Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-03-10

| hIuCu. IL lney NOulQ StdnQ up 10 lue
truth, their influence would be much to
US But while they plead for wine, and
indul &c in wine, they are ONO use TO the
temperance cause, and never were. This
class of persons always hung back, and
wanted TO wait, and saunter along We
want their help and their influence. And
now they say we can have it if you will
turn round and cast reproach on all your
efforts for the past year, and come down
and confess your faults and put our cloak,
which some how or other has got 10 be
little more slolcss than theirs, over them
Then they say they will 60 with you, if
you will Gently that THEN style OF temper
ancc is Just as good as ours, and that we
regard both with equal appreciation, and
they are just as good temperance men as
you are. Sir, | am notprepared TO do this
1t would be of no Use.
Suppose, sir, | were to 60 home to
Washington county, and take one ofthese
city Wine-dl1nkirg gentlemen friends of
temperance along with me, with his olive
branch in his hand, tie glass Of wine
which you are called to vote as the emily
means of peace, should 90 and plead
for total abstinence. And l have no
doubt should accomplish something, fer
truth is mighty, aud will prevail, however
feeble the instrument The people are
awakened, are in,presst d, are 4bOut con-
WINGED, and just ready to sign the pledge.
But then they ask, "Who is this gentle
man with you?'' q he is temperance
brother from the city. "What is that he
has got in his hand :" 1t is glass Of
Wine and | believe wine drinking is
wrong, Lut the temperance society at AL
hany voted that he is just as good tenn
perance man as | am, and l agreed 10 call
him brother, and to introduce him here as
my good temperance brother, from the
city, who has cone all the way here to
help US make ttmperence men in Wash
ington county. Sir, my heart has SWELL
ed with gratitude to Cod, for what has
been gained to the cause of temperance,
for the drunkards that Lave been reclaim
ed, and the consistency that has been i'm
parted by the present course. l am wont
to praise God for the men tLat have stood
up and advanced these principles, boldly
and in fear Of God, And shall l now
turn and vote reproach ofthese men and
oftheir domgs? No, sir, cannot do it.
| will not say, as has been said, that will
leave you if you do not take the Course |
propose. No, sir, am not about to de-
sert the temperance cause, let this ques-
ton turn as it may. But if the society
adopt this resolution, and turn back from
all that has been gained Inconsistency and
strength, by the labors of last year, will
( 60 to some secret place and weep, and
pray God to strengthen the things that re-
main, and bring back the society to the
only plan on which they can Go any good.
Mr. Welch rose to reply. The chair
man asked if he had not spoken twice on
this resolution, and said his own impress
sions were that he had Mr. W thought
not; but the general voice of the conven-
ton settled it, by cal ing on him to 60 on.
He proceeded:
| have here additional evidence how
much easier it is to denounce, and dtiame,
and ridicue, than it is to inquire and I'M
derstand and weigh proposal; how
much prcttier sport 1t is 10 bul!d up a man
fstraw and knock him down, than it is TO
meet a stubtoln fact or overthrow an ire
futable argument. 1t is that very spirit
which has produced the present stale OF ex-
element in the public mind, and of exas-
peration against our institution. Iregret
, that gentlemen, for the sake of making
temperance speeches tonight, should per
sist in misconstruing the design Of these
resolution One gentleman has said we
f are going to throw cloak over wine
drinkers. But, sir, the resolutions en-
brace the doctrines of this society," its con
p stitution, and the only doctrines that can
be maintained under it, oftotal abstinence
from ardcntsp!rit. Alldthey connect with
it the obligation to abstinence from all thai
can in;oxlcate, on the basis of the law OF
i christian love. You cannot succeed
\ while outraging the moral sense of the
:, community, and shut. your eyes to the les
. sons OF experience, and close your ears
! against the voice Of infinite wisdom ant
= goodness, Ii the law of christian love il
not sufficient to carry the rule Of abStl
. nence from wine, if you are driven to fan
ci1ul interpretations and arraying the Bi
- bic in conflict with Bible, and assailinG
l. the institutions of The gOspel, you canno
l, succeed
e. Gerrit Smith addressed the convention
+ We have been repeatedly told that the de
le sign ofthese resolutions is misrepresented
le Now, whether it is owing to obtusenes
IS or prejudice in my mind, cannot say, bu
re- l have seen no misrepresentation on tn
| part of any gentlemen who have spoken OF
in what am willing to call my side of tn
n question. The first resolution, now be
IL fore US, is expressly renewed attempt t
IN establish the old pledge. Is not this di
of rectly In the face of the resolutions of hi
he society last year and of the known char
it. acter ofthe society! And is it then at a
!.