Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-05-16
LETTER FROM The HON. WIN. SLADE
To the Secretary Of the Temperance Union.
CoRRECTEp.


WAsHrNGToN, April 8, l842.
SIR-Sometme during the last summer Oh
.ened, at your request aud transmitted to you, n
statement, taken from the returns in the depart
ment Of State, showing the lumber Of distileries,
and the number Of gallons Of ardent spirits dis
TILED in each Of the states and territories That
statement was published, and has been extensively
copied by the newspaper press.
have lately received a letter fiom Vermont,
calling my attention to the fact, that that statement,
as copied into newspaper in that state, represent
ted Vermont as having thirty seven dstilleries, and
manufacturing 3,l77,7l0 gallons of ardent spirits.
On turning to u copy OF the statement sent you |
6ud that Vermont is set down Ms having but ftco
d,stileries, and manufacturing but $500 gallons.
The mistake occurred in the errors of the press,
which have happened in the frequent copying OF
the statement. The error, in the case of Vermont
consists mainly in having substituted the name oil
that state for Massachusetts from the latter OF
which states there were returned thirty seven dis
Iilleries, and 5,l77,9l0 gallons.
My attention having been thus called to the sub
ject, | have compared the statement which | sent
you with the corrected foongs AT the department
Of State, and find so great variation that am
induced TO send you q transcript of the corrected
results, for publication. The statement sent you
last summer was made from the foofings OF The
returns as read 10 me by one OF the clerks in the
department He doubtless read them correctly
but since that time they lave all been revised and
corrected; and the statement l now send you is
the result OF that correction.
To the statement OF The number Of dsliIleries
and the gallons Of ardent spirits distilled, ! now
add the number of breweres, aud the number oil
gallons produced by themtogeiher with the amour
of capital invested and The number of persons
employed in The business of dslilling and brewing
in the United States.
For the purpose Of giving a connected view oil
the whole amount of Intoxicating liquors (cdei
excepted) consumed in the United States, add d
statement showing The quantity of distilled spirits
wines, beer, ale und porter, imported during the
yenr ending September 30th 1910, deducting the
amount of the same exported to foreign countries
The addition of the foreign imporls--lhe ex
ports being deducted-to the domestic manufac
fnre with like deduction gives horrible tola
Of 7l,l2oOs9 gallons OF distilled spirits cine, beer
ale and porter consumed during the year 1910, il
The United Stales
OF iS40 should, rejoice to say, be greatly reduc
ed IN all their items TO give u true account of IN,
consumption Of the present year.
There are two items in The first sta sment which
cannot look at without emotion More than min
millions of capital was invested, and more THAI
ftretue thousand persons were employed in con
verting the means of human subsistence into on,
OF the most potent instruments of mischief ant
misery that the world ever saw. But this Is no
all. These are, indeed but small items in III,
dreadful account Of pecuniary investment, ant
expenditure OF human energy, in the work O
death. as would he apparent, il we could ascertain
the amount Of capital invested in liquor, grocere,
intoxicating taverns, and grog and beer shop
, throughout the country and could number III
men and women who were employed in dealin
out. by wholesale and retail, the seventy -oDe mill
ions OF gallons OF intoxicating liquors consumes
in the United States. If they were all collected
with their il-gotten wealth, into one SodoH,.
seems 10 me, that ten times ten righteous me
would scarce suffice to save it from the deslruciio
which fell upon the devoted cities OF the plain.-
Oh, sir, when look at this dreadful picture, whe
think Of the amount Of misery which the seller
OF intoxicating liquors are inficling upon their fol
low linen, my Indignation and compassion can fin
no language adequate 10 their characterization
ton at the cruel selfshness whieh can thus y
upon the life-bIood OF the Incorporate; and con
passion for the tempted, wretched, ruined victim
of their cold -heartedc upidity.
hope God will spare my life ill 1850. that
may be permitted to compare the statistics of IN,
yehr WIN those now send you. What an adyanc
shai by thot time, have been made in the pret
reform! How many disery fires shall bav
been extinguished-h how many rum shops loreve
closed-how much capital released from, the wor
OF dealh-bow many agonized hearts pladdepe,
and once lone and desols,e homes made ioyou
and happy Oh, sir, that time lpiH come Z Tn
great reform is moving onward. Its almost m
raculous progress for the last year 10 not 10 DO
rested. Blindness itself must see, in thar progress
an earnest of moro rapid and triumphant adyar
&c: under the guidance Of Providence which
evidently thus preparing the way for a deeper an
more GLORIOUS r.fsrm--a reform which shall Teas