Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-09-25
For the Vermont Telegraph.
LICENSE.LAWS.

For the Vermont Telegraph.
LICENSE-LAWS.
Mr.. Murray: Sir.-In your remarks
upon Mr.. Holcomb's communication re.
latlve to legislating upon the rnm-tra6fe,
In the last Telegraph, noticed your de-
claration; that the Is gallon law of Mas
sachusetts was "G total failure"
am very sorry you should advance
such sentiment, as you are known to be
strong advocate of the temperance cause.
| believe the declaration will prove to be
untrue, and [ have good cause to think SO.
For two years past | have kept moEey
at Boston, sent there expressly to pay for
"papers and pamphlets =" relating to the
subject, and have had many sent me. l
have now embodied a complete set of all
the appeals, reviews. reports, and address
es OF the committee of IL liquor dealers,
and the Legislative committee. Tread also
the rum-advocates' paper, edited by Hallett
OF Boston, and 2 other Boston papers. l
therefore think l am a good Judge.
| also object to the declaration in an
other point of view. You call the 15
gallon law partial prohibition, and there
fore poor. But the truth is, it is as full
prohibition as large portion of temper
ance men think the laws of the u. States
will allow the States TO enforce. There
fore, partial or not, it is all the prohibi-
ton the legislature could make, and we
should make the best of it, until we can
operate on Congress-
And again, as temperance men and 9th
ers want it for medicine, and the arts,
would you compel the merchant to make
oath that the Is gallons of medicine, is
bona ide for medicine? [ think it would
be difficult TO increase the quantity subject
to one sale. Therefore, if appetite or
"tehlper" will drive some of the rich to
buy Is gallons, and some of the poor to
club and buy it, it is an evil which the
philanthropist will find it difficult even TO
PROPOSE a remedy for
have read the proceedings of the
Boston and Middlesex trials under thu
late license law, and am aware that dram
selling continues in large portion of the
State; yet at this | am not surprised or
disheartened. Appetite backed up by the
love OF luere operating upon host Of
spirit.venders, is not easily subdued.
When the Mayor of Boston, about IL
years ago, attempted to suppress dram
selling IN groceries, the vendors at once
handed over, 2 to 10 dollars each to a
lawyer, and soon the whole power of rum
was arrayed against the measure, and the
cellars got licensed as usual.
Again, last year appetite and the love
OF lucre collected large meeting of rum.
lies in Boston,and acommittee of IL LIQUOR.
dealers was appointed to martial opposi-
ton. They published several appeals to
the people, feed lawyers, &c. In their
, first appeal, they protested to "admire
temperance" but said people would drink
even from principle" and Hallett before
the Legislative committee said too thew
"would drink from temper" Abou,
!. 10000 2etitioned The Legislature to repeal
the law, all men. As many men remon
strated against IFS repeal and over 4o,.
1000 women.. and the law was sustained
1883 to l53.
e But this is nor the end. Again the
r law is violated, vendors are prosecuted
t and they appeal up :heir causes TO courts
i that sit after the Legislature will convene
0 and they call on juries to decide on the
g constitutionahty of the law. And again
they will demand repeal of the law