The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-07-05
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PREPARED FOR THE VERMONT PRESS BY
THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE VT.
TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF
TIE TEMPERANCE UNION FOR 1912.

Am. Temp. Union, we have received CO.
Ply of their report for the current year, and
we propose, without attempting an analysis
of the document, which forms, altogether, a
pamphlet of seventy.two pages, to seize
upon certain of the most striking points
and topics and give them TO our readers.
The spirit of this report, we may remark,
in the outset. is one of moderate and
chastened exullation. And well may il be
such. The past few months have brought
forward results such as have never before
been witnessed in the progress of any
merely moral reformation, and such as far
surpass all that might have been anticipat.
ed from the antecedent successes and in
slrumentalities, great and general as those
were known 10 be. 1t is an illustration of
the immensely of those evils for which the
Temperance reform proposes remedy,
that IL these recent and antecedent changes,
although so mighty as to have altered SEN
siblv the faces of society and TO have made
themselves itlt throughout lis entire frame
work, are yet but fraction of what remains
for the labor of future years.
The publications Of the Executive CON-
mittee, for the year embraced in their re-
port, have numbered over seven hundred
thousand. These have gone into every
State in the Union, and to many extreme
paris of tie world. They have been cOrdi-
ally welcomed by the enlightened friends of
the cause in England, Scotland, Ireland
and the moth of Europe The expenses
of the Union have, notwithstanding. been
less than $4,000. Three signal interpo-
si,ions Of Divine Providence the report
marks with emphasis First, the revolu.
ton among the Irish both of Ireland and
this country; second, the favor shown to the
cause in The north of Europe; and, third,
the work of reform among hopeless inc
briates in our land.
After the Saratoga Convention Of July,
the proceedings of which embraced eight
distinct and grand topics Of deliberative
discussion, last of the number having
reference 10 a system Of greater boldness
and persevering temperance action through.
out the whole country. for the speedy ter.
minaIion of the deadly vil,'-the members
returned with increased activity and cour-
age 10 their fields OF labor. Ten succeed.
ing pages of the report are eugrossed by
the detail of their accomplishments on the
wide field from Maine TO Louisiana. In
this magnificent and true detail success fol-
lows success, and triumph rolls in upon tri-
umph like mighty waves of ocean breaking
upon the shore. The mind is filled with
the impressions Of an irresistible power in
operation, as the ear of the listener upon Ia
BILE rock by the sound Of the cataract. The
number of accessions to the pledge, in such
Of the towns, cities and States as we have
room 10 enumerate, runs as follows: Hud.
son. N. Y. 5000 from population of $500;
Springfield. Mass, HOO; Portsmouth, NH.
5000; New Haven. Conn. 1900; New Mil
ford, 1900; Hartford, 1000; New Lon
don, 1000; Lexington, Ky. 1000; Louis
vile, 5000 /; Clermont, o. 1890; Zanes.
vile, 2,sOo; St. Louis, 1880; Bait.
imore and vicinity. 1900; Piltsburg and
vicinity. 10000: New York and the region
around, 16,4Oo; Columbia Co. $4,000;
State of Illinois, 10000; Vermont, 10000;
Kentucky. 10000 Maine, $4,000; Ohio,
$4,000.
Not more wonderful, however, is this
great success, than the insirumentality by
which il has been effected. This insiru-
mentality'-,hus speaks our report-'in
the providence of God, has been ola most
extraordinary character. That men should
have been raised from the lowest depths of
vice and sensuality-from the entire pros.
tratIon Of all that is virtuous, honorable and
influential, to effect such moral revolution,
may well be the establishment Of MANKIND
From among the individual instances
which the Executive Committee have spread
upon the pages Of their report. as exemplifi-
cations of this novel and surprising wonder
that has arisen in our age, we select the fol,
lowing -
In New Haven, Conn.,, lived Mr.. Abel
Bishop, than whom perhaps, no man ever
passed through a more horrid fever of delir.
ium treln, Ms and lived. Men were about
him, in his apprehension, to fay him alive.
He saw them begin TO cut his flesh with
saws and to pull off his skin in strings and
hang them on wires. At other times. it
seemed to him a cage Of wild beasts were
let loose upon him. At one moment he
thought his breast was full of anima,s he
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