2o6 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



gests, and which his paper fully and distinctly admits and deplores. 



Mr. President, let us all speak our honest opinions upon this as upon 

 other subjects. Let us have free discussion, and leave the great world 

 to I'udge of it in the same freedom, without any attempt on our part to 

 vote one another uj) or down, or to instiuct the big world of mankind 

 how they shall or shall not decide the case. 



Beside, anv even pretended opinion of this Societs, on either side of 

 this general question, would be but a sham; for tlie plain tiuth is, this 

 Society has not and can not have any settled opinions on the subject. 

 Some of its members think one way and some another, and will, if we 

 discuss it till next year at this time. 



To tell the world that it has a fixed opinion, when it has none, upon 

 a point which it is imder no necessary or constitutional obligation to vote 

 upon or decide either way, is only and simply to tell the world a quite 

 fashionable, it is true, but nevertheless, a real and practical lie. We can 

 never humbug intemperance or any other great practical evil out of sight 

 by any such legerdemain. 



What does the big world care, or what need it care for what we, in this 

 room think, any further than we are able individually and severally, to give 

 a good reason for our thought ? 



I am, therefore, in favor of free discussion here and everywhere, but 

 against all votes and all resolutions of whatever sort, outside of those 

 we are compelled to vote upon by our own chosen constitution and lav^'S. 



This Society is neither an ecclesiastical, nor a legislative assembly, 

 nor yet a club, assembled to debate for victory. It is simply a gathering 

 for the free expression of personal opinion on tliose beautiful and humane 

 topics of our practical art, which, in their wide-spread relations, reach out 

 over all morals, all legislative acts, and all religious opinions. But we do 

 not propose to settle, by our great vote^ all those ^incidental topics and 

 interests over which our wide and beautiful art spreads, or through which 

 our free discussions must necessarily and inevitably range. 



I go in, therefore, for the discussions without either votes or resplu- 

 tions on all such topics; leaving the Society uncommitted. 



Dr. Hull was glad the subject had come up for discussion. He was, 

 and had always been, a temperate man; did not use any kind of fer- 

 mented drinks or distilled liquors habitually, yet he was convinced that 

 it would be a great improvement upon the present state of things if pure, 

 native wines could take the place of distilled liquors and all the abomin- 

 able compounds called wines, which were poisoning and degrading the 

 American people. 



He had never yet known an instance in which the use of pure acid 

 wines caused drunkenness, and he hoped for a reform through the substi- 

 tution spoken of in the essay. 



Mr. Shaw said he had always found it a safe practice in his family to 

 keep and use pure wine. 



Dr. Spalding would not intioduce the Scriptures here to prove the 

 positions he has taken. He revered the Scriptures, and if the time and 



