THE FITNESS OF THINGS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1269, 25 November 1884, Page 3

THE FITNESS OF THINGS.

Gail Hamilton, in her original and forcible style, has given utterance to some of her best thoughts while discoursing upon this subject. At a banquet held in honor of the completion of the extension of a county gaol in New Jeisey, a Judge offered as a volunteer toast,, " The Temperance Cause." W. H. H. Bart ram was called upoa to respond, which he did in language so apropos that even Miss Dodge's fine taste as regards " the fitness of things" could not Iwivrt been offended. His remarks were as follows :

" Gentlemen, I thank you for this invitation, and ] recognise its fitness. Y''ii have assembled to celebrate the enlargement of this gaol, rendered necessary by the use of strong drink, in which you are indulging so freely this day. Downstairs, the cells and corridors are crowded with criminals who have but changed places. A few years ago they were rejected citizens, some of them occupying as responsible positions as those filled by yourselves ,' but they commenced as you have commenced, and they continued as many of you are continuing, and to-day they are reaping a harvest in a career of crime, and paying the penalty with a period of punishment. (At this moment another bottle was opened, and Mr Bartram said; —1 hear the popping of the cork ; 1 listen to the merry voices, and the praises you are singing to the iufern d spirit of wine ; but there comes to me the sad refrain from the prisoner's cell, wc<o is shedding penitential tears over his fail, and accompanied by the still sadder wail of anguish uttered by the broken-hearted wife, worse than widowed by the traffic in strong drink, which, as a Judge in one of our Courts said, is the great promotive of crime—a traffic licsnsed by your votes, and sustained by the patronage you are this day giving it. It is with inexpressiHj sadness that I discover that theie can be found in Passaic County so many men with hearts so hardened, feelings so calloused, sensibilities so blunted, that in a place like this, under circnmstances like these, they dare raise to their lips that which depraves the citizen, and endangers the State,

"Thanking yon, gentlemen, for this unexpected privilege, I take my seat fully conscious that you will never again call on me under similar circumstances."