Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-09-09
For the PhGniI.
THE TEMPERANCE REFORM. No. |

That the Temperance Cause has been the means
Of comforting great and permanent blessings upon
our country and the world, no candid person will at
tempt 10 deny. Its saiutary and purifying influ-
ence is seen and felt BY all No one can look
around him without beholding some happy results OF
this great enterprise. Its fruits are witnessed in
the restoration OF peace and happiness TO the abodes
of wrcichedness and despair-in the smiies Of conf
fort and plenty, where before was nought but the
seOipts of misery and want-in the bloom of return
ing health aud vigor where before were shat
tered constitutions and the prosI1tion Of all that is
noble IN man--and ia the saving Of the seeds OF
virtue and beneyoence IN the soil which formerly
nourishcd vice and profanity ia all their FORMS
Md its course is continually onward Amid the
dan of conflicting interests, the turmoil of party
strife and the outbuTsts ol scctarian feeling, ''tIe
still. small voice OF Total Abstinence by It's per-
suasive accents aud encouraging appeals, has
cOmpshcd wonders in our midst. Already has il
triumPhed IN many parts of land, causing the
"wilderness and the solitary place to be made glad,
and the "mountains TO clap their hands for 10Y -
But notwithstanding this general prevalence, there
are several obstacles which stand 10 the way of IFS
HHirersai extension. and which il is our object in
series of articles briefly consider. The first OBJ
stace to the progress OF Temperance which would
notice is o Temptation oDcTed by The dealer IN ardent
: spirits 10 The returned Under this head | would
include not only the retailer, but all who in-
strumcntal in furnishing in any manner inloXica-
ting liquors AS beverage This practice is in my
opinion the greatest obstacle with which the advO-
Gates Of Temperance are obliged To contend. II is
the main pillar in the tutterIng citadel of ntemper
ance. Let this be removed aud the whole fabric
would soon tumble TO ruins. How often has the
sensitive heart Of the phanthIopist been made to
bleed airesh at the terrible nroads which this prac-
/ tce has made upon his cherished labols How
many true hearted Washingtonans have IN an I'M
guarded moment been led aslray by this siren, and
again bound IN the adanantIne CHAINS of the tyrant
! Alcohol! Humanity wreps over the scenes of suf-
| ierng which have been renetoed by this agency,
and asks how can the cause of this evil be Iemov-
! ed One method after another has been tried until
there seems scarcely any expedient left but in
vain. But shall we attempt nothing more towards
affecting the desired object Shall calmly fold
our arms and permit this powerful barrier TO
the Temperance Cause still 10 continue But how,
il is with more earEestness inquired, il be re-
moved? BY a course of dcnunciatiun aud ridicue 7
No for this has too often been the means of giving
supper, 10 the evil which we would counter.
act. Can il be effected by force This experiment
has been the means of Increasing instead of dimin-
lshing the traffic Compulsory measures have too
long been tried 10 the great injury OF the Temper
ancc Cause. We all stand upon equal ground
Man has not authority 10 oCmpei his brother 10 pur-
sue such u course as his iallib.c judgment would
dictate. Mind must act upon mind by the power
of argument and persuasion alone. This is the
great lever, mot cNrnal but mighty 10 the pulling
down of the strong holds, winch must be employ
ed in removing this evil. Let the Apostle of Tenn
perance then, clothed in the hahiliuents of Ctris-
tan lore and jrdirrHdi kindness, 60 to those Win
are engaged IA throwing temptations in the way OF
the recently reformed and plainly point out TO them
the Inconsistency OF their course and the fearful
sponsibility which rests upon them. Let them APP
ply truth in its power whether "they will bear OF
iorbear." WIN il be said that THIS course has here
lolore hecn faithfully pursued but with avail p
We would inquire has thus been done in a proper
spirit Has the spirit of kindness rather than that
OF dcnunciaton hren uniformly exhibitedS
Most of those engaged in the traffic are ready ia
acknowledge the benevolent design Of the Temper
ancc cause and that il ough, To be sustained Granting
this they cannot but the Inconsistency of then
conduct-that they lSborng to snLoen that
which they admit is good. How then can their p,o-
fsssion and practice he reconciled They cannot
plead Ignorance in this age of light Hundreds OF
the highmnded of their profession have volunta-
rily and from sense Of duty given up the traffic
They kn0w that il they continue, their influence
will operate directly To subvcrt that Cause which is
so nearly identified with the happiness and welfare
of millions of our citizens. Then why do they still
continue to scatter 'frebrands arrows and DEATH
over the land' Let cnGghtencd and faithful
conscience answer, But promised to he brief. In
my next shall consider the influence of the mod
crate drnkcr l..
Vernon, September, lSi2.