Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-01-19

or individual, every philanthropist will hnd occa>
sion for rejoicing. At meeting of the Vermont
State Temperance Society, held at Middlebury,
on the 18th inst, / have been informed that q
new Organization took place upon the total a6sfi-
aeace principle-that in all previous time in which
that Society has had existence. Il has stood on
the principle of atstaining from ardent spirits
only. Now if all the Ministers, the Doctors, the
Lawyers, the Judges. the College, Presidents and
Professors, the D. DIS. and Rey's., and all the
titled dignitaries of the State of Vermont, who
compose the State Society, have been induced to
take an advance step of such magnitude as the
foregoing, in regard to their former position, II
think the good people of this State have sufficient
cause to make the Green Mountains ring, at least
with one high shout of joy. Now think the
farmers and mechanics, the hard handed yeomanry
Of the Mountain State, may 60 to work with new
courage and redoubied vigor The too line nv
which the State Society has been dragged along
by the primaries is so much shortened that every
effort to advance the cause will be more effective
The License System which gives popularity to
the alcoholic traffic may now be assaiIed by the
temperance host, on every side. Yes, say, the
| license system, which keeps in countenance 9TH
erwise respectable men in the traffic Of that soul
delroying, man-degrading, maniac making, pow
erty producing, laisery-creating article of mans
dePraved appetite, alcohol, may be encountered
on his own ground. The Power thai gave It life
may now be asked to give it death, and it will be
Il IL
dle5ury abuntanibls proves that the total abst-
| nence pledge has become popular, in ur State.
Now.the moderate drinking nobility may lie So
licited to sign the pledge, and that with hope Of
success. Crowded popular person present it,
thereby banishing wine, gin, brandy, and all pop.
alar alcoholic beverages fom the fashionable
circles in society. When this shall be done, in
whole or in part, who knows but what the cause
Of Temperance WILDE sopop,tlGr that The church,
es, the strong hold Of Intemperance and other
moral evils, in our land, will come up to the
work at least N her own border-that The barriers
will be 50 removed that when member If such
a body shall traffic in the poison, drink excess.
ively,or fall from bis horse fall from his wagon, fall
into the mud, in consequence Of drunkenness It
| will do for the minister or some more suitable
member kindly to reprove the erring brother, and
endeavor TO lead him to the paths CT Temperance,
and clear the skirts of the church from the stigma
That now rests upon her. Here is sufficient work
for the energies of the whole host Of temperance
advocates, with encouragin prospects of success.
! III.
REL A-RKs. s
| attended the Convention, or Meeting,
! alluded to above. Good things were done
init; butsmost ofthem were worthless now,
because they had been done BY the people.
long ago. The meeting resolved on an
effort to raise cold. wa,er-armv, of chill
dfen, to the number Of 90. 600, by the 18th
of July next This was well. AS to the
matter Of recognizing the Society, and
bringing it on to the ground of TOTAL Alb.
stinence, believe my corresponds ut to be
mistaken. The Society was re-organizsd,
for It's greater efficiency. as was said; and
the pledge altered 10 some respects. But
the Society Il understood to have adop,ed
the common Total Abstinence Pledge at
some former period. But the State So
eiety has been an inefficient thing, mani |
Testing scarcely life enough to make
known whether it occupied one ground
or another. 1t has been 10 wrong |
hands, and continues to be. There
is as heightened Temperance among |
some of the people. as can be found any
where else. My eye here falls upon a
single item Of evidence. Vermont was
far more fully represented in the National
Temperance Convention at Saratoga, last
July. 10 proportion to population. Than any |
other State Of the Union. except the State
10 which The Convention was held. The
working people Of Vermont have gone
along, doing The work ia their own way,
/" fighting on their own hook" in this
matter. without stopping TO think whether
there uas suen thing as State Society
IN existence or not. The State Society
has been only thing Of name--a parade
of Honorables. Reyerends. Doctors Of |.
Divinity. &c. &c.-a mere mass of use-
less lumber that has occasionally floated
together from the agitation Of the people.
The County Temperance Societies. are
iittle better. The Rutland Coua,y Socis-
~. at least. is an auxiliary-if j. be an
auxiliary worthy Of the State Society.
But il is lite 10 be turning attention to