Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-10-26
TEMPERANCE.

Ladies Of Vermont! Lose no time. Give
the competent powers no rest, until they
dash the poison from the lips and the hands
of your husbands and children, your fathers
and brothers. Speak, and you will be heard.
To tie Hon. General Assembly of tie State
Of Vermont noao IN session.
The undersigned ladies of -, in this
State, respectfully represent,
That the use ofintoxicating drinks is in
our opinion one Of the greatest evils at
present existing in our land, and as such,
calls for legislative action. 1t Is now
cleari v established by facts aseertained by
actual examination, that it is the inmedi-
ate cause Of more than three fourths ofthe
crime and poverty Of our land. Danish
it from among US and our poor houses
would be in great degree depopulated,
the dockets Of our courts would be rarely
stained by the record Of criminal action,
and the community would be more happy,
prosperous and virtuous.
Intemperance is the Immediate offspring
of the system licensing the sale of intox-
eating drinks. Let the sale be stopped,
and the evils arising from drinking will
be done away. But so long as the sys-
TEN is continued of licensing men to scat
ter this dreadful poison IN the community,
so long will all efforts to eXtinguish the
vice be unayaillng. The experience Of
our fore&thers pro;es th2t the sale Of ar
dent spirits is not necessary to the we'll
being of society, The same thing is also
manifest from the toct tina, N whole coun
! ties in Massachusetts, rCt place can BE-
found where It's sale is licensed by law,
| and vet no where can there be found more
prosperous and happy communities, and
at no period have there ben so few &C
tons in their courts OF law. Your petit
TONERS would therefore csrettfully pray
your honorable body to take such meas
ures as your wisdom may dictate to sup
press this evil.
Should it be said that we have over
stepped the bounds Of female proprlety In
thus addressing you on this subject, we
ask in reply, have we no interest IN the
preservation of those institutions Of society
which are the glory Of our land, and wheel
intemperance assurediv will subTer?-
Shall we not be permitted 10 lift up our
voices to the constituted guardians Of pub
lie virtue, happiness, and morals, an" BE-
seech them to stay the progress Of an evil
which is year] V sweeping away thousands
of hasJands, brothers AID sons? Shall
we sit in unconcerned silence while vice
is abroad which destroys domestic peace
and happiness Shall we be idle specta-
tors while our husbands and sons are CIR
ding on the harness and addressing them
selves to the work offidd ng our land from
more desperate AMI destructive foe than
our fathers ofthe Revelation were called
to meet? So thought not the honored
matrons Of the Revolution. They fell
| that all their interests were at stake in 6
conflict while their husbands and son:
were fighting for their lives and fortunes
and to protect their domestic fresli2s !ron
a ruthless foe They nobly seconded then
efforts, and postcrjty has sanctioned theil
course.
While, therefore, we cheerfully leavs
r to the constituted Legislators Of our State
the task of deciding what measures shall
be taken, We cannot refrain from lifting
up our voices in their ears, with the ear
nest prayer that y viii do :omethln
to arrest this evil in our Stale. Set tn,
glorious example of refusing to license 81
enormous an evil as the sale of intoxicating
drinks, and your children will rise up AM
call you blessed.