Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1876 — Origin of the Washingtonian Organizations. [ARTICLE]

Origin of the Washingtonian Organizations.

non. Frank W. Miller, a son of one o the earliest and most consistent members of the- Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society, has contributed to the Portsmouth (N. H.j Chronicle a brief history of that organization. He says: “ On the 2d day of April, 18-10, six men sat drinking in a tavern on Liberty street, Baltimore. Notices had been published in the papers of that city that a distinguished clergyman (Matthew Hale Smith) would lecture on temperance that evening iu one of the churches. This subject was mentioned by one of the six, and after some talk it wasagreed that two of their number should attend the meeting and report. This was done and, alter the report had been listened to and the subject discussed, one of them exclaimed: ‘ Let us form a temperauce society and make Bill Mitchell President.’ With this understanding, and after taking another drink, they separated. On the nextevening they met at the same place—the matter was again talked over, and they resolved to form, and did form, a society, naming it after tire father of our country, as it was quite common at that time to name most organizations after Washington. The names of these six individuals were .William Mitchell, David Ho-s, Charles Anderson, George Steer, Bill McCurdy and. Tom Campbell. They then voted to meet the next night in a carpenter’s shop and each agreed to bring a new member. These meetings were held almost nightly and for remarks each related his own experience at the Court ot Death. As might be expected, these meetings soon began to attract public attention. "John Hawkins early became a member, but was not one of tire original six. “' These reformed men were soon invited to visit other cities and towns, and who of our eitizens has not listened to the thrilling and simple experience of John Hawkins as he portrayed the misery of the drunkard and told the touching story of his little daughter Hannah persuading him to quit the drunkard ’s drink ? The new movement spread from city to city, and from town to town, until there was scarcely a place in the United States that did not have its Washington Total Abstinence Society. Men who had, been drunkards for years burst the bands that had so tong bound them and became temperance reformers. The name being quite long, it soon became shortened by daily use, and these organizations became known throughout the country as ‘-Washingtonians.’ The Washingtonian Society was originated in this city in 1841, and has been instrumental in reclaiming more than 300 intemperate men, many of whom kept the[ P^S e tiH their dying day. Others stm live, a blessing to their families and an honor to society. They demonstrated the great fact that the drunkard could be saved. While nearly all the societies of this class in the country have ceased to exist, the Portsmouth Washingtonians have always maintained their organization." A madman confined in the County Jail at Bozeman, Col.,'broke out and started, coatless, hatless and barefooted, across the country. Coming to a ranch owned by two brothers named Hall, he found one of them laid up with a broken leg and the other brother absent. He commanded the cripple to get out of bed and walk, saying that he was gifted with the healing power; but upon his refusal to do so the maniac seized a razor and threatened to sever his jngalar if ha didn’t bestir himself. With the tonsorial instrument menacing his windpipe the owner of the broken leg was compelled to drill to time, and was under marching orders in the yard when the pursuing officers arrived and took the maniacal tactician in charge. Will the spirit of ’7tl be as crooked an that of *75?