Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-01-04


God, may carry his blunderbuss into his
pulpit TO defend his right of speech, why
may not the man of honor, who makes hon
or the chief thing with him, carry the pistol
into the field to defend his honor. And if
men in high life, so called: may use pistols,
why may not men In low life use clubs or
their fists? do not say that such reason
ing actually gets into the minds OF these
different classes, in all cases. 1t is not
necessary 10 suppose that they are always
aware Of the influences that operate upon
! them. Blu, the observing and investigating
mind can not fail TO trace the relation OF
cause and effect in the case. As, in the
matter Of using poisonous, Intoxicating drinks,
so in this matter of man-killing. As long
as doctors of divinity drink wine, congress
men will drink it. And as long as these
use wine, others will use this or other drinks,
according TO their choice, their means and
their opportunities. And so long as doctors
Of divinity advocate & practise man-kiililg,
I uuueT SOME circumstances, dHu Ia SothS
forms, so long will men Of honor continue
in man-killing under other circumstances
and other forms. And SO long as these keep
up the practice in their own chosen ways,
| so long will others continue ia it in other
ways. And finally, as the tendency Of all
the drinking Of intoxicating liquors is 10
! drunkenness, so the tendency of all man
Staying is to man slaughter. And the weight
Of example and influence is ia proportion TO
the weight Of character for goodness other
wise. " -. -. II ...".. ....:
And now for the remedy. II is not more
absurd, unphilosophical or upchristian, to
force drunkenness upon men as penalty Tor
getting drunk, than TO destroy mems lives
as penalty for destroying life. All penal
ries, other than the suffering growing out of
the transgression, are wrong - are unchris-
tan - are contrary 10 the mind and will OF
God. They promote the very evils they are
designed to remedy. Violence begets vio-
lence. Cruelty begets cruelty. Punshments
L
the mnsket, the dagger, the pistol, the gal
lows, the prison = all these are kindred in
struments, the inventions Of men in their
violence and vengefulness, prompted by
their selfsbness, to build up their own inter
esls at the expense of others. The facts as
much as the philosophy are against the sys-
tern. 1t can not be shown that the means
prescribed tend to the attainment of the end
sought-but the contrary is shown from the
general history ofman. man-hiliins, of any
description, has not shown itself TO be a
remedy for man-killine. Imprisonment has
not shown itself 10 be an instrument OF
reformation. publication and redemption
but on the contrary an instrument of cor
ruption and mischief. The professions oil
peace. quietness, contentmenta aud happiness,
under present church and state institutions
are forced and false. There is not happi
ness, in church or in state. There is tina,
fear which bringeth torment - that distrus
= which bringe1h wretchedness-that selfish.
ness which engendereth strife and fierce
contests. There is nothing in existing in
stitutioRs, 10 church or in state, to make i
otherwise. They are all founded on rrin.
cipes which forbid and hinder progression
Creeds must be adhered 10. Constitution:
must not be altered. Whoever lets his mine
travel beyond the dcgmas of popular religion
showing that they are not Christianity, i:
mathematical as an infdel. Whoeve
: shows the violence Of military government:
to be unchris,ian, subversive Of happiness
and destructive Of good will, is denouncet
as an anarchist. -.
One of the first things to be learned is
that the human mind was made for improve
rnent = Cor progression in knowledge - 60
reaching onward and rising upward afte
: Truth, stopping a. no standards which me;
have set up, but going directly TO the Graa
Fountain Of Intelligence, and holding con
slant communion with the Divine Mind. |
= must be shown and seen that truth is to b
set up for a standard-not standards SET u
for truth. In proportion as this is discov
cred will 1t be seen that society has bee
organized on wrong principles. That lik
. produces like. That violence begets vic
: lence. That fear generates fear. That ha
tired breeds haired. That seltshness induce
% selfshness. That, on the other hand, go,
!, erning ourselves is indispensable to an
right government Of others. That example
the true government That forhearance, fo
], giveness and love are the only remedy fl
:: wrong doing. That all institutions base
IL -
- Oh contrary principles viii only perpetua,
violence and ,unhappiness. Let love an
forgiveness he av.onHol ~ roc-o,,