HUMORS OF THE WHISKY WAR IN AMERICA. (Springfield Republican.)

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 361, 5 September 1874, Page 2

HUMORS OF THE WHISKY WAR IN AMERICA. (Springfield Republican.)

TnK general plan of operations vanea little in diffdrenfe places, and is very picturesquely described by one of the liquor sellers, who finally sueeombed — a man who kept m Saloon in M' Arthur, Vinton county, who says : " They climbed up to my plnco a week ago last night, fifty-four of them, young and old, rich and poor, some in rags and some in line harness. Each of the fifty-four women comt im personally and spoke to me, and hoped I'd get a now soul. Of course I had to treat 'em politely- There was only one lamp burning m tho room when they tame m, so I lit another for them, to make it lighter. Then they took out thoir hymn-books, and all sang together. Ono or two of thorn led, and the rest joined in. After the\ had sung; fifteen minutes or ?o, they all got down on their marrowbones and prave>). There waa one woman the re that could ptay loud enough to be heard all over the villagej nliich has on'y eight hundred inhabitants A woman would pray, and th» rest would join in with an a-a-men, a long and loud one. Ouo of the women that prayed was 70 years old. She prayed so long and strong that she got herself all of a tremble, and had lo be lifted to her feet and earned downstairs. Onetime tbey called, all got dovsn on their marrow bonei, on the side, and sung and prayed. They are very kind in their prayers at first. They pray for a fellow's soul and then stick a petition before him. If he don't sign to quit, they pray for lightning to strike his shop. There was nothing elso to do but close up when they were carrying on that way. They clo«-d even thing in the villngo down to an oyster saloon whore the folk-. no:-o in the habit of playing a game of card* to see who would p.iy for the stews, a place where there wasn't a drop of liquor sold." One of the most unique specimens of literature called forth by tho crusade U this letter from William Weingardcner, a German liquor-seller in Morrow, bsgging off from his pledge :—": — " Kind ladies, you have come to see me, and lam happy to see you. I receive you kindly, and with all the respect a gentleman can. Can you plead with mo to quit the business while 1 hare a wife and three little children depending on me for a living ! 1 have no trade, and liavo built my houte for the purpose you «cc, and I feel it my duty to feed and clothe Christ's blessed children, and the love I feel for my little children cannot be broken. Now, can I appeal to you all to stay your proceedings, and let mo live quietly in mylittl* home? God placed each and all here for free liberty and froe *pppch, and why cannot you allow me these blessings ? I will plead with teais in my eyes, and 1 shall trust in God tho result. Ido not know the ways of this country as well as 1 should. Ladies, I signed your paper and am not sorry for it ; but I have some stock ale on hand, and cider and wine, and I want a committee of men to come and buy them. Well, ladies, I have reconsidered I his matter, and wish to say that it is my request to withdraw my name from your pledge, for it is out of my power to withdraw from my business at present. So I don't wish to bo botheied with your singing and praying any more. This is my final decision." In some places the whole populace seems to be carried a" ay with excitement. Thus we find that at "Washington Court House lately, a grand mass-meeting was held at eight o'clock in the morning, the banls and bunness houses all being closed, and the citizens gntnered in crowds at the Presbyterian Church, reinforcements all the while coining in from the country. An hour was spent in singing :uul prayer, during winch one of the liquor sellers sent in his surrender, and then the people formed a procession witn the women in ironr, and -went to the different saloonj) pleadn.g with the proprietors to give up the business. Among others, they visited a German named Beck, who upon be-ng asked if the women should come into the yard and sing and pray, said " No, no, no. I don't vant no move of dese v miins. I don't Tant sing and pray. I can't stand d-it. I talks to to pizniss men, no to do vimins." After some talk he proposed to stop for two months, but this was not satn/nctory, and Ins beseigers kept at it till finally he came forward, and said — " Shen* tlenien and Indies — I'll shtop. I von't sell no more lickers so long as nerer." Then threo rousing cheers were given for Beck, and the party returned to town where bolls wero rung, and thero were general congratulations. The new temperance movement of tho women »ontinues to spread in nil directions, though it not followed in 'alt vises with the same success which has crowned its efforts in the smaller towns of Ohio.