Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-02-22

the parent of destruction. 1t has been in
controvertlbJ y demonstrated that alcoho
Is the same in fermented as in distilled Ii
quorS, an intoxicating agent. The fac
mas been settled in physiology, that aIco
mol is never useful, but always injuriou:
10 men in health that it Injuries mind anC
body. Physicians have lifted their warn.
ing voice. Merchants and insurance com
panles have pronounced it the enemy O.
commerce. Jud ges have declared that ii
units man to be good member of soci
ETY., juror or a witness. The testimony
OF men In every situation has been OBJ
talned, and it all confirms our great posi-
! ton. Thus aIcohoI stands stripped of its
former honors and meretricious orffa-
ments. 1t is now an unmasked monster.
Its character is determined And Of this
perhaps no more striking evidence can be
given, than the fact, that it is extensively
driven from the family circle, where it
was once so kindly entertained If this
enemy Of personal character and domes-
tic happiness comes now within the pale Of
that circle upon whose most sacred rights
and dearest joys he has placed his ruthless
foot, it must be by stealth. His home is
now abroad from the purity and affection
Of the freSide; and this may in part ac-
coun: for the appearance Of increased in
temperance, if, in fact, those who are now
driven to drink abroad are not the very
Witnesses who are forward to testify that
temperance is retro5adc. If nothing else,
therefore, has been done, a great fact has
been established, which, like the imagin-
ed lever of ArchimedeS, can move the
world, and which, unlike his, has full
crum. That fuIcrum is the good sense,
conscience and benevolence of the human
mind, Placing this mighty truth there,
and applying our feeble power with the
divine blessing, we can move the world
1t may require time and patience; but it
can b. done. We will continue to address
the understandings Of men, and appeal to
al their noble feelings; and we believe
they will hear. Our hope is sanguine
too in regard to the unpervc7;cd and IN
sophisticated minds of children The
great principle which we advocate is per
tect,y Ineligible TO them, and Of the deep
est importance. They can and will un-
derstand it, and believe and act in view of
it. And we may confidently anticipate
that the most unfavorable circumstance
cannot postpone the entire prevalence of
temperance later than the next generation.
With undated interest we therefore COM
mence our labors under this organization,
and call upon you to engage anew with
US IN the great work.
To the President Of the United States,
and the GOrermors Of the PrOrinccs,
States and Territories Of America.
GENTLEMEN We take the liberty OF
addressing you as men possessed of great
influence, resulting no less from the sta
tons you occupy, than from personal mer-
it. We use privilege which, we trust,
will not SAVIOUR of arrogance in your esti-
nation, while to US, as friends of man
kind, it is Of great importance. We con-
slider it an invaluable privilege, when we
have discovered wide spread and deeply
rooted evil, and have also ascertained the
means of its removal, to lay the evil and
remedy before men, who, like you, are too
much engrossed with official duties to at
tend to much that is unofficial, and vet
who, like you, may, with almost magic
facility, dry up the fountains of crime and
Wretchedness. We ask no costly sacrif-
ces, no doubtful or rash experiment. You
would cheerfulIy exert your last energies
to benefit your country III its commerce, its
health, its learning, or its virtue and do
mestic happiness; you would bare your
breasts to the shock of war, and make
your bleeding bodies the bulwarks of
nations rights and freedom. Bnt now it
is only to make the sacrifice of slight
change in diet: it is only to have the cour-
fashion ; it is only TO cease giving sane
ton and character to a custom which, like
the bloody Moloch or Juggernaut of orr
entail idolatry, is revelling in the ruins
and wreck of human happiness. The
use of fermented as well as distilled drinks
is unquestionably dragging thousands to
want and consummste misery. One vic
tim falls like pebble in the sea: he is
lost, and few stop to trace the evil to its
sources. Scarcely one thinks to 60 back
in the line of his personal history, and
see how the harmless conviviality of the
table of his father or his friend was the
first false step in that unsupported and en-
chanting path to ruin. But if any trace
it thus far, fewer still are they who exa-
mine this subject in all its ramifcations
and see how the great, the honorable, and
the temperate, are giving sanction anc per-
petuity to those very habits and customs
which have opened upon the world the
floodgates of intemperance. But, gen
tlemen, the connection is sure as that OF
physical cause and effect In the eye of
eternal justice you may be innocent OF
the evils which flow unobserved and indi-
rectly from your influence. We make