esteem for the petitioner as an honest and useful man. He is about to settle in our country, and to establish a brewery, in which art I think he is as skillful a man as has ever come to America. I wish to see this beverage become common instead of the whiskey which kills one-third of our citizens, and ruins their families. He is staying with me until he can fix himself, and I shall be thankful for information from time to time of the progress of his petition." Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Ford edition, Vol. X., p. 2. B. The pledge of this society read: "We, the subscribers, having witnessed and heard of many cases of misery and ruin in consequence of the free use of ardent spirits, and desirous to prevent, if possible, so great evils; Therefore, Resolved: (1) We will abstain from the use of ardent spirits on all occasions, except when prescribed by a temperate physician. (2) We will discountenance all addresses by any of the male sex with a view of matrimony, if they shall be known to drink ardent spirits, either periodically, or on any public occasion. (3) We, as mothers, daughters, and sisters will use our influence to prevent the connection of any of our friends with a man who`shall habitually drink any kind of ardent spirits." C. At the first meeting, Feb. 26, 1834, Benjamin F. Butler, then Attorney-General of the United States, introduced the following resolution, which was adopted: 66 Resolved: That Temperance Associations, formed on the plan of entire abstinence from the drinking and furnishing of ardent spirit, in view of the evils they are designed to suppress and to prevent; the means by which they propose to effect this end; the good already accomplished; and the beneficial results which may be expected from their future triumphs. deserve to be ranked among the most useful and glorious institutions of the age, and are eminently entitled to the active support of every patriot and philanthropist." CHAPTER VI. There is some disagreement about the date of this initial meeting. Burns puts the date at April 3, Blair and Dunn at April 2, while other authorities give it as April 5. Eddy states that the initial meeting was on April 2, at which time the committee was appointed and reported; that the discussion was continued from night to night till April 5, when the pledge was drawn up and signed. As April 5 is the date on which the anniversaries were held, the version of Dr. Eddy is doubtless correct. The fifth annual report of the American Temperance Union (for 1841) gives the date as April 5, and does not mention any previous meetings. The number at the first meeting is generally given as six, but John H. W. Hawkins, in his famous Faneuil Hall speech, held in May, 1841, says, "Our society originated in a rum mill where twenty of us, all drunkards, resorted. Our pledge was drawn up, and first signed by six persons who now stand firm in the cause." B. These men were all from the humbler walks of life, and there is some uncertainty as to their correct names. The names given are those stated in the annual report of the American Temperance Union for the year 1842, and are doubtless correct. Dr. Burns gives the same list with a little variation in the spelling of two names. Dr. Eddy gives the list as : K. Mitchell, J. T. Hoss, D. Anderson, G. Steers, J. McConley and A. Campbell. Daniels gives the list as : William Mitchell, David Hoss, Charles Anderson, George Steer, Bill M'Curdy, and Tom Campbell. C. The form of pledge used by Father Mathew read: "I promise, while I belong to the Teetotal Society, to abstain from all kinds of intoxicating drink, unless used medically; and that I will discountenance, by advice and example, the causes of intemperance in others. D. On page 392 of his autobiography. Mr. Gough says: "I had from the beginning advocated a prohibitory law. I was engaged expressly in Connecticut for that purpose previous to their election, and worked faithfully to that end-the enactment of the law. I do not profess to be able to grasp the legal and political question with the facility that many men possess. I s suppose I lack the logical power-at least it is said that I do-and if God has not seen fit to bestow on me this faculty, I must try to use the power He has given me, and do the best I can. This I have tried conscientiously to do." On the occasion of his last visit to Edinburgh Mr. Gough said: "I wish to put myself right on prohibition. I am a thorough prohibitionist, for we must not only abstain, but educate public opinion to vote right at the ballot box on this question." Dr. Eddy quotes Father Mathew as saying regarding prohibition: "The question of prohibiting the sale of ardent spirits, and the many other intoxicating drinks which are to be found in our country, is not new to me. The principle of prohibition seems to be the only safe and certain remedy for the evils of intemperance. This opinion has been strengthened and confirmed by the hard labor of more than twenty years in the temperance cause. CHAPTER VII. The following have been the Most Worthy Templars of the Supreme Temple from the beginning: The presiding officers of the Grand Lodge of New York up to 1855 were the following: Nathaniel Curtis.. Garry Chambers. 1852 .1852-3 1853-4 .1854-5 The presiding officers of the Right Worthy Grand Lodge and the International Supreme Lodge have been the following: The following are the present officers of the International Supreme Lodge: R. W. G. T., Joseph Malins, 168 Edmund St., Birmingham, England. P. R. W. G. T., Dr, D. H. Mann, 194 Clinton St., Brooklyn, New York. R. W. G. Cr., Geo. F. Cotterill, Seattle, Washington. R. W. G. V. T., Mrs. D. C. MacKellar, N. P. Manse, Denny, Scotland. R. W. G. S. J. T., Miss Jessie Forsyth, 80 State St., Boston, Mass. R. W. G. S., B. F. Parker, 208 Oneida St., Milwaukee, Wis consin. R. W. G. Tr., W. Martin Jones, Rochester. N. Y. R. W. G. A. S., D. C. Cameron, Choral Hall, Moray Place, Dunedid, New Zealand. R. W. G. Chap., Rev. F. B. Boyce, Sydney, New South Wales. R. W. G. D. Mar., Miss Charlotte A. Gray, Paris, France. R. W. G. Sent., Geo. W. Irving, Vernon River Bridge, Prince R. W. G. Mess., Miss Emilie Lindquist, Esloep, Sweden. C. The following were the presiding officers of the seceding organization during the ten years of its separate existence : |