Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/549

 TEMPERANCE

491

TEMPERANCE

Bota, Rhode Island. Massachusetts, Vermont, Michi- gan, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Delaware, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, Alaska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Mississijipi, North Carolina, Tennes- see. In time the law was repealed in all e.\cept the eight latter and Maine (1 Jan., 1911).

Among the early prominent advocates of temper- ance reform who deserve especial mention are Rev. Lyman Beecher and Dr. Nathaniel Hewitt of Con- necticut, Edward C Delevan, Dr. Clark, and Gerrit Smith of New York, Rev. Thomas P. Hunt of Penn- sylvania, Bishop Charles P. Mcllravie of Ohio, John B. Gough, Rev. Justin Edwards of Massachu- setts, and Abraham Lincoln of Illinois. Before the Civil War the principal organizations that advocated temperance were the Washingtonian Movement, 1840, Rechabites, 1841, Sons of Temperance, 1842, Cadets of Temperance, Templars of Honour and Temperance, 1845, Good Templars, 18.51. The first national temperance convention was held at Philadel- phia in May, 1833. Twenty-one states were repre- sented, with four hundred delegates. By vote of Congress and approval of President Jackson the sale of spirits to the Indians was prohibited in 1834. On 5 Nov., 1832, General Lewis Cass, secretary of war, issued an order prohibiting the introduction of liquors in any garrison, fort, or camp in the United States. The secretary of the navy offered a money substitute for the grog ration.

An era in temperance work was inaugurated in the L^nited States on 2 July, 1849, which marked the advent of Father Theobald ^Iathew, the Irish apostle of temperance. He was received at New York with tremendous enthusiasm. Mayor Woodhull and the city council gave him a public reception. At Wash- ington he was entertained by President Taylor, and was admitted to a .scat within the bar of the Senate and on the floor of the House, a distinction granted only once previously to a foreigner — General Lafay- ette. On this occa-sion, Henry Clay said: "It is but a merited tribute of respect to a man who has achieved a great social revolution — a revolution in which no blood has been shed, a revolution which has involved no desolation, which has caused no bitter tears of widows and orphans to flow, a revolution which has been achieved without violence, and a greater one, perhaps, than has ever been accomplished by any benefactor of mankind." Father Mathew spent two years and a half in the United States and, though in feeble health, travelled 37,000 miles, visiting 25 states, administering the pledge in over 300 of the principal cities and towns to more than 500,000 persons.

Several Cathohc total abstinence societies were organized during Father Mathew's visit, but their influence wa.s exerted only in the restricted sphere in which they originated. No bond united them till

1871, when the societies of Connecticut formed a state union, out of which a national union grew, at a convention held at Baltimore on 22 February,

1872. One hundred and seventy-seven societies, comprising 2,4S1 members, represented Connecticut Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, (ieorgia, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia. A constitution was adojjted, an address was issued to the Catholics of America, and the union was named "The Catholic Total AVjsti- nence Union of America". In the address to the Catholic body, the aim of the convention was pro- claimed in these terms: "Our motto is moral sua.sion. With prohibitory laws, restrictive licen.se systems, and special legislation we have nothing whatever to do. There is blended with our proposed plan of organization the attractive feature of mutual relief. Thus Temperance and Benevolence go hand in hand." Moral suasion was favoured by some, legislative

action by others, and a combination of both by a third class. It was finally determined to work on the lines of moral suasion as the behef prevailed that neither prohibitory nor restrictive laws availed un- less supported by pubhc opinion. The mind of the convention concerning the suppression and restric- tion of the liquor traffic was expressed in the follow- ing resolution: "Resolved, That this convention, though not deeming it expedient to take part in any political or legislative action, in reference to 'Pro- hibitory Liquor Laws', recognizes, however, the great good that would accrue from the supjjression of public drinking places, and from such legislation as would restrain the manufacture of intoxicating liquors within bounds consistent with public morality, and will gladly hail such legislation whenever the proper authorities may grant it." The convention advocated the organization of subordinate unions of the different states or dioceses in affiliation with the national union. State unions were estabhshed in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indi- ana, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsyl- vania, Wisconsin, also in Canada. IDiocesan unions were formed in Albany, Baltimore, Boston, Brook- lyn, Buffalo, Dubuque, Duluth, Erie, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Providence, Savannah, Scranton, Springfield, St. Paul, Syracuse, Wheeling, Wilmington, and Winona.

Annual conventions of the national union were held in different cities of the East and Middle West. Archbishops, bishops, and a host of priests attended the conventions, took active interest in the work of the Union, and propagated its principles in their respective dioceses. The Apostolic delegate, the Most Rev. Diomede Falconio, attended the forty- first convention at Scranton, Pennsylvania, in August, 1911, and gave unmistakable evidence of his interest in the work, in his address to the delegates, and in an eloquent discourse at the jiublic niccling, of which the following is an extract: "Ladies and gentlemen, you here find in your presence a great body of men who, with manly courage and the true Christian spirit, have bound themselves together for the great cause of temperance. Follow their example, for the cause of temperance means the cause of Chris- tian perfection and the cause of suffering humanity. Should you, however, not find it convenient to join their ranks, at least help their cause by your prayers and your constant co-operation. Gentlemen of the Total Abstinence Union, we admire your spirit of self-abnegation in professing the great virtue of total abstinence, and we appreciate your efforts in encouraging it both by words and example. Your associations are of paramount importance for the spiritual and temporal welfare of our people, and are, consequently, of great service to religion and to society."

At the convention of the national union held at Indianapolis, 28 August, 1878, a memorial was for- warded to Pope Leo Xlll, who in reply addres.sed a papal Brief to the members of the union, of which the following is an extract: "Especially pleasing to us is that noble determination of yours to opjjose and tiproot the baneful vice of drunkenness, and keep far from yourselves and those tinited with you all incentive to it, for, in the words of the wise man, 'It goeth in plea,santly but in the end it will bite like a snake, and will spread abroad poison like a Basi- lisk'." A papal Brief was address<'d by Pope Pius X to the Rt. Rev. J. Francis Regis Canevin, presi- dent of the national union, on 1 July, 190. The pontiff commended the work of the union in these terms: "Following the exanii)le of our predecessors, and especially the latest among them, to whom there seemed to be no greater enemy of the teachings and commands of Christ than the abuse of strong drink, we heartily approve the work of the union, and