The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-25
AN OLD FOE TO LIQUOR
Meeting of the Congressional
Temperance Society.
The Work of the Organization for
Over Tyvo-Thirds of n Century Re
viewed by the Rev. +. ID. Power
Founded by Eminent Men-Groyvth
of Movement in Its Early Stages.

At the Vermont Avenue Christian
Church last night was held the annual
meeting of the Congressional Temper
anee Society. Representative Grout was
presiding officer, and quite a large num-
Der of members of Congress were pres
ent. In opening the meeting Represen-
tatiye Grout spoke of the encouraging
success which had attended the efforts
of the temperance agitators in relation
to the anti-cauteen provision in the Army
Reorganization bill, saying he felt con
fident that, having thus showed their
power, friends of temperance had obtain
ed the confidence of Congress, and would
be able to accomplish much more in the
future.
The annual election of officers was held
The following were chosen to serve for
the coming year: President, Hon ". w.
Grout; Vice Presidents. Secretary Long.
Senators Hansbrough and GaIlinger, Rep
resentatives Littlelield, Snodgrass. Lloyd.
Lamb, Talbert, Dahle, and w. S. Greene.
The secretary is Rev f. D. Power
Last nights meeting being the first
in the century the secretary, the Rev DR..
Power, took occasion to include in his
report brief history of the organiza-
tion since its beginning. He said in part:
Here in Washington, since 1883 the
Congressional Temperance Society has had
name that will live; has enrolled hun
dreds Of our national Legislators. many OF
them the highest names in the nation S
history; has held its public meetings.
voted resolutions. and declared sentiments
/ the most radical and revolutionary on the
vital questions OF temperance II has su-
pervised legislation bearing upon this
great matter, and introduced and carried
measures Of the highest Importance to the
temperance cause. 1t ranks today as the
most ancient and honorable organizat lion
Of this character in the United States.
1T may not be remembered that from
! the foundation of the Government this
/ cause has had some of its most loyal sup
I porters in = r legislative halls, and as
early as 1ITi. in the first Continental Con-
I gress, this bold action was taken:
g Resolved That it be recommended TO
the several Legislatures Of the Uni ed
States, Immediately to pass laws the most
eifectual for putting an immediate stop to
the pernicious practice Of distllling by
which the most extensive evils are likely
TO be derived if not quickly prevented.
THE Congressional Temperance So
ciety was organized February &c, 1893
d
temperance convention ever held in this
country, which met in Philadelphia in
May of that year. The Sons OF Temper
apce were organized in 1912, the Templars
Of Honor and Temperance in 1S4J, he
Good Templars in 1851. and the Woman 5
Christian Temperance Union in 1874. The
Congressional Society, started in 1888 Is
therefore, ancient, as things go in this
country, historic, honorable, and useful.
Our National Legislature has never
been without noble spirits, who have held
that true statesmaBship guards the moral
as well as material interests of the people
In the old Senate Chamber. now occupied
by the Supreme Court under the leader
ship OF such men rs Edward Everett, Dan
iel Webster, Horatio Seymour, Lewis Cass.
Felix GrunGy, George NJ. Dallas, George y.
Briggs. John Blair, and William Hendricks,
the society sprang into being. Hon. Lewis
Cass Secretary OF War was chosen pres
ident. Theodore Frelinghuysen. q Senator
from New Jersey, submitted a constitution
which WAS adopted and signed by one hun
dred members Of the Senate and House OF
Representatives. During the previous
year Secretary Cass had issued an order
similar TO our present Anti-Canteen law.
prohibiting the Introduction OF ardent
spirits into any fort. camp, or garrison in
the United States. or its sale by any sut-
Ter to the troops.
The secretary Of the Congress. .oual
Society has the original records with the
constitution and proceedings OF the
society written In the beautiful penman-
ship Of Hon. Walter Laurie, then secre-
tary Of the Senate, and the roll OF mem
bers, with the signatures Of such men as
Webster, Everett, and others. The fol-
lowing is the preamble of the constitu-
ton:
As the use of ardent spirit IS not
only unnecessary, but injurious: IS 1t
tends to produce pauperisn, crime. and
wretchedness and 10 hinder the efficacy
OF all means for the intelligent and moral
benefit Of society. and also to endanger
the purity and permanence Of our free in
stituu0ns; and as one OF the best means
Of counteTaCtinG its deleterious effects is
the influence Of united example:
Therefore, we. the members Of Con-
gress, and others, recognizing the prln-
ciples Of abstinence from the use of ardent
spirit, and from the traffic in it, as the
basis of our union, do hereby aSree to
form ourselves into a society, and for this
purpose adopt the following constitution,
etc.
The object of the society as given in
the constitution is to discontinue by cx-
ample and by kind moral iE7uence the use
of ardent spirit and the traffic in 1t
Under this constitution the society went
forward actively for nine years. holding
its annual meetings and adding many IL
lustrious names to it's rolls. but in 1892,
owing to the advance in public sentiment.
A new constitution was adopted and
new organization effected under the title.
The Congressional Total Abstinence So
ciety."
On this basis the society carried On its
work with more or less activity for many
years. In 1876. under the lnspira tiOu OK
such men as Vice President Wilson and
Senator Buckingham OF Connecticut, the
society became specially alive TO the great
purpose Of its existence, and it has enjoy
ed increasing usefulness anG prosperity
since that time On its rolls from the be-
ginning appear such names, famous in his
tory, as George y. Briggs, OF Massa-
chusetts: Thomas W. Gilmer, OF Virginia.
Joshua r. Gicdin&. Of Ohio; Rufus
Choate. of Massachusetts; John Blair. OF
Tennessee; Henry A. Wise. OF Virginia:
Millard Fillmore. OF New York. Thomas
f. Marshall, Of Kentucky; w. w ELS
worth, OF Connecticut; Franklin Pierce. OF
New Hampshire; Felix GruEiy, of Ten
nessee: Wiilinm c. Rives. OF Virginia:
Thomas EwiLG, OF Ohio; Presidents OF the
United States, signers OF the Declaration
Of Independence, justices Of the Supreme
Court, Cabinet officials, Senators Repre-
sentatives, and heads Of departments.
"The annual meeting Of the society is
the Lord s Day nearest the 22d OF Feb
ruary. Its present enrolment is forty.
Sometimes its membership has reached
over one hundred; sometimes il has fallen
as low as T. dozen.
We have only 10 go back over the
sixty-eight years in which this society
lauu he. 4F... ,sIr.ss