FOURTH DAY: Report of the Committee appointed to prepare a plan of Permanent Organization
MORNING SESSION
Sept. 9th.
Vice-President Hon. SAMUEL F. CARY, in the chair.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. D. G. JACOKES, of Michigan.
The Minutes of September 8th were read and approved.
The unfinished business was resumed. Hon. J. B. O'NEAL took the chair while Gen. CARY made the following report:
The Committee on the Duties of Freemen at the Ballot-box report,--
That the whole subject referred to your Committee has been exhausted by reports already made; and as they would but reiterate the facts and arguments already on our records, the Committee ask to be discharged from the further consideration of the subject.
The report was accepted and the Committee discharged, after which Gen. CARY resumed the chair. The Committee on Permanent Organization presented the following report:
Report of the Committee appointed to prepare a plan of Permanent Organization.
TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WORLD'S TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.
Sir:--The Committee appointed by this Convention to prepare a plan of Permanent Organization, respectfully report, that they have taken the subject into careful consideration, and are fully aware of the necessity of the closest union and greatest energy on the part of the friends of Temperance at the present crisis. We all know that our cause has won glorious victories in times past and recently, and now the question most important of all is, how shall those victories be secured and made the base of operations for still greater triumphs? Adversity or hard labor to gain a given point often unites men whom prosperity divides; and hence your Committee recommend to all friends of the cause of Temperance, a deliberate review of the several reasons which require of them a union still closer, and an activity still more vigorous. They feel constrained to ask all who love our work to gird on the armor anew, to give the friendly hand of a brother to every honest worker against intemperance, the manufacture and traffic in intoxicating drinks, rum
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and rum selling, and to join in a solid phalanx which shall crush all opposition.Your Committee, therefore, recommend to this Convention for adoption, the following, as they think, simple and efficient plan, which need not interfere with or supplant any organization now in the field, but which may tend to harmonize and direct all these, in securing, as we may properly call it, the present desire of the nations --the enactment and enforcement of a law entirely prohibiting the trade in intoxicating drinks as a beverage.
1. Resolved, That a National Committee of NINE be appointed by this Convention, a majority of whom shall reside in PHILADELPHIA, who shall superintend the general movements in favor of the prohibition of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, who shall employ such agents and issue such publications as may seem to be required, who shall correspond with the Central Committees of the several states and of foreign countries, and report at such National Conventions as shall be held.
2. Resolved, That we recommend each State to organize by the appointment of a State Central Committee, whose duties shall be to superintend the affairs of such State, and to appoint corresponding committees in the several counties, townships, and wards, to have charge of the business necessary for carrying on a vigorous campaign against the liquor traffic.
3. Resolved, That the National Committee be authorized to call National Conventions at such times and places as they may deem proper, not less frequently than once in two years.
4. Resolved, That we recommend to all countries the adoption of similar organizations, through which we can correspond with them, and they with us.
5. Resolved, That we now proceed to raise the sum of $10,000, to be used, under the direction of the National Committee; in promoting the objects of this Convention.
6. Resolved, That at each National Convention a new election shall be held for a National Committee.
7. Resolved, That the National Committee shall make an annual report through some Temperance periodical, of die receipt and disbursement of the funds.
On behalf of the Committee,
E. W. JACKSON,
Chairman.
NEW YORK CITY, Sept 8, 1853.
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The report, after some discussion, was laid upon the table.
The Business Committee, to whom was referred a resolution of Mr. SNODGRASS, in reference to the revenue laws, reported against its adoption.
All further business was then suspended to hear reports from foreign countries, and interesting statements were made of the progress and prospects of the cause of Temperance, by Dr. LEES and JOHN CASSELL, Esq., of England; and Rev. Mr. SCOTT, of Canada.
Rev. SAMUEL K. COX, District of Columbia, after some appropriate remarks, introduced the following resolutions:
Resolved, That this Convention hereby express its high and grateful appreciation of the distinguished services rendered the cause of Temperance by the late Rev. JUSTIN EDWARDS, D. D.; and that while we bow with resignation to the appointment of that unerring will which has removed him from the field of earthly usefulness and toil, we cannot but deeply mourn the loss from our ranks of so efficient and faithful a laborer.
Resolved, That this resolution be published in the minutes of the Convention, and a copy conveyed to the family of the deceased, with an expression of our sincere sympathy with them in their sore bereavement.
The motion was seconded by CHRISTIAN KEENER, Esq., of Maryland; and after some touching remarks by Mr. KEENER, Hon. SAMUEL F. CARY, of Ohio, Rev. JOHN KENNEDY, D.D., of New York, and JOHN CASSELL, Esq., of England; the vote was taken on the resolutions, by the Convention rising from their seats, and the resolutions were adopted unanimously.
Rev. WM. PATTON, D. D., then read the following resolution and letter from the Hon. EDWARD C. DELAVAN, President of the New York State Temperance Society:--
"Resolved, That the manufacture, importation, sale, and use of intoxicating liquors, as a beverage, in view of their well known pernicious consequences, are acts irreconcilable with sound morality; and that such traffic in them, is also a grievous and intolerable public wrong, conflicting with some of the most important purposes of organized government, and ought therefore to be everywhere effectually prohibited by law."