A  distinguished  gentleman  from  Washington  writes,  "  The  late
amniversary  of  the  Congressional  Temperance  Society,  has  given
a  fresh  and  powerful  impulse  to  the  cause  throughout  the  whole
land. Under  the  sanction  of  such  authority,  thousands  of  hearts
and  hands  will  rally  to  the  work,  that  otherwise  would  have  remain-
ed unmoved. Every  day  I  rmxk  in  the  various  classes  of  society,
from  the  highest  departments  of  the  General  Government  to  the
lowest  mechanic  and  laborer,  the  strong  irresistible  influence  of
the  Temperance  Reformation. Public  opinion  of  the  virtuous
and  intelligent  every  where  frowns  on  the  traffic  and  manufacture,
as  weU  as  on  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  ;  and  I  no  longer  doubt,
that  this  land  is  destined,  under  the  influence  of  the  persevering
eflbits  of  the  friends  of  virtue,  to  be  freed  from  the  vice  of  intem-
perance."

A  Member  of  Congress  from  Pennsylvania  writes,  "  I  had  the
honor,  a  few  days  ago,  of  receiving  the  Sixth  Annual  Report  of  the
American  Temperance  Society  ;  for  which,  please  to  receive,  and
tender  to  your  Society,  my  warmest  thanks. I  have  read  the  doc-
ument with  much  interest  and  pleasure. I  am  free  to  confess  tbax
until  about  a  year  since  I  felt  rather  opposed  to  the  exertions  of
the  Temperance  Associations. I  considered  them  in  the  light  of
a  chimerical  speculative  concern,  and  calculated  to  draw  improper
lines  of  demarkation  in  society. But  I  am  free  to  acknowlec^,
that  I  have  very  much  changed  my  opinion  concerning  thera. I
am  now  satisfied  that  no  institution  is  calculated  to  do  as  much
good  with  the  same  me^ns  ;  and  that  if  ev«*  any  institution  could


34d]  SEVENTH  REPORT. 1834. H

be  said  to  have  its  origin  with  Him  who  is  the  great  source  of
all  goodneiss,  it  is  that  one,"

A  gendeman  from  Virginia  states,  that,  in  his  opinion,  no  Socie-
ties which  have  ever  been  formed,  have,  with  the  same  means,  in
the  same  time,  done  so  much  for  the  good  of  mankind  ;  that  all
must  acknowledge,  that  they  have  produced  a  most  beneficial  and
astonishing  change  ;  and  that  if  the  friends  of  the  object  shall  per-
severe, they  will  be  instrumental  in  banishing  intemperance  from
our  land. Nor  is  this  impression  confined  to  our  own  country. 