The temperance reformation: its history, from the organization of the first temperance society to the adoption of the liquor law of Maine, 1851

Front matter

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Book Al

GopigM

Preface

murder, premature death, and an intolerable burden of taxation loaded upon the industrious, temperate portion of the community; all under sanction of law, for the sole purpose of protecting and sustaining a horrid liqttopw-moxopoly craft, to heap up wealth in profusion for the endless destruction of its abettors, as well as their victims, allured into the vortex of ruin I Or, shall the supreme law of the sovereign, independent people, under God, be so constructed, as to demolish the abominable liquor-craft monopoly, for the total and permanent overthrow of its power to create and propagate the destructive evils under which our whole land has long been groaning under bondage ? In a word, this political War of Extermination is founded on the question, Shall king alcohol live, or die ? Destroy the infernal old murderer, is the declaration of the unfurled banners of his sober, fearless, and united rxvADERS. Save the good old fellow for the worthy deeds he has done, and is doing • for the wealth he bestows, and his blessings on those that love him; is the virtual inscription of the unfurled banners throughout the whole line of his defense. Oh, save him ! Destroy him not ; for we tell you, believe it or not, he looks good! He smells good! He tastes good! He makes its feel good! and he is good! Oh, spare him, as good old Agag was spared by king Saul. Do spare him for our sake! If hs dies, O dear, what will become of us !

PREFACE. XI

The weapons of this warfare are not fire-arms, swords, spears, and daggers ; but ballot-boxes, resolutions, and votes of legislative authority. And by such weapons, the sovereign power of intoxicating liquors must, sooner or later, fall into disuse as a customary beverage, and the legalizing power of making drunkards must fall into perdition^ even if the contest should result in the fulfillment of the foretold Great Battle Day of the Lord, in the Battle-field of the world's great valley of ar^iageddon ! And, woe be to the inhabitants of the earth, while lnte^iperance, "the abomination of desolation" retains its predominance in the land !

This book of historical temperance reminiscences, and argumentative deductions in support of the principles and progress of the temperance reformation, will be concluded with several Moral-suasive Addresses, delivered by the author, on various occasions ; comprising the First Address delivered before the pioneer parent Temperance Society, on their first quarterly meeting, verbatim from the original MS., together with various temperance anecdotes founded on well-authenticated facts, all which is hereby dedicated to the Friends of Temperance in this land, and all other nations of the earth.

Chapter I

Eras and Epochs of the Temperance Reformation— Alarm of the First Epcoh by the encroachment of an Enemy under Banners of Intemperance and Death — Organization of the First Temperance Society — Time, Place, Number, and Names of Members, Consti tution, Ple dge, First President, First Address delivered before the Society, and by whom — Remarkable Report of a Member of the Society on their First Annual Meeting — Deficiency of the Pledge, but was the best that could then be obtained — Feebleness and Trials of the little Temperance Band— Second and Third Epochs, comprising a Period of more than Twenty-five Years, marked with extensive and increasing Influence of the Temperance Cause, evinced by the Organization of various Town, County, State, and National Temperance Societies, comprising both Male and Female Members — Total Abstinence American Pledge, adopted at Saratoga Springs, A. D. 1836 — The American Pledge of Total Abstinence subsequently adopted rvem con by the Parent Society — Addresses on the occasion, and Resolutions adopted on Reorganization — Important Question settled — " Who is First and Greatest ?" — Answered by an Ancient Rule of Judging Page 17

Chapter II

Fourth Epoch — Origin of the Washingtonian Band — Their general Temperance Character and Usefulness — Dangers to which they are exposed, by which many have fallen back into their former habits of Drunkenness, while many others have continued firm in their Reformation, and highly ornamental Members of Total Abstinence Temperance Societies — Orders of Sons and Daughters of Temperance — Rechabites, Cadets, and other Denominations of Temperance Reformers, rush to the Temperance Banners of Total Abstinence, and identify themselves with the great Temperance Family . 85

XIV CONTENTS.

Chapter III

Fifth Epoch — Origin and Cause of Appeals for Legislative Aid in favor of the Liquor Craft, to fortify the Legal Bulwark against Encroachments, by the Progress of the Temperance Eeformation — The Example of Appeals is followed by Petitions for Legal Aid to favor the Cause of Temperance — Cause for such Appeals — Origin and Character of the Liquor Law of the State of Maine — The general Community electrified by the promulgation of the Law of Maine, for and against it — Hundreds of Thousands Petition for the Maine Law Statute in the State of New York — Thousands remonstrate against it, in New York City, for Twelve specific Eeasons — Three of the Eemonstrative Eeasons Analyzed and Answered Page 52

Chapter IV

Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Eeasons of Eemonstrance against the Statute of the Liquor Law of Maine, in the State of New York, Analyzed aild Logically Answered by Appropriate Conclusions 73

Chapter V

Tenth Eemonstrative Eeason considered and reduced to a Logical Conclusion — Part of the Eleventh Eeason Analyzed— Liquor-Dealers' Plea for King Alcohol — Prospective Effects of the Maine Law, if obtained as a Statute of the State of New York — Comparative Loss and Gain to the City and State of New York, and also to the General Community, if the Liquor Law of Maine should become the Statute and General Law of Nations , 89

Chapter VI

Further Considerations on the comparative Amount of Loss and Gain Estimations, at Hazard by the Adoption or Eejection of the Law of Maine, as a Statute of the State of New York— Importance of Humiliation and Prayer, in Yiew of this General War of Principle, for and against the Cause of Temperance, in answer to the Forebodings of the Twelfth Eeason of the Eemonstrancers against the Adoption of the Law of Maine, as a Statute of the Empire State 105

CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER VIL

Tue First Temperance Address, verbatim from the original Manuscript, delivered August 25, 1808, by the Author of these Eeminiscences, before the first known Temperance Society of our land or world, and repeated, by special request, before the same Society, at their annual meeting, 1B-13, in the Church, near the place of the first organization, at which time the Parent Society reorganized on the unanimous adoption of the Total Abstinence American pledge. Page 134

Chapter VIII

An Address on Temperance, delivered on the East Line of Ballston, February 26, 1S33, and repeated the same day, by request, in the Baptist Church in Ballston Spa, on the Breaking of a Bum-jug by a Revolutionary Soldier 145

Chapter IX

Address delivered before the Temperance Society of the town of Malta, Saratoga County, Xew Yr.rk, at their Annual Meeting, March S, 1S34 — Anecdote of a Drunkard's Boy, from his words, '• I would take the Whisky" 169

Chapter X

King Alcohol's Portrait delineated from Head to Foot, Length, Breadth, Weight, and Height ; comprising the History of his Parentage, Birth, Life, Exploits^ most wonderful Deeds, and the Prospects of his declining Tears. Address, delivered before the Malta Town Temperance Society, Jan. 1, 1S41 189

Chapter XI

A Sermon, written by the author, A. D. 1S45, in the 70th year of his age, and delivered before a Temperance Society in Stillwater, Saratoga County, X. Y., and was subsequently published by request 243

Chapter XII

Address delivered in the Union House of Worship before the Parent Temperance Society of Moreau, on the last Monday of Oct., 1S43, on their Adoption of the American Pledge of Total Abstinence from all Intoxicating Liquors ; comprising the celebrated Anecdote of Little Mary, a child of seven years old (daughter of a habitual drunkard), who obtained 151 Subscribers to the Temperance Pledge, the last of whom was her Drunken Father 2S3

XY1 OOHTENTS.

Chapter XIII

Reminiscence of Virtuous Females, and the results of their benevolent Influence; selected from the Days of the Mother of Moses, to the Middle of this Nineteenth Century, for the Promotion of True Religion and the Temperance Reformation Page SOS