June 27 / 53 Expediency Delivered first at Walworth Wayne County - June 27, 1853 I do not flatter myself, that I am here, in presence of this large audience, to present to you new truths on the trite subject of Temperance. Neither do I [expect] purpose a repetition of the many unanswerable arguments for its universal prevalence, which have been proclaimed again & again in the ears of the American People. If I may but be instrumental in stirring up your pure minds by way of remembrance, & stimulating you to more faithful, energetic action for the extirpation of this giant evil, Intemperance, then will my highest hope have been answered, - then will your assembling together not have been in vain -- [It were vain for a human being] [to assay to give to the world, a] [new truth, for] Truth is never new! -- It is coeval with God himself! -- Truth! what is it? -- It is veracity, fidelity, constancy, correct opinion, purity from falsehood! -- It is Gods sunlight upon the soul of man. As the Sun enlightens, cheers, & regulates the physical world, so Truth burnishes, vivifies & governs the moral element in Man. -- Truth ever beckons us onward & upward to the Right. If we fail to see its outstretched hand wherever we go, wherever we are, it is not that it is withdrawn, but that we have suffered our moral vision to be dimmed by the intervention, of worldly wisdom, avarice, ambition those who refuse to obey its promptings, lest they [good they do] defeat the end they so much desire to accomplish, -- lest they render themselves unpopular, in the eyes of the world -- lest scoffs & jeers & taunts be their portion -- lest their social political or clerical honors, shall suffer -- lest their [fat salaries] extensive agencies & fat Salaries shall be withdrawn -- To all such, truth can but be seen dimly, for they have taken to themselves other Gods. The soul that would be a true medium of Gods Sunlight, must keep itself unstained by cowardice, -- Must possess itself of the spirit of heroism that will dare to [speak or ask] follow whenever & wherever it shall direct -- 2 or love of [g????] popular favor -- Truth, if sought earnestly & singly, for its own sake, will ever be to the wayfaring pilgrim, "a cloud by day & a pillar of fire by night. It is seen, as it were, "through a glass darkly" by those only who presume to sit in judgement over it. x When God gives to any soul a new development of truth, it is not [for] his to keep, but to give to the world. It is not his privilege to choose his time, even, for now is the only speck of time he can call his own. Friends did you ever think of your responsibility, in having a new light a new view open in upon your mind? Whence comes 3 that light? & Why? Is it not a ray from the great Divine Mind that would fain give light through you, Are not you the God appointed, though humble medium, to give utterance to this truth, - to bring it down to the comprehension of man? -- What solemn folly, then, to talk of waiting for the world to get ready to receive a truth before giving it. -- As the only way to prepare the slave to enjoy the sights & privileges of a free citizen, is first to set him at liberty, so the best preparation you can make for the worlds reception of a truth, is, to proclaim it. Was the world prepared to receive the great truths uttered 1800 years ago by 4 Jesus of Nazareth? certainly not! nor is it yet prepared fully to take in, & practically to live out the [simple injunction] Golden Rule Do ["Love thy neighbor as thyself."] Had Christ excused himself from giving to the world these great & immutable truths, for which he suffered & died the ignominious death of a malefactor, where now would have been the standard of Christian duty. - [All] [will agree that] Though he, who proclaimed those truths to save the lost, suffered martyrdom for the truth's sake, who will say the world has not progressed more rapidly, & truth shone more effulgently than it otherwise would have done - It has been said, & I think truly, "In the blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church" -- So the sacrifice of health or friends, influence or honors for the Truths Sake, will greatly multiply the numbers of its believers. -- Who will say that the martyrdom of a Lovejoy, a Torrey -- a Thomas Simms & others has not done much to introduce Anti-Slavery truths into the hearts of the American People -- Who will say that every outrage committed by the Rum Power, upon the persons or property of the true & uncompromising Temperance Man or Woman does not forward the Good Cause -- Since then, these things must needs be, shall we who profess to love the [right] truth, shrink from doing the right, lest martyrdom be our portion? 5 The slow & uncertain progress, which the temperance cause has made since its introduction, early in the present Century is, in my opinion, attributable to the fact, that even its most fearless advocates have been wanting in courage to proclaim to the world their highest convictions of truth. Too many of our preachers of Temperance take upon themselves the right to dissect the truths which God has revealed in their souls, & give such to the world only as they in their judgement deem expedient. -- They have not yet learned the first lesson in the school of Reform, -- the reliable law of progress. -- They have 6 not yet [to] learned, that it is beyond the reach of human wisdom to foresee the result of an announcement of a new phase of truth - of uttering the whole truth, They have not yet [to] learned, that what God requires at their hands, is to do the Right & trust the consequences with him. He or she who stops to calculate how the people will regard this or that new view of truth before uttering it, but proved their unfitness to do God service [e?] in the Cause of humanity. The now established truth, that "Total Abstinence" from all that can intoxicate is the only effectual remedy for Intemperance, was for a long 7 time kept smothered in the hearts of the few to whom God had revealed it. Though Dr. Lyman Beecher, as early as 1811 [1816], recommended it in a resolution, which was adopted by the society of which he was then a member, though numbers of the active temperance men of those times believed it to be the only true principle, still they refrained from preaching what to them was truth, because they thought the world not ready [to abandon] [the use of fermented liquors.] They continued to preach Abstinence from distilled liquors only, lest the utterance of the new truth which had opened to their minds, should 8 have the effect to repel those from their ranks who had been induced to [abandon distilled] sign the original [liquors] Pledge -- Thus for long years was the doctrine of Abstinence from distilled liquors only sounded in the ears of the people, by men who felt deep down in their own souls that such Abstinence would not & could not prove an effectual remedy for intemperance. -- At length the Drunkards themselves rose up & proclaimed the falsity of any & every doctrine save that of Total Abstinence. x. 600.000 human beings, who had walked the earth, divested of all that is worth the possession, x Washingtonianism had, indeed, wrought a great & glorious good. Still the Rumseller, Distiller & Brewer pursued their work of death, under the protection of the strong arm of the Law. -- Still the youth of our land were ever & anon precipitated into the vortex of Drunkenness - 9 -- their manhood & womanhood, were now clothed in their right minds & made to live again. The speculative moralist, Divine, accustomed to look on this degradation, & to them hopeless ruin of souls, were now startled, & heard to exclaim, Can these dry bones live again? And, ere the world had fully taken in the grand idea of the possibility of the drunkards reform -- Total Abstinence, God breathed into some soul an advance thought, -- the thought of putting an end to the accursed Liquor Traffic itself. -- Over 400.000 of that noble army of reformed men & women were again fallen victims to the spoiler, x & 10 But, what was to be done, the world yet seemed illy prepared to accept the Ultruism of Total Abstinence, & what would it say to him who should dare question the right of his neighbor to traffic in Intoxicating Liquors. Such an one could surely expect nothing better than [but] to stand alone, all friendless -- with none to cheer, save the silent [little], though reliable, monitor within. -- One thing is sure. - if the soul that first receives a new idea, proves too much the coward to proclaim it, it will fine its way into another, & yet another, until at length it meets that true heroism, that will do the Right though the Heavens Fall. Thus God's truth will be introduced into the world. One weak soul, can no more stay its progress, than the puny arm of man put back the swelling tide of old Ocean. The new truth of prohibition grew, despite the fears of faithless men and women - it waxed stronger & stronger, until it found a lodgement in the hearts of the people of the far eastern state of the union and an embodiment on its statute books, entitled the "Maine Liquor Law" - Give us the Maine Law! Give us the Maine Law is the 12 united cry of the people throughout the length & breadth of our land. The vast numbers, [that] now marshalled under the temperance banner, are looking to the Maine Law as the great good desired, -- the ultimatum of their highest hopes, the Panacea for all the ills of life -- --- I too hail the Maine Law, & would fain see it enrolled upon our Statute Books, & enforced by the people of the Empire State. I look not to it, however, as an end, but as a means to accomplish an end. -- As a stepping stone, on which the weary pilgrim may safely rest awhile, ere he pursues his toilsome way. -- The Liquor Traffic abolished, -- the temptation to drink Rum removed 13 out of the way of the Drunkard, & the same insatiable, uncontrollable appetite for stimulus remains, & will seek gratification in some other direction. You may dam up the waters of the mighty [river] Mississippi until its deep bed shall be as the sands of the deserts, - you have not stopped its course, - its pent up waters will assuredly burst their barriers & rush forth into some new channel. We already see the result of restraining the appetite for Intoxicating Liquors, - scarce a reformed drunkard, but has doubled & trebbled his rations of that most poisonous of narcotics, Tobacco, [one drop] while thousands [of the oil of which, rubbed upon] of the professed Temperance 14 men & women of our nation are [the tonguge of a house cat will ] vainly endeavoring to appease their [produce death in a few minutes] Rum vitiated appetites by a [mans] resort to Opium chewing & what better, I ask, will be a nation of brains steeped in opium & tobacco, than those destroyed by rum. — What we now want, is a new system of moral training, one that shall rightly develope the whole being. — One that shall keep the animal natures of the race in subjection to the spiritual. — You will agree with me, that it is to woman that we must look for the accomplishment of this new work, - that it is through her that the race is to be redeemed. What we need then is that the [a gener] 15 mothers of this generation may be made to feel the responsibility which devolves upon them as the educators of the race. -- that they may in some degree inspire the souls of the young with a love of the true & beautiful, the pure & spiritual. -- It is the mothers of to day who are, in great measure, guilty for the Drunkenness in our land. It is they who have planted & nourished the appetite for demoralizing stimulus. & it is they [alone] who can & should now make [?] [?] reparation [possible] for the injury their ignorance has inflicted upon the race. -- Though the undue preponderance of the animal, as developed in the Drunkard 16 the Libertine & the gourmand may not be annulled by them, though these wretched victims of sensualism, must continue to walk the earth through their appointed time, as living testimony of the Physiological truth proclaimed by the great Law Giver, 4000 years ago, "The sins of the Father shall be visited upon the children to the third & the fourth generations,"Yet [still] there is a work for mothers to do. - It is for them to instil into the minds of their Daughters, - [the mothers] [of a coming generation] - the great principles of human existence. - Teach them to know themselves, - - to know, that to them is committed 17 the destiny of a future generation. I know that to them it is given to say, whether the close of the 19th century, shall witness drunkenness & kindred vices sitting in the high places of this nation. "He who would be free, must himself strike the blow," So mothers, who would rightly stamp & harmoniously develop the Physical, Moral and Intellectual existence, must themselves be governed by the spiritual, -by the higher law of our being. But to return to the topic of the day, I hail the Maine Law! - not that the army of Trafficers in Alcolic Liquors, whose name is Legion, will be instantaneously transformed into honest 18 humanity loving citizens, but that the strong arm of that Law will no longer allow the continuance of a traffic that produces evil, only evil & that continually -- I hail it, because it places the man, who for a paltry three cents, will entice [induce] a weak brother to partake of a slow poison, on a level with the Counterfeiter & Gambler- Why is it that the Distiller & Rumseller have thus long been tolerated in our respectable communities, while the thief the Gambler & Counterfieter whenever & wherever detected, and [have] proven guilty, have been subjected to the penalty, not only of Civil law, but 19 that of social expatriation? Why is it, that evennow, you who listen to my words, think me harsh & severe, when I name the man who traffics in human wo -- who gorgeously revels in the blood & tears of helpless women & children, in the same category with him who stealthily visits a neighbors farm yard? Is it not, that the former, has costly houses splendid equipage & vast estates, while the latter has not where to lay his head? Is it not, that the former can give kingly entertainments to his cringing vassals, while the latter has but a dry crust to satisfy the cravings of his own 20 appetite? - Is it not, that the former has wealth, & that wealth is the shrine before which the American people bow down & worship, while the latter, can boast of nothing but poverty, & that poverty is the only unpardonable sin, in the eyes of [the people of] this nation? -- The lordly Distiller & Brewer, the Manufacturer & vender of spurious wines & liquors, - the moderate & immoderate drinker in fashionable life, may, not only, be found in very many of our social circles, but in [the] high places, in both [of] Church & State. And why is this? Simply because the people [both in church &] have set aside the principle of truth & right, & 21 adopted in its stead that of policy & expediency. You can scarcely find an intelligent man or woman who is not in favor of Temperance; - who does not deplore the ravages of the Liquor Traffic, & wish that some thing could be done to put an end to all the misery & death that follow in its trail. -- A large majority of these people will attend Temperance meetings, & with streaming eyes listen to the portrayal of the sufferings of the wretched drunkard, his heart broken wife, & hopeless children, - they will [pay] contribute liberally for the amelioration of those sufferings; - weep & pray, & pray and weep. [over those] But when asked to 22 give their influence, their names, their money, & their votes to aid in the work of putting an end to the abominable Traffic, -when asked to meet the Rumseller, face to face & pledge their honors & their property that [to it] the laws of the land shall be strictly enforced; it is then & there that the line of demarkation can be drawn between the real friends of the Cause & those who are so only in name. [It is then & there that the sheep & the goats can [will] be separated, the one to the right, & the other to the left.] The Temperance movement, called the Carson League is [the best] a most excellent instrumentality for testing temperance principles. 23 The Carson League Association, has for its object, not the assembling of the people together, to pass Resolutions to make and listen to eloquent speeches from the learned & the gifted, but 1st to have every man and every woman pledge his or her property to be taxed, for the maintenance of the existing laws, [imperfect] [as it is] regulating the sale of intoxicating liquors, imperfect though they be; & 2nd to have every man (women remember are not allowed the right) pledge himself to vote for no person [officer] for any office, except he be an open and avowed temperance man & will use his influence to secure the enactment of a prohibitory law, that shall cause the legalized liquor traffic and the licensed liquor trafficker to be among the tings that were, but are not. 24 Numerous and varied are the excuses men & women now present, for not identifying themselves with this army of battlers for the right. All wish to have it understood, that they are good temperance people, and hope the League will prosper & that the licensed Rumseller will be kept within the strictest limits of the law, & the unlicensed one, made to desist from his work of death altogether. Yes, all are glad to see the work go on, & would join the league, but here self comes up, & urges the inexpediency some hope of gain will be sacrificed, this movement is right, but not expedient for me. The Temperance Woman, of high social, religious position, would take 25 stock in this new fashioned bank, -- the Bank of humanity, but, there is some rich Distiller or Rumseller, who would take offence should he see her name registered on the League Books, & withhold the magnificent subscription he is expected to make for the establishment of a Seminary of Learning, or the furtherance of some benevolent enterprize, in which she is deeply interested. [The] Or, perchance the lady may have on her hands a marriageable daughter, & the Brewer or Distiller or handsome son, who sports a fine carriage, wears the finest broadcloth, cut after the latest Parisian style, makes lavish outlay of his father's blood bought gold, for the amusement & adornment of said daughter 26 and gives uncertain promise, that he may at some future day release that anxious Mother from the burden of her prayers, that of an unmarried daughter. Fact of Mrs. G. Business Temperance Men excuse themselves from giving their names & pledges to the League, because they cannot afford to loose the custom of the Rum-Sellers. A Butcher in one of our large cities, who furnishes some two or three hundred saloons and hotels with meats, says if it is known that I aid in the prosecution of these Rumsellers, my patrons, the consequence is, my business is ruined. The Baker, who furnishes these 27 same Hotels and saloons, with bread, crackers, cakes and pastry, cannot pledge himself to the League measures, because to do so, would ruin the market for the product of his bakery, & reduce him to poverty. The Forwarding Merchant must remain quiet, lest the Liquor dealers, no longer roll their barrels of Beer, Brandy & Whiskey through his establishment. Forwarding Merchant of Syracuse The owners of the various grades of saloons & hotels that sent from $50. to $5000, per year, must not act in this matter, because their tenants cannot afford such enormous rents, unless they can have the profits of Rumselling. The insurance man may not be active in suppressing the Liquor 28 traffic, lest he loose the percentage on the extravagant Policy of the Heavy Distillers, Brewers & wholesale liquor merchants of the City & its environs. The retired gentleman of wealth -- with stately dwelling & spacious Barns dare not have the rum power know that any of his money goes to the pulling down of its strong holds, lest [that] its vindictive spirit should set fire to his building, & he be forced to seek a new shelter -- Not dissimilar are the hindrances in the way of the professional man -- The lawyer cannot afford to displease his prospective Distiller, Brewer, or Liquor Merchant client. -- The Doctor must not cheat * One of the Supreme judges of Onondaga County 29 himself out of a fat bill, for his timely medical advice, Blue pills, and Calomel at wine hosts, the Rum sellers nursery. The politician must not risk the chance of an election to the office of City Alderman, or Country Path Master. The aspirant to the White House, to Congress, to the State Legislature, [to] Justice of the Peace or Supervisor are all alike the slaves of the Rum Power. Honorable exceptions there are, but all too few. Mr. Williams. There is one class of men, one of the learned professions, [?] to which we are prone to look for better things. Would that truth would warrant the 30 assertion that the doctrine of compromise [expediency] never found lodgement in the hearts of the Clergymen of our land. But it will not. Even those who have set themselves up as teachers of Gospel Truths, have engrafted into their creeds the fatal, the suicidal Articles of Policy & expediency. To justify their many derelictions from truth & right, they quote a saying of that most Eminent of the Apostles, St. Paul. "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient." To suppose for a moment that the Apostle had the slightest idea of inculcating the modern doctrine of expediency, the compromise of great principles of right, would 31 be in direct opposition to the whole practical life & teachings of One who suffered martyrdom, rather than abate our job or title of what to him seemed truth. Let us for a moment glance at some of the sins of Omission & Commission which are, now adays, excused by this Scripture declaration being so unfairly detached from its connexion, & so wickedly perverted in its meaning. In view of the terrible evils of the Liquor Traffic, the Clergyman must feel that it is lawful & right, for him to sound in the ears of his Church member Rumseller, Wo unto 32 him that putteth the cup to his neighbors lip & maketh him drunken ?-- "Woe unto those that devour widows houses, & for a pretence make long prayers." Why then is he not faithful to his mission? Simply because he would retain that Rumseller & his family in his Church. -- he has learned, perhaps by early experience, & perhaps by the experience of a predecessor that to make such home applications of Gods truth, has a tendency to disquiet his parishioners. & thus the Rumseller is allowed to sit under the ministrations of this false teacher, feeling the most perfect assurance, that no word will be uttered in condemnation of his abominable sin -- 33 In view of the fact that moderate drinking leads to Drunkenness, a minister must fee that it is lawful for him to say to his sick lady parishioner who furnishes her guests with rare wines and liquors, the woe of heaven rests as heavily upon your head, as upon that of the Rumseller. It is Lawful & right for him to say to his genteel lady or gentleman wine drinking church member, as well as the drunkard, "wine is a mocker,- strong drink is raging." - "No Drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of heaven!" but friends it is not expedient - to do so might possibly rob him of his high position and liberal salary 34 In these latter days, every Clergyman must see that there are others too, among his flock, who are equally guilty with the manufacturer, vender & drinker of intoxicating liquors. - That those others are the voters. It [?] can heed no argument to prove, that the man who knowingly votes for a Town Supervisor or Justice of Peace, who will sign the rum-sellers petitions for license, is as really responsible for the consequences of that rum selling, as though he himself had subscribed his own name to the petition. Nor does it require any chain of reasoning, to demonstrate the quilt of the lincenser equal to that of the licensed. The truth of these positions is 35 Already acknowledged by all intelligent honest men and women. And the minister who does not speak boldly out on this subject, & say to his church member who votes for rum licensing officers, "verily thou art the guilty man". Thou art the one who, robst wives and children of their husbands & fathers, of their shelter & clothing & sends't them forth to ask alms at the cold hand of charity must still hug to his bosom the delusion of expediency Yes! Professing Christian Voter You are the Man! [& he] [who fails to] & if you whether rebukes by fallible moral or not, persist in voting for party, men without regard to their temperance principles 25 you do it at the bidding of expediency, -- at the sacrifice of your highest convictions of right. -- You trample God -- Humanity & Bible Truth under your feet. -- Do I hear some one say[ing] it is no worse for a Church member to sanction Rumselling by his vote, than it is for a man not identified with the Church? Well, suppose I grant you, the sin of the professor & non professor, equal in degree. -- Suppose I say to you that human experience proves all men whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, Christian or infidel prone to the commission of like acts. Will it cause you to cease to ask X Then friends, every minister must feel that he, himself, has a work to do, -- a vote to deposit, -- & yet [lamentable to say], not infrequently do we see those professedly holy men, year after year voting for their Whig or Democratic party candidates, irrespective of their Temperance principles. -- Verily are the "Blind, leaders of the Blind." -- & why marvel we, that, both have fallen into the ditch? -- Why marvel, that drunkness is allowed to continue the overshadoing evil of our state & nation 37 better deeds at the hands of the church member? Most certainly not! -- When you listen to the holy vows given by the professing Christian, when you hear him say "Lord, Thy will, not mine be done"; be your experience what it may, you cannot avoid requiring acts from him [more] in harmony with your idea of the Divine mind. -- All Ministers, all Church members are not expediency men -- No! there is a remnant left, who are true to the right. -- Expediency! I hate the word -- I hate the principle -- I hate it, because it robs [the] 38 so many of the noble [in] intellect of our land of their manhood & womanhood, - because its batters the souls true life in God that it may get to itself worldly fame. I hate it, because it invidiously coils itself into the heart of men [these] & women who would fain help on the work of reform. - Because it is ever bidding them, not to aim too high. Not to advance any more of the truth than will please the people. I hate it because it is the [enemy] deadliest foe of human freedom - because it [keeps] puts the day far off when every human soul shall stand up, clothed in the heavenly robes of righteousness. 39 Are there any of us, present here to night, who are eating the craven bread of expediency? -- Are there any of our number who are refusing to put shoulder to the wheel of the [Temperance] Reform Car, lest they shall loose place, power or worldly gain? If so - let me conjure you, "Take no farther counsel with the monster, [rest assured] it poisons [every] the very fountains of Spiritual life, & will, assuredly, in the end bequeath to you its only legacy , that of disappointment, & remorse Shame & Confusion, -- It will cause you to go down to your graves unhonored & unlamented, Fact related by Mr. Rigden Acquaintance in Rochester Women when you sneer at Woman Rights & Woman's Rights too -- you sneer at the sufferings like these -- When you deride Womans Rights Lecturers You deride noble men & wom who are pleading the cause of these sufferings -- Miss E. Devannah, H. 3.70 4.50 ---- 8.20 A. Bliss - Report. Belan 40 your name a hissing & a byword in the mouth of your children & your childrens children. Look over the past & see if such be not the fate of all both in church & in State, who have bowed the knee to this [??????] God of Baal, -- Look at the Judas', The Arnold's, the Burr's, the Clay's, the Webster's -- Look at the Doctors of Divinity, of our day who are serving this false God -- The Doct' Spring's who would not even pray God for the immediate emancipation of 3.[?] millions of slaves, if by that means the work would be accomplished, The Dr, Dewey's who would send his own Mother into Slavery, rather than not render obedience to the abominable Friends, let us throw compromise & expediency principles to the winds, & nerve up our souls to do the Right though the Heaven's Fall — The Elizabeth Fry's - the Martha Dix' The Lucretia Motts - the Abbey Rilleys The Harriet Beecher Stowe's 41 Fugitive Slave Law - The Dr Lords Sharps & scores of lesser lights who prostitute Bible Truths to the support of the most infamous institution that ever defiled Gods Earth — — Where, where I ask will their memoy be. — On the other hand look at those who have worshipped none other than the living God, [Look At the Paul's, the Peter's, the Martin Luther's, the hampden's, the sidneys, The Clarkson's & Wilberforce, The McConnells & Granville Sharps, the Lafayettes & Washingtons - the Elizabeth Frys & Martha Dix's Beechers & the Garrisons - the [?] Dows & Gerrit Smiths - these noble & true men & women though persecuted & despised] Look at Paul, Peter, Martin Luther - Clarkson & Wilberforce Elizabeth Fry, Martha Dix, Garrison, Lucreta Mott, Abbey Kelly Foster, Gerrit Smith & Harriet Beecher Stowe -- These Noble Men & Women though despised & persecuted, 42 would bow to no sovereign save that of truth & Right would know no riches, no fame save those of fidelity to the still small voice within, [they went to their with the lamentations of] What-a halo of glory surrounds the memory of those who have passed away! -- & What true peace, joy & happiness is the portion of those yet among us. -- Yes friends let us throw Compromise & Expediency principles to the Winds. & nerve up our souls "To do the Right though the Heaven's Fall." 43 Men & Brethren! It is for you to decide, at the coming election, whether the Liquor Traffic, shall longer receive the sanction of the laws of the Empire State, -whether the next Legislature shall be composed of men who will refuse to do the bidding of the people. -- There is now, no other political issue between the two leading parties, -nothing to distract your attention from the one all important question. -- Remember that it is not only necessary that the Governor, Senators & representatives be true & abiding temperance men, but also that, all the offices of both town & county [should] be filled with men, alike true to their temperance principles. - Our Judges, Supervisors, Justices of the 44 Peace, Poor Masters, Mayors & Aldermen, must all be staunch Temperance Law abiding men, or a Maine Law will do us but little good. -- I appeal to you, in behalf of the women of the state, in behalf of the wives & daughters of Drunkards, to [grant] put an end to the Liquor Traffic, -- to remove from us the fruitful source of intemperance, the destroyer of domestic peace, the blighter of fondest hopes, -- Remove far from us the Traffic that degrades womanhood as well as manhood, that stultifies the intellects & blunts the moral vision of all who come under its poisonous influence, -- A traffic that brutalizes our husbands, fathers, & brothers, that beggars our [chil] 45 Sons & Daughters, that turns us out homeless & houseless, penniless & friendless, to be rudely pointed at, as the Drunkard's Wife, the Drunkard's Daughter - the Drunkard's Sister. - And women, there is a work for you to do. - You who desire that [every Distillery & Brewery] the Grog shops at every turn & corner of our streets, shall no longer be permitted to allure your sons & your neighbors sons from the paths of virtue & sobriety, -it is for you to rise up & demand [true representation] protection at the hands of men, - It is for you to see to it that he who votes for you by proxy, be duly instructed, that he may not long or ignorantly misrepresent you at the Ballot Box. - Had the women 46 of our state been truly represented at our last election, the Liquor Bill would never have died in the assembly chamber - Women, agitate this Temperance question-- do all in your power to awaken the true temperance men of your town, to the importance of attending all primary meetings for the nomination of officers - Here has been the secret of the defeat of temperance tickets - The friends trusting to the old parties to nominate true men, have pursued the even tenor of their way, until the Whig & Democrat Candidate were fairly before the public - one of the them perchance may be a sort of half way temperance man, his party succeeds in making a goodly 47 portion of its temperance members, believe him true, while others knowing him more thoroughly, certain that he is not to be relied on, go about making a third nomination - but all too late, women; you can do much, to urge your Fathers & brothers, your husbands & sons to be instant in season & out of season in this great work of political reform. It is for you to make your influence felt throughout your community, yes & in the Legislative Halls of our State & Nation- Whenever & wherever you can, by word or deed, help on the right, stop not, I entreat you, to ask what Mr or Mrs. A or B will think or say, but go fearlessly forward, strong in the 48 consciousness, that where truth leads, no ill can betide - Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.