Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1875 — Circular of the Woman’s National Temperance Convention. [ARTICLE]

Circular of the Woman’s National Temperance Convention.

• We publish by request the concluding portion of the circular issued by theabove convention at its recent session in Cleveland. The whole circular is too lengthy for our space: To the Women of the United States of America: Dear Sisters : * * * To epitomize the matter, we borrow tlie following statement of facts from the report of a committee of clergymen representing one of the largest ecclesiastical organizations of the country: “ Intemperance is causing a constant drain of property. This is equal every year to all that has been expended in church enterprise since the landing of the Mayflower. Counting the loss of time of the intemperate, this outgo of the nation’s property would load a train of wagons, with a ton of gold to each wagon, thirteen miles long. Poverty and suffering everywhere result to the lower claves. Among the very highest classes usefulness and genius are quenched in the rum glass. Grog-shops are ten times as frequent as both churches and schoolhouses. To the want of improvement of the lower classes we must add a ninefold commission of crime. “ The imbecility, insanity, idiocy, ignorance and wickedness of the nation are largely due to this cause. The care of these and other classes of sufferers imposes unjust burdens on good citizens. Our personal liberty is violated, our homes and very existence is rendered unsafe.” To the sisters, wives and mothers whom we address, we scarcely need, suggest those uncatalogued agonies, none the less universal, the legitimate and inevitable results of strong drink; the fair form and promise of genius worse than blighted, maddened and brutalized; the army of wretched inebriates a hundred thousand strong, yearly recruited from the flower of our firesides; domestic misery in high and low places; broken hearts muffled under costly apparel; sad, weary hearts hid behind the semblance of a smile; or haggard, gaunt and unmitigated woe of women worse than widowed, and children whose heritage is a curse. But while we invite attention to the facts that must clearly indicate the enormity and prevalence of me evils of intemperance, we wish to say that our hope of ultimate success lies in prevention rather than cure. We plan and labor especially for the young, and in this aspect of the case it is only by the co-operation of every woman that it will prove a succes's. With women, as mothers and teachers and makers of public sentiment, rests the final and complete triumph of all social reform. Everywhere her hand can cheqk the incipient evil. The invincible Hannibal was brought at of nine before the altars of the gods to swear eternal enmity to Rome. So let us pledge our children at the altars of our faith against this mighty Moloch. It has be'en more than indicated that the recent temperance movement is wholly religious. Two forces had hitherto been brought to bear upon the suppression of intemperance. The one, moral suasion, stood uppn too low a plane to reach a high result, a plane outside of vital godliness; the other,'legislative action, wjiicli, however judicious and humane, can never be enforced beyond the moral sense of the community. And so men held perforce for a while above their level, fell

yet lower in the reaction. But wdman, when she laid her hand to the work, recognized in this spirit of evil "the kind that goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” While we recognize as* friends and co-laborers all who are earnestly striving by whatever legitimate means to advance the cause, what we recommend, and what we adopted as the basis of all our methods, is faith in God. Women of America, we have thtislaid before you as well as we may in so b/ief space the designs and plans of the temperance work as proposed to be carried on in combined effort. And again we ask your co-operation. Let no one cast aside this appeal until she has solemnly answered this inquiry.: “.Have I no duty nor influence, nor responsibility in this matter?” Is there no trembling soul far or near waiting for your outstretched hand? If it seems so, still give your sympathy to the work for the work’s, sake. The flower knows not what becomes of its fragrance, so we know not how far and wide our influence may be diffused. And tc others thaft Esther it may be said, “ For if thou altogether boldest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to this people from another place; but tliou and thy father’s house shall he destroyed; and who ,knoweth whether thou art come to the kiagdom for such a time as this.” In the quiet and seclusion of our households, washing the feet of the weary and helpless ones, we scarcely feel ourselves a power for either good or Ill; but the hand of every woman is upon the lever that moves the world; and its upward progression through the instrumentality of women, in great moral and religious enterprises, is one of the sublimest spectacles of this eventful time. Such in substance is the design and plan of our temperance work, and we invite, to our aid, in its presentation, all who desire and labor for the interest of humanity, our national prosperity and the "honor of God. E. E. Marcy, Evanston, 111. A. F. Leavitt, Cincinnati, Ohio. Mart C. Johnson, Brooklyn, N. Y. Cleveland, November, 1874. Several letters deposited in the Richmond (Va.) Postoffice, evidently written by children, plainly indicated that they, anticipating the annual visit of Santa Claus, wished to remind him of what they mostjlesired. One of them was directed “pSanta Claus, Greenland, North Pole.” Another was directed as follows: “ Santa Claus, sleigh drawn by eight reindeers.” An open letter, directed simply “Santa Claus,” reads as follows- “ Mr. Santa Claus, a big wagon—not so very big—four wheels, two packs pop- , crackers, a Mother Hubbard book. Willmer.” “ Nellie wants a carriage and a baby and some candy. I wants a baby and candy, a little story-book. Isabella.” —lt is estimated by the best judges that the crop of cotton this year at the South will reach at least 4,000,000 bales or 2,000,000,000 pounds. At 15 cents a puond—the price anticipated for it —the goodly sum of $300,000,000 will jingle (we wish we might hear it) in the pockets of our citizens, of which $225,000,000 will come from abroad, mostly from England. —2V. Y. Mail.