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

son. The gentleman who offered the res.
oIutlon' and those friendly to it, should
first have spoken and given their reasons.
A year ago, this society adopted certain
resolution, in which they voted unaui-
mous]y to take higher ground than they
had heretofore taken, meaningthe ground
OF abstinence from all that intoxicates.-
This ground was taken by the Executive
j Committee, in their publications, and BY
their agents in their addresses. [ say not
now, whether it was rig chilly taken, Or udi-
ciously or proftabIy to the cause. But
it was ia ken. And now we call in all
fairness on the gentlemen who say to US
Go back 10 the old ground and we will
unite with YOU" to give their reasons fo1
returning to thelower ground from which
we have risen by the vote of]ast year
call on them TO give US their reasons why
we should re-adopt the old pledge, which
we virtually repudiated last year, when
we recommended the new one.
There is misapprehensicn on the
part of some gentlemen, who seem to sup
pose that if we adopt the new pledge We
can still adhere to the old, and have no OBJ,
jection to its use. take different ground.
| am prepared TO urge the e1cluSire adcp-
ton of the new pledge. believe it is not
only inexpedient, but morally wrong, tc
use the Old pledge. And for this.behef |
am prepa> ed, at proper time to give my
.reaSonS
Sir appreciate the kind spirit that
dictated these resolutions. They have
that one evidence of having been dictated
by the spirit Of wisdom from on high, that
they breathe the spirit of love. But sir
there is higher question to be determin-
ed before we admit that is wisdom from
above. Is it first PURE and then reacea
bic? Do they not involve a sacrifice OF
principle n the part Of the great body O:
the temperance society? Here each one
must judge for himself l have no doubt
the gentleman believes it is all pure But
for my part l cannot advocate the old
pledge, nor admit the propriety Of its use.
| cannot 90 10 my drunken neigEbor with
the Old pledge, because | know that to
him it is o pledge fraueht with death in
stead of deIiverance. 1t implicitly per
mis and encourages the use of intoxicat-
ing drinks in the form of cider, beer and
wine That the old pledge does this is
evident from the fact that any wish to re-
tain it. The chi y value of the old pledge
is in the fact that 1t does admit Of the use
Of fermented intoxicating drinks And
cannot do an act which implies this. Now
if | cannot in my individual capacity dc
this, l cannot consent that this society in
its collective capacity should sanction an
act which as an individual | believe to be
morally wrong. lam opposed, therefore,
to the old pledge. And | shall oppose it.
And we shall vote it down if we can.
believe it indispensable to the prosperity
ofcur cause that it be hurled up, out Of
sight 1t is not now time for argument
on this point But call on the gentle.
men who want to pull US back from oul
advanced position, to give US theirreasons
Ard if they are, as they believe, good anc
valid reasons, they shall have all due in
fuence upon US. And if they are, as
believe, insufficient, both they and we
shall, | doubt not, rejoice alike to have
| their fallacy exposed.
Mr. Mott, Preside Mt of Union Cclleoe
said he had not intended to make any CD
selvaticns on this resolution, and he would
now make but few. He felt some degree
of responsibility, however, because h,
had some agency in bringing the bushes
where it is. 1t was with great doubts b,
had done what he had done. Bethe caus,
what it will, it is fact that there is
great diversity of opinion between tn
city and the country. | know that tn
temperance reform has receded in our cit
les and in some Of our villages. | hav
been on the ground Of total abstincnc,
from intoxicating drinks years before tn
present temperance movement. The on
question now before us, is, as conceive il
what measures are necessary to bring thi
whole community up to that ground.
should be afraid to do any thing to oiienot
: the country. But on the whole, am aF
prehensiye we shall lose the cities an
; large towns, those great centres Of !nf1l
ence, unless something like The resolution
shall be adopted by this society, Our d
5 vine Master and his disciples selected til
great towns as the scenes Of their labor:
and we ought to learn wisdom from thai
example. 1t is a fact that many IN on
cities have gone back from US: and man
are now a.rayed against us. There is
: difference among US, not in regard to tn
y propriety of abstaining from termented /
quors but as to the ground on which W
l. should construct a pledge Of abstinence
: Some say it is criminal, per Sc to dr1n
|. such liquors. Others would put It IN tn
S influence Of example, ora regard to healtI
It or the law of christian love. | will III
e argue that question. see that mtoxlca
n ing drinks are destroying my fellow me-
e and that is reason enough whine for lea
: ing them of, Now what shall we los
0 by adopting these resolutions, and placin