to the hearts of men.

And when has the gospel gained more signal triumphs than during the few years last past. Throughout the land multitudes have been seen submitting themselves to its authority and we have abundant testimony that in hundreds of cases these manifestations of the Grace of God have followed directly in the steps of the Temperance reform.

Such, Sir, are the leading features of that moral change which we have witnessed in the short space of seven or eight years, and where, in the history of man will you find its parallel?—and I would again ask whether the American Temperance Society is not a messenger of mercy to our race? And in view of the considerations which I have so briefly and imperfectly exhibited, I would inquire, where is there intelligent-all-pervading philanthropy, if not here?

And now, Sir, I ask your indulgence, and the indulgence of this assembly while, as briefly as may be, 1 put it to the conscience of every one within reach of my voice, whether, in the words of the resolution, this cause has not claims on the sympathies and the efforts of all who love their species.

1 wish, Sir, I could do justice to this noble cause, and enforce its claims in the manner they deserve. It makes its appeal to every age, to every class, to each sex. It is the cause of humanity and could it gain a listening ear, it would win its way to the heart of every one who deserves the name of man. It calls upon our youth, our young men, to follow the example of their equals in age in many of our towns and cities, who have associated themselves for conflict with this foe of our peace. If they choose, they may regard this cause as their own. Their fathers will soon pass from the stage, and should they unite themselves heart and hand in this war of extermination, the victory will be theirs. It calls upon parents to train up their children to the work of humanity. Let every family become a Temperance Association. It appeals with peculiar power to that portion of the community whose hearts are ever open to the calls of humanity and who always sympathize with distress. It has been made a subject of scornful remark that the females of our country have given their names to associations formed for the suppression of intemperance. Such remarks are founded on mistaken views of the subject, as a little reflection will show. The great difficulty which we have always had to encounter in our efforts to subdue the evil of intemperance is, that one of its most fruitful sources has been found in some of the most common, and as heretofore viewed, most harmless customs of society. These customs must be abandoned and new principles regulate the enjoyments of social intercourse; and to whom shall we look for the attainment of this end, sooner than to those who preside in the social circle and constitute its chief attraction. And who, let me ask, are more deeply interested in suppressing an evil, the most odious feature of which is, that it invades the peace of domestic life. Disguised abroad, it there unveils all its horrors. Supple and complaisant, it may be, in the sight of the world, it there reigns a demon, burning with infernal fires. Look in upon the family of the drunkard, and behold the scene which there meets your view, and then say, if you can, that woman shall not be allowed to exert an open, public influence in repressing an evil which poisons the cup of domestic happiness, and transforms the devoted husband into a fiend. Look at that young man, once the pride of the mother's heart, the last stay of the lonely widow, now lost to his family, his friends and the world, the prey of the destroyer, and then say, if you will, that the mother shall not have the privilege of strengthening with her name the securities which she would throw around the virtue of her son. Oh, in this cause of the fireside, let her appear for its aid who presides at the fireside. Let our mothers, our wives, our sisters, our daughters exert their united, decided influence against intemperance and the victory is won.

Again, Sir, shall I say, that this cause now utters its voice loudly to those who stand in our high places-to our rulers, our legislators—and appeals to them to interpose in its behalf. The great obstacle against which it is obliged to contend is, that this monstrous evil stands in the midst of the community shielded by public law. The grog shop is its strong hold-and the genius of temperance raises her loudest notes of remonstrance against this invasion of the rights of humanity. She prays that man may not be suffered to rob and poison his fellaw man under the sanction of public enactments. She prays not that those who have the rightful authority would legislate directly against the evil. She calls not for chains and prisons, but simply requests that every thing in the statute book which has the effect of sanctioning the traffic may be expunged, and public sentiment be suffered to have its free, uninterrupted course.

But one word, Sir, and I am done. This evening th's cause presents its claims anew to our State. It makes its appeal anew to every individual to engage in it not as a good thing which, it is well enough to encourage, but as a great concern which, it is his duty and his privilige to promote. And who can contemplate with calmness the calamity which would visit our land in the return of the tyrannic sway of intemperance back upon us. Every method that philanthropy and piety could devise to stay the progress of this vice has heretofore been tried in vain. The majesty of the laws has been arrayed against it. Associations after associations have been formed on various principles to persuade men to have mercy on their fellow men-to save themselves. The prayers of the righteous have gone up as a memorial to Heaven from the secret place, the social meeting, and the public altar, that God would in mercy cut short the way of the destroyer, but all in vain. One effort more we are now making-á last effort. If this fails, all is gone. And now that we are sure of its success if it is faithfully, energetically carried forward, we adjure the friends of humanity not to give over until it be fully accomplished.

On motion of Hon. JOSIAH PRESCOTT, M. D. of Farmington,

Resolved, That the use of ardent spirits is injurious to men in health, acting as a predisposing cause to disease, and serves to render all diseases from other causes, more unmanageable and difficult of cure-and that a greater number die from the effects of ordinary diseases as well as from those of an epidemic character, who yield to their ordinary use. On motion of Rev. THOMAS ADAMS, of Vassalborough, Resolved, That the Temperance cause is eminently christian. On motion of Hon JOSIAH PIERCE, of Gorham,

Resolved, That to ensure that success in the Temperance Reform, which the philanthropist, the patriot and the christian so ardently desire, it is pre-eminently important that the "wise and the good of all classes and conditions of men, without regard to political opinions or religious creeds," should consider themselves as occupying common ground, on which all can meet as the common friends of man, and should unite in their exertions for the promotion of Temperance.

SECOND ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

MAINE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY,

FEBRUARY, 5, 1834.

"To concentrate the efforts of the friends of Temperance throughout the State, to diffuse information, and by a moral influence, discourage the use of ardent spirits in the community," is "the sole object of this Society." "As a fundemental principle" in aid of this object, "this Society recognizes," "total abstinence from all concern with ardent spirits, as an article of refreshment, entertainment or traffic”—and the Constitution of the Society authorizes the Executive Committee to adopt such measures as they think calculated to promote" its objects; and requires that "at each annual meeting a report shall be presented, exhibiting the operations of the Society for the past year: and the state and progress, so far as it can be ascertained, of the Temperance Re. formation."

At the time of the organization of the Society, its members were aware that pecuniary aid would be necessary to accomplish its objects, and by the Constitution authorized the raising of funds, "by voluntary contributions and subscriptions." It was among the first objects of the Executive Committee of the year 1832, to attempt the raising of funds in that manner for a specific object. The history of that attempt and its failure is contained in the first annual report. During the past year no attempt has been made to raise funds for any purpose other than for the renumeration of the Corresponding Secretary, for the money advanced by him to defray the expense, in part, of publishing the first annual report and to relieve him from his liability for the balance due the printer. At the last annual meeting the Society voted that a number of copies of the report should be printed equal to the number of the school districts in the State. The estimate for the number of school districts was made from the returns received at the Secretary of State's office, in January, 1829, as required by a section of the law to provide for the education of youth, by which returns it appears that there were reported at that time in the County of York 307 school districts—Cumberland 325, Lincoln 360, Hancock 150, Washington 150, Kennebec 347, Oxford 340, Somerset 330, Penobscot 215, and in Waldo 210, and probably exceeding at that time three thousand; and the Corresponding Secretary procured the printing of four thousand copies. The Society having made no provision for defraying the expense of their publication, the Corresponding Secretary gave public notice in the papers of the places at which they were deposited for sale, and invited the friends of temperance to purchase and circulate one at least in each school district in the State, and subsequently wrote to some person in nearly all the towns in the State urging the purchase and circulation of them to the extent contemplated by the vote of the Society. The Secretaries of the County Societies were also requested to raise promptly from among their friends a sum of money sufficient to pay for enough to supply the school districts in their several Counties, and to take the trouble

of distributing them accordingly. The Corresponding Secretary of the Cumberland County Temperance Society succeeded in making im mediate provision for the purchase of three hundred copies of the re port for that County; and subsequently a few of the members of the Washington County Society purchased and paid for two hundred copies for distribution in that County. One hundred of the reports were sold by a gentleman of Wiscasset previous to July, and one hundred and fifty copies were subsequently sent to the same individual for sale, a few of which only are sold. About sixteen dollars have been contributed by a few individuals in Bangor to aid in the distribution of the reports into some of the towns in that County, and sixty four of the reports have been distributed accordingly into the towns of Argyle, Bowerbank, Charleston, Cold-stream, Guilford, Howland, Hermon, Jarvis' Gore, Kilmarnock, Levant, Lincoln, Mattanawcook, Madawaska, Maxfield, Olamon, Passadumkeag, and Stetson, in Penobscot County-about 170 other copies have been disposed of in that County. Twelve dollars and fifty cents have been contributed by some of the citizens of Belfast and fifty reports have been sent into some 6 or 8 towns in Waldo County. One hundred other copies have been disposed of in that County by sale: and thirty copies gratuitously bestowed by the Corresponding Secretary upon as many retailers of ardent spirit in the town of Belfast. Two hundred copies of the report have been sent to the President of the Somerset County Temperance Society for sale and circulation in that County, 65 of which only have been disposed of. Four hundred copies have been deposited with Messrs Dole, Redington, & Co. of Augusta, for sale, to supply the school districts in Kennebec County of which have been sold, and $10 contributed by individuals of the Augusta Temperance Society. Two hundred have been put in circulation in the County of Hancock, by sale and by contribution of money in aid of a gratuitous distribution into those towns in which none could be sold. Of the 1000 deposited in Portland for sale, for the supply of York and the other western Counties, about have been sold, including the

300 purchased by the citizens of Portland, but whether any of them have been circulated in the County of York, the Corresponding Secre tary is not informed. The Secretary of the Oxford County Temperance Society consented to receive 250 copies for circulation, and dis tributed them into the several towns in that County, relying on the friends of the Temperance Reform, to whom they were delivered, to raise the funds necessary to pay for them. From which it appears that the whole number of reports disposed of by sale is being less than the probable number of school districts in the State at the present timeand for which the amount of money received is $ Seventy five Reports have been gratuitously distributed by the Corresponding Secretary to officers of State Societies and other distinguished friends of the Temperance Reform in other States---and there remains on hand During the year 1832, the Corresponding Secretary wrote to some persons in almost every town in the State urging the importance of an extensive circulation of the Temperance Recorder a paper published by the New York State Temperance Society-with the belief that the excellent matter which it contained would greatly aid the cause of Temperance wherever it should be circulated. The reports of the local Socities for the year 1833, will show that the circulation of that

paper in this State has been very much increased. One thousand extra of the Temperance Discourse originally published in the Temperance Recorder, and appended to the first annual report of this Society, was printed for the purpose of furnishing every remaining retailer of ardent spirits in the State with a copy. Those were sent into the several counties with the reports, with directions to cause their gratuitous distribution accordingly. Recently, the Executive Committee of the New York State Temperance Society, sent to the Corresponding Secretary, 87,000 copies of the same Temperance Discourse for gratuitous distribu. tion in this State-3,000 having been previously delivered to the Secretary of the Washington County Temperance Society to supply each family in that County and an additional number are promised to us by a distinguished friend of the Temperance Reform in Boston. It was the design of the truly benevolent and very liberal and generous Society which hath thus supplied us, to furnish one for every family in this State, by an estimate that the division of the whole number of the inhabitants according to the census of 1830, by six, would give the present number of the families in the State. By this estimate it will require about 66,000, 26,000 more than we have received to supply every family in Maine, and at the expense of $66. Shall we accept of this bounty, bestowed by the hand of disinterested benevolence, and merely acknowledge it with gratitude, or shall we attempt to raise the small sum of $66 the amount necessary to meet the actual cost of the discourse, to the Society who furnished them, and be thankful that we have been supplied with the means of diffusing information so admirably well calculated to aid us in our benevolent objects, and at so cheap a rate? To aid us in our decision in regard to our honorable obligation in this case, we must recollect that the good will of the donors embraces every family in the United States-and that 2,500,000 discourses are required for that purpose, and at the expense of $2500.

At the commencement of the year 1833, the Executive Committee attempted to establish a Temperance paper under the patronage of this Society, and under the special management and control of said Committee and a correspondence was held with the publisher of the "Maine Temperance Advocate" who was invited to remove to Augusta, and there to print a paper of such size and to contain such articles as should be furnished him by the Committee. But the proposed arrange ment failed, and the Committee thought it inexpedient and impolitic to attempt to establish another Temperance paper in this State; and were reluctantly obliged to relinquish that mode of diffusing local as well as general information through the medium of a paper which should contain facts and arguments, for the correctness of which, they were willing to assume the responsibility. The failure, however, may not now be the subject of regret, when it is considered that the Temperance Recorder, a very excellent paper, published monthly at Albany by the Executive Committee of the New York State Society, is furnished to 40 or more copies sent to one direction for the small sum of twelve and one half cents each per anuum-and if taken for a city or a county the price is ten cents-and if taken for a State, only eight and one half cents per annum ; at which price it would require only the sum of $5000 to supply every family in this State for one year. How can that sum be so well appropriated in any other way to aid us in diffusing information through the