The Republican journal., 1913-10-09
Kent, Wing, 299; for Curtis, Abolition
list, 8. Fairfield was the successful cam


elected representative; Ephraim X.
Smart of Camden and Joshua F. Elliot
Of Knox were elected Senators.
The memorable event of this year was
the movement here and throughout the
country in behalf of temperance; a
movement which originated in Baltimore
the preceding year, known as the Wash.
inglonian; the history of it is familiar to
all. 1t was, briefly, movement initial
ed by inebriates; the only weapon with
which it contended, and the banner over
1t Was-Lcve. Love for the intemper-
ate, hate for that which made him so
rather than for those who placed temp
tatlon in his path. The results of the
efforts made were almost miraculous.
Tens of thousands were snatched. or
rather snatched themselves, as brands
from the burning. Love proved mightler
than legislation, as Gods law is mightier
than mans.
An association was formed here earIv
in the month of May styled the indie
pendent Temperance Society of Belfast.
1t was composed of those who chad
been in the habit of using intoxicating
liquor as beverage" Prominent among
Its members were many who had been
equally prominent in the large company
OF recognized inebriates; still more of
those who had been known as moderate
drinkers. No one was admitted as a
member who belonged to any temperance
society whose platform contained the
plank OF legal force. Meetings were
held regularly in this and neighoring
towns, and similar associations were
formed throughout the county. Why did
not the movement continue until this
day, and why, like many other move
ments lnaugurated to promote the cause
OF temperance, did the interest in it die
out, are interesting questions; to furnish
an answer to them does not come within
the scope Of these annals. Gods law
wrought better results through the in
strumentality of the Washlngtonian re-
form movement than mans law has ever
wrought since. Gods law has never
been repealed; ard the human heart, for
the government Of which it was enacted,
is the same now, subject to the same in
fiuences. that it ever was
A Temperance Convention, largely at
tended, was held here on the 18th of De-
cember. An Association styled the Wal
do County Washipgtonian Total Abstin
ence Society was organized and Consti-
tuition adopted. Among the Resolutions
passed at the meeting was the following:
Resolved, that the laws granting IL
censes to certain portion of the COM
munity to sell Intoxicating drinks are
not founded upon moral and Republican
principles; because, if the business be
inconsistent with the public good, no law
can make it right; and if it tends to pro-
mote the public good the monopoly thus
established by law, as we'll as the excise
required, is entirely at variance with
true Republicanism; and, therefore, all
such laws ought to be repealed Such
was the solemn protest, the earnest an
peal of the inebrates of 1S41-the poor.
tempted slaves of appetite struggling
tor freedom. What answer do we, the
men OF this generation, make to them
and those following in their footsteps?
'Ho, every man that thirsteth Come
up to our city rumshop sanctioned by
pubic opinion and the law of the lane.
and drink your fill of liquid damnation;
and to encourage you in so doing we
promise as municipality that when all
manhood shall be burned out of YOU.
when your eyes have become bleared,
your hands palsied. your wives and chill
dren are naked and starving, we will
clothe and feed you and them, free of
charge, at the city Poor-f arm!"
A Ladies Temperance Fair was held at
Phenix Hall on the evenings of the six
teenth and seventeenth. The Hall was
beautifully decorated and the merchan-
disc offered for sale was of a very at
tractive character. The amount realized
from the sales made was about three
hundred and fifty dollars. A few sta
tistics connected with this Fair may not
be undressing to the fair-if any such
waste time in reading these annals. The
tables at the Hall We're in charge of
thlrty-four ladies, twelve of whom were
married, twenty-five unmarried. This
was thirty-three years ago; ten of the
twelve married ladies and fifteen of the
twenty-five unmarried are now living; a
wonderful tenacity of life. Of the
twenty-five then unmarried, eighteen
have since married; four only have es-
capped. A strong encouragement, or
warning, to all young unmarried ladies
interesting themselves in Temperance
Reformation.