Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-03-31
NEW YORK STATE TEMPER
ANCE MEETING.
Concluded.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, Feb. IL.


discussion. Perhaps, Mr. President, it
were more proper for M to listen to men
who are elder and wiser, than to speak
myself But / am one Of those who be-
lieve that much good results 10 the truth
from mere discussion. l aPprehsu1 that
the idea ola dissolution or diviS on of the
society has risen and extend, ID in this city
more from a fear of individual dictation
thln from an unwilling ness on the part Of
our temperance men to adopt the course
oftotal abstinence, when unequIvocaIly
Gale for by the voi:e of the society gen.
orally, And believe the clear and full
expression Of the society's Judgment at this
time will be satisfactory to the great mass
Of temperance people in this city.
There are two points connected with
this subject, that have not been treated
fairly. One has not been discussed, that
greatly needs discussion, and the other,
which does not need discussion, has been
discussed most abundantly. The ques-
ton that has not been discussed is, wheth-
or we shall abolish the old pledge and
throw those who have signed it out Of the
pale Of the society, or whether we shall
declare i: sill obligatory. and those who
adopt il still regular Members Of this soci-
ETY.. For my part, am in favor of the
latter course, and that | suppose is what is
aimed at in this resolution, though DO
not think the resolution wisely penned to
meet the object. could not reject the
men who have helped US to lay the founda-
ton. Just because they do not 60 on with
us 10 Law the top stons. believe We ought
not reckless'y to abandon the old pledge
Shall We say to those who are held by
nlth.nZ else, "You are dissolved. aban
dons1; 90 y1ur way, you are temperance
men no lon Ter." Let US first present the
new pledge to them. and when we have
got in all or nearly all the old members
than let Us tear away the brush fence
We are all republican citizens, and oil
prepared, trust, within the limits Of re
ligion and morality, to yield to the major
itv. And il this society, by clear ma
jority, adopt the view that the old pledge i,
injurious, we shall all Weld toit. lap
prove the principle Of total abstinence
from all that intoxicates, and approve o
the substitute proposed by Mr. Smith, ant
should il piss, as presume it will, shall
then take the liberty Of offering, on my
own responsibility, another resolution
recognizing the old pledge as still bind
ing on those who have adopted il, and en-
titlinc them to all privileges and rights q
membership in the temperance society.
8. s. Smith, of Fayetteville, wished t
present one view Of the case. which h
thought important. but which I'd not bee
no.iced by the speakers. twas this
When we first took our ground in tn
temperance cause we supposed that tn
pleige excluded all GLeohO'ie drinks
We supposed-Idi did and believe it wa
50 generally with temperance men-thi
alcohol was the product Of distillation.-
And when the question came up abol
s. wine, / supposed Il was alcoholic wine
by which I understood wines that ha
been mixed with distilled alcohol I'll
instant found that alcohol is in fact prc
ducsd by fermentation, and that distill
ton is merely a separation Of it from oth'
substances, and that it is the same thin
every where, went against the whole
I saw that all stood on the same groun
for they are all alcohol. And now IL v
sly in our pledge, all alcoholic drinks, v
shlll only CONS upto the spirit Of Il
temperance reformation, as il was at Il
. beginning. merely correcting an error
inadFertance in wording the old pie Ige.-
We always meant to 90 against alcohC
AMI when we find that all intoxica.ir
drinks are alcoholic, we carry out our I'll
intention, AMI abiure the whole.
Bradford r. Wood, Of Albany, as
member from the city. wished to b.
duloei IN few observations, as 50 mu
hal been said respecting cities and c
msmbsrs ofthe Temperance Society.
Ibslieve the mover Of thsse resolutlt
was actuated by pure motives, but b:
several reasons WHY I should wish Il
might be rejected, and the substitute ado
ed The resolution implies that we b
heretOfore changed the pledge I
mMH A .6'g"tNas1 ....4.M b.