annoying
and disturbing every one around him; nor is
this all, nor, as it respects himself the worst
of it. By degrees it renders a person feeble
and not only unable to serve others, but tc
help himself; and, being an act OF his own, he
falls from a state of usefulness into contempt
and at length suffers, if not perishes, in penury
and want. Don't let this be your case. Shew
yourself more of man and Christian than
to yield to so intolerable a vice which cannot
am certain ito the greatest lover OF liquor)
give more pleasure to sip in the poison
(for it is no better) than the consequence of il
in bad behavior at the moment, and the more
serious evils produced by it afterwards must
give pain"
AT the second meeting of the Wash
ingtonians, there were two new men,
bers, but in a short time the society be-
came so large that the president suggest
ed that, to pass away the time and make
the meetings interesting, each member
should give his experience. This was
ever after distinct feature of all Wash
ingtonian societies. By Xmas, thousands
had enrolled themselves and an invita-
tion arrived for five of their number to
hold experience meetings in New York
twice every day for one week. The
meetings were grand success and null
titudes came forward to sign the pledge.
The most powerful among all the Wash
ingtonians was Mr. Hawkins, who rose
from the gutter to the rostrum of impas-
stoned eioquence. Drunkards and out
casts were reclaimed and finally i'm
mense meetings were held in the park.
Upwards Of %, 200 names were obtained
to the pledge in Central New York, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania. Ohio and the
West were revolutionized. Hawkins
alone travelled more than 100000 miles,
lecturing 5000 or 60O0 times. About this
time appeared John B. Cough, who was
poor, uneducated Englishman and had
become such victim of drink that he
twice had the tremens, yet, raised by
n hnlniner hand ha rafnrnoaI haoo
a wonderful orator and perfectly swayed
the vast audiences that hung upon his
words wherever he went. . 49,.
In 1S49, Father Matthew, the world re-
nowned apostle of temperance, visited
this country. For 10 years he had Ia
bored as temperance agitator and re-
former In Ireland and England. In five
months, he obtained 10000 converts in
Cork and in Galway he administered the
pledge to. no less than 100000 in two
days. On landing in New York city, the
civil authorities accorded him the honor
of public reception. He visited
visited the principal cities North and
South and everywhere hearty welcome
was extended to him from all classes. He
remained several days in Washington,
where he was entertained at grand din
ner by the President of the United States
He was honored with a seat on the floor
of the House of Representatives and
within the bar Of the Senate at Philadel-
phia, he received his welcome in Inde-
pendence hall and, at Boston, the doors
of Fanueil hall opened to him and there
he administered the pledge to upward Of
1000 persons the first day. His method
Of administering the pledge was quite
affecting. The converts knelt in semi
circle around him and repeated the fol-
lowing words:
promise,with divine assistance, to abstain
from all intoxicating liquors, cordials, cider
and fruit liquors and to prevent, as much as
and example,"
To this, Father Matthew's response
was:
May God bless you, my children; may He
give you grace and strength to keep the
pledge.
He then marked each one with sign Of
the cross. In this way, the venerable
and devoted man travelled over almost
the entire country aud upward Of 600, 900
persons took the tstai abstinence pledge.
Upon descending the Mississippi, he nd