Overview of the Collection |
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| Title: | Temperance Petitions to the New York Legislature |
| Inclusive Dates: | circa 1845 |
| Quantity: | 1 folder (SC) |
| Abstract: | Collection of petitions, all but one blank, from various groups to the New York state legislature, advocating temperance. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Library 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 http://scrc.syr.edu |
Temperance movements first formed in the United States shortly after the Revolutionary War. Political fragmentation and lack of focus stalled the movement in the early 1800s, but in the 1820s it returned. The American Temperance Society was formed in 1826 and by 1840 there were more than 8,000 local groups with over 1.5 million members, and 18 temperance journals were in publication.
This collection of Temperance Petitions to the New York Legislature consists of one small booklet and a number of blank petitions. The booklet, with a publication date of 1845, is entitled "Constitution of Rochester Division No. 36, S. of T." It includes the constitution, by-laws, and order of business for the organization.
The blank temperance petitions are printed pieces which temperance advocates could use to solicit signatures. Each is addressed to the New York Legislature, and makes various claims about the evils of drink. One reads, in part:
The public taxes of this county, in 1836, amounted to $37,000, and it is found on rigid examination, that more than $25,000 of this sum were expended in support of paupers, made so by intemperance, and in criminal prosecutions growing out of it...Your Petitioners believe, that most of these expenses would be saved to them, if [the sale of alcohol were made illegal]...they believe that crime would become comparatively unfrequent ; that pauperism...would be nearly or wholly unknown ; and that public and individual health, happiness and wealth, would be inconceivably promoted.
Several of the petitions were tailored for particular groups of petitioners, such as "the undersigned, females of _______ in the county of _____" and "Your petitioners, minors of _____ in the county of _____."
There is also one petition against the opening of mail on the Sabbath.
There are no access restrictions on this material.
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
See also Sons of Temperance, Waddington, N.Y. Collection and Temperance Society (Tyre, N.Y.) Minute Book. Special Collections Research Center also has a number of temperance-related printed items cataloged in our Rare Books division; please refer to SUMMIT, our main catalog to locate these items.
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Temperance Petitions to the New York Legislature,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Library
Purchase, 1991.
Created by: MRC
Date: 8 Oct 2010
Revision history: