Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-09-07
PUBLISHERS & PROPRIETORS.

settled the question bv bsnishing strong drink from
stores and 'sverns and sending !, back TO It's original
plaec-the apo,bscarv. shop. Many town. in Vet
mont would do likewise II the, were permitted 90 10
90 we ask our rulers, therefore, no longer TO legal.
ize the sin OF intemperanee, but wholly to withdraw
from II their high patronage, and provide some remedy
for the evil. Not to prohib, vice and It's sources, is
a neglect OF duty, but to give to vice its pu,rimen, and
the whole force Of legislative sanction, is downright
injustice, for which there 10 no prcte1t. The license
system should bs abolished because it iegahse, a mon
sr0u' rdse Of public property. Many who Otherwise
might be industrious and useful citizens, squsnder
their time and earnings, ruin their health, beegar their
families, and como TO an untimely end bv Incorporate
habits acquired at the lawful houses Of traffic. This,
with shipwrecks, fires, and accidents occasioned by
in,oIica,ion, is so much wealth drawn from the public
treasury. Ii sslso estimated from facts tina, at least
three Jonrhs OF the ~psuperism in the land 10 occasion
Cd 10y iniempcrsnce. As the over,eers of tho poor
have testified, 1890 on, of 1863 paupers in different,
slms-houses in the United States became such BY the
use of spurious liquors. VIVA, il ell this bu, q need
less, wicked. leea!ized waste Of public property. In
South Carolina tho annual cost of litigation produced
by intemperance, as reported in 1880, WAS 1850 600.
The traffic IN ardent spirits deJtroys The neral sense
and increases CRIME, ana ths great pSbhe calamity is
sanctioned BY ne license ,ysitn.
The effects OF Drunkenness on reason and conscience
are too well known TO need description. Bishop War
burton has shown 'that no government can long exist
without the aid Of public conscience conscience
that dictates tho law Of right and enforces it. dictates
by an appeal 10 the retributions OF eternity" but il
has been truly said tina, the traffic in ardent, spirits per.
vetts the conscience Of the vender and sears as with a
hot iron that Of the consumer" Juris,s well under
stand this. The fifth report OF the American Temp.
Soc. states that "of i764 climlnsls in different, prisons,
more than 1900 were either intemneraie man nv man
under the power of intoxicating liquor when the crimes
Tor which they were imprisoned were committed. And
OF "A murders, ~ were committed BY incorporate men
or upon Incorporate men, or those who al the time Of
the murder were under the influence Of strong drink. I"
Hon. Felix Grundy stated as his opinion, from thirty
years experience as a lawyer, iha, four 6iAs Of all the
crimes in the United States can be traced to in,emper-
ance. On the testimony OF heir friends, Of ISL maniscs
in different insane hospitals 362, became such BY strony
drink. II is estimated by judicious men tina, half Of
the murders, three fourths Of the paupeIi,m, and four
fiths Of tho crimes and wretchedness in G reat Britain
must be imputed TO incompetence. Blu, facts in the
case are known and admitted. How then can the ru-
lers Of the earth patronize such enormities by granting
lcenses.to vendors and re,aile:s' We ask them, in
the name Of justice and humanity, to Withdraw their
sanction. The only consistent ground is total or no
prohi5ahon. II intemperance is SIN, it 10 equally sin 10
furnish and legslize the known means Of iniemperance.
we ask, then, that tho veDder may stand on his own
responsibility and open to common law. This will
make his traffic both dshonorable and Improbable
Then the distracted wife may beg him no, 10 destroy
her husband and family, and he csnno, turn away with
the sheer thai, the law ~justifes him and he will do il
Government is solemnly bound to protect the helpless,
and guard the rights Of all. II the means aud sources
Of intonica,ion cannot he by law prohibited, let no, tho
ruler sanction the evil and throw around It the bull
wark Of law. This is sin. And the vender proudly
entrenches himself and sears his conscience behind the
rampant Of civil authority, and shows his warrant 10
multiply crime and distress. He can furnish the
means Of riot and misery to every wretch who can paw
for his dram-can take the bread and the raimen, from
the needy, and send home q maniac husband and father.
Tins is accursed business, and the time will como
when heaven and earth shall say together, Amen.
May we not, then, demand a removal Of legislative
patronage from this curse Of all nations, Evil lepalis-
ed cannot be cured. Blu, evil unprotected by law csn-
not Withstand tho force Of public reprobston. We can
never prevail with retail and wholesale drunkard- man
uiaciurers SO long as the law hsnors and defends their
employment. We demonstrate, therefore, srs INST the
license system, because II sanctions, by the highest au-
thorliy, and perpeIuaies a widespread, monsIous, i'm.
nense, natural, moral, and political evil. Va abide
by this fundamental principle, Ths, no civil powers
have a right to sanction evil, and derive revenue from
it in any degree. II they do not prohibit wrong, they
may endure II til deliyerance comes from some other
quarter. But they may not, under any pretext, legal
lze, protect, justify and honor knoun ,in. For this,
God will bnng them into judgment.
In behalf Of the Committee.
W. c KITTRIDGE, Chairman.