Republican Herald

[From the Daily Advertiser.]

STATE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.

On the afternoon of the 4th of July, agreeably to notice previously given, upwards of an hundred gentlemen from different parts of the State, met at the Town House in Providence, for the purpose of organizing a State Society for the promotion of Temperance. Mr. Benjamin Aborn, President of the Providence Temperance Association, called the meeting to order. He stated that the Providence Society, having been repeatedly requested by Societies in the country to fix upon a time and place for a Convention, of the kind now assembled, had invited their fellow laborers in the cause, in other parts of the State, to meet here, for the purpose of establishing a general union, and concentrating the efforts of the different Societies, in promoting the objects they have in view. Col. Peleg Wilbur, Jr. of Coventry, was then nominated, by Mr. Aborn, for Chairman, and appointed. B. F. Hallett and Rev. Frederick A. Farley, of Providence, were chosen Secretaries. The delegates from the several Societies represented, presented their certificates, and their names were enrolled as members of the Convention, as follow:-

East Greenwich T. Society.—John Brown, Jonathan Slocum.
Gloucester T. Society.—Nathan Blackman, Benedict Aldrich, Moses B. Wood, J. Arnold.
Coventry Union T. Society.—Peleg Wilbur, Jr. Hiram Cleaveland, Benj. Arnold.
Centreville, Warwick.—John Allen, Sylvester Knight, Joseph W. Greene.
Lippitt and Phenix.—Edmund C. Gould, Cyril Babcock.
Cranston T. Society, Knightsville.—Tho's B. Cole, S. D. Cole, R. S. Bennett, S. Randall, J. N. Olney.
N Kingstown—Thomas G. Allen.
Wickford Society.—Daniel E Updike.
Arkwright and Fiskville.—Peleg Clarke, Nicholas G. Potter.
Providence Association.—Benjamin Aborn, Zachariah Allen, Henry Cushing, B. F. Hallett, Wm. Aplin, John Dunwell, Samuel Pearson, Gilbert Richmond, S. Boyd Tobey. John Hill, Alexander Jones, Walter Paine, Frederick A. Farley, Thomas T. Waterman, Wm. C. Snow, George Baker, William Pabodie, Josiah Cady, Benj. Dyer, Isaac Thurber, Isaac Brown, Joseph Balch, Jr.
Coventry Central Society.—Benj. Arnold, Jr. Henry B. Arnold.
Slatersville Society, Smithfield.—Arnold Buffum.

[This Society was formed on the 1st of July, 1831, in the thriving manufacturing village of Slatersville. Two or three gentlemen made arrangements for a meeting on that day; an address was delivered by Mr. Arnold Buffum, and a Constitution proposed, on the principle of Total Abstinence, to which forty eight persons, of both sexes, at once subscribed their names. The wife of one of the principal manufacturers, was the first to set an example to the females to give their countenance to this surest safeguard for their husbands, sons and brothers, against the fatal influence of the social glass; so destructive to domestic happiness. Let others imitate this example, in our manufacturing villages, and Temperance Societies will soon be found in every part of Rhode Island ]

Richmond Central T. S. at Washingtonville.—Thomas Reynolds, Welles Reynolds, Robert Reynolds, members of that Society, though not formally appointed delegates, were admitted to seats in Convention.

[This is also a Society, the existence of which we had not before learned. It was organized in August last, and is prosperous.]

Bristol T. Society.—No delegates appearing; Mr. Otis Storrs, member of that Society, was admitted to a seat.
Pawtucket T. Society.—Samuel Angell, Esq. a member was admitted to a seat.

It appeared that thirteen Temperance Societies were represented in the Convention by fifty one Delegates. The Delegates from North-Kingstown and Wickford Societies, were unable to attend. The Societies formed in the State not represented, are Cranston and Johnston Union—Hope, in Scituate—South Kingstown—Exeter—News Neck, West Greenwich—Little Compton— Jamestown—Tiverton—Rice City in Coventry, and Wonsocket Union—the two last very recently organized, making a total of 24 Temperance Societies in the State.

Voted, That all members of Temperance Societies in the State, now present, be invited to take seats as members of this Convention.

The following persons presented their names under this resolution:—Albert Pabodie, Stephen S. Wardwell, John Prentice, Joseph Mauran, J. B. Nichols, Jonathan Weldon, Rev. Professor Caswell, of Brown University, George W. Fox, Edward Pratt, Professor Goddard of Brown University, William H. Murray, Jonathan S. Angell, H. H. Brown, Chester Wood, John C. Cady, Joseph Bogman, Rev. David Kilbourne. Schuyler Clark, James H. Reed, Joseph Yates Thomas B. Lippitt, Samuel Shove, Benjamin Eddy, Joseph Jewett, of Providence.

On motion of Mr. B. Aborn, it was voted that all present friendly to the cause of total abstinence from ardent spirits, be admitted to take a part in the proceedings of the Convention. The following gentlemen were admitted under this vote: Samuel Fletcher and John Vial of Massachusetts; William Goodell of New York; Thomas Clay of Savannah, Geo.; Richard J. Arnold, of Providence; Lovwell Spaulding, of Warwick; James Bicknell of Barrington.

Mr. G. Richmond stated that the friends of temperance in Newport had made arrangements to be represented in the Convention, but were prevented attending by an engagement in a Sabbath School celebration.

The Convention having been organized it was moved by Deacon Walter Paine, seconded by Mr. Arnold Buffum, that it is expedient to form a State Temperance Society for R. Island.

The objects and advantages of such an association were pointed out by several speakers. The design was, not that the State Society should have any direction of local temperance societies, but that it might present a concentrated point, for annually collecting the reports and progress of the different societies, diffusing temperance information, taking measures to organize new Societies, and (if circumstances should admit) employing an agent to call public attention to the temperance reformation. It was stated that similar societies have been formed in eighteen States, embracing all the Atlantic States except Maine and Rhode Island.

The motion was carried unanimously. On motion of Dr. Tobey, voted that a committee of ten be appointed, to report a form of Constitution. Voted that the committee consist of Rev. F. A. Farley of Providence, Arnold Buffum of Smithfield, Henry Blackman of Gloucester. Dr. Peleg Clarke of Cranston, Thomas Reynolds and Wells Reynolds of Richmond, James Bicknell of Barrington, Edmund C. Gould of Warwick, Dr. Hiram Cleaveland of Coventry. Dr. S. B. Tobey of Providence. The committee retired and prepared a Constitution,

which they reported to the Convention. After considerable discussion, and a very special consideration as to the best rule to be adopted for membership of the Society, the following Constitution was unanimously adopted.

CONSTITUTION
Of the Rhode Island State Temperance Society.

Article I. This Society shall be called "The Rhode Island State Temperance Society."

Art. II. The Society shall consist of such of the members of Temperance Societies already established, or which may hereafter be established, within this State, on the principle of total abstinence from the use of ardent spirits, as shall sign this Constitution.

Art. III. The Society shall meet annually, at such place as shall be designated by Each Annual Meeting, at two o'clock, P. M. on the 4th Monday of October, and shall then and there elect, by ballot or otherwise, a President, five Vice Presidents, a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, an Auditor, and an Executive Committee, of ten members.

Art. IV. It shall be the duty of the President, or in his absence, of one of the Vice Presidents, to preside at all meetings of the Society, and to call special meetings at the request of the Executive Committee.

Art. V. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee, a majority of whom shall be sufficient for the transaction of business, to carry into effect all votes and orders of the Society, to take proper measures for obtaining the funds necessary for accomplishing its objects, to draw on the Treasurer for all monies which they may expend in furtherance of the same, and in general, to perform all other duties not repugnant to this Constitution, which they may deem necessary for promoting habits of temperance to the greatest extent. Of their proceedings they shall make an annual Report to the Society.

Art. VI. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary, under the direction of the Executive Committee, to correspond with the local Societies in the State, to suggest measures for the formation of others in those places where none exist; and in general, to conduct the correspondence of the Society.

Art. VII. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to attend all meetings of the Society, and of the Executive Committee, to record all votes and other proceedings of the same, and to keep a list of the members.

Art. VIII. Any Local Temperance Societies within the State formed on the principle recognised in the 2d article of this Constitution, may become auxiliary to this, by signifying their wish to that effect to the Recording Secretary, and sending a copy of their Constitution and list of officers. It shall be the duty of each auxiliary Society to make an annual report to the Corresponding Secretary of the State Society, to be rendered at least ten days previous to the annual meeting thereof, embracing the number of members and such other facts and statements as may be connected with the general object of such societies. Each auxiliary society may be represented at the annual meeting of the State Society, by such number of Delegates as they may think proper to appoint for that purpose.

Art IX. No auxiliary society shall be subject to any tax or assessment, nor to any control or direction whatever, in its local concerns, by the State Society.

Art. X.
The constitution may be altered or amended at any annual meeting of the society, by vote of two thirds of the members present.

The constitution not having been engrossed in a book for receiving signatures, it was voted that those present signify their assent to the constitution, as members of the Society, by rising—whereupon every person present, entitled to become a member, rose.

Voted that the following named gentlemen be admitted honorary members of this society—Messrs. William Goodell and Phineas Crandall, (editors of the Genius of Temperance-) of New York; Thomas Clay, Esq. of Savannah, Geo.

Voted to proceed to choice of officers, and that the President be elected by ballot, the other officers to be appointed by ayes and noes. The following gentlemen were elected officers of the Society, until the meeting in October next. [The first Vice President elected declined serving.]

Col. Peleg Wilbour, Jun. of Coventry, President.

Vice Presidents.—Rev. Emerson Paine, of Little Compton, 1st; John Brown, Esq. of East Greenwich, 2d; Mr. Welles Reynolds, of Richmond 3d; Gen. Byron Diman, of Bristol, 4th; Mr. Henry Cushing 5th.

Rev. Frederick A. Farley, Providence, Corresponding Secretary; B. F. Hallett, do Recording Secretary; Deacon Walter Paine, do Treasurer; Mr. Henry Cushing do. Auditor.

[It was voted that six of the Executive Committee be residents of Providence ]

Executive Committee.—Henry Cushing, William Pabodie, Joseph Mauran, George Baker, Reverend Thomas T. Waterman, Samuel Shove, Providence; Rev. Oliver Brown, South Kingstown; Edmund C. Gould, Warwick; Peleg Clarke, Cranston, John Howe, Bristol.

Voted that the first annual meeting be held in Providence.

The Convention adjourned without day at seven o'clock