The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-12-18
TEMPERANCE.
For the Northern Galaxy

: LllhlNOIs
For the Northern Galaxy.
have observed the late calls of County
Conventions for the purpose of nominating
candidates for County Commissioners under
the new License law; one Of which was ad-
dressed to "those who are in favor Of a we'll
regulated and judicious system of licensing"
and who twill not submit to the dctation Of
ultraists on either side" As the proceedings
Of this latter Convention have not yet been
published, am not able to speak of the char
acter of this movement, only as it is shadow
ed forth in the call referred 10. When the
proceedings shall be published, they will be
open to examination. In the mean time, as
the call of that Convention was evidently in
tended to draw a portion of the friends of
Temperance into the support of men for Com
missioners who will License the opening of es-
Establishments for the sale of intoxicating
liquors, under the idea of acting jjudiciously
and avoiding ultraism, beg leave to submit a
few remarks for their consideration.
do not now address those who have been
in the habit Of selling, and who wish to con-
tinue to sell intoxicating liquors. l expect
they will continue to sell, regardless of con-
sequences to the community, until prevented
by the execution Of the penalties of law
But | address myself to the friends
| of Temperance-thOse who really desire
to see the use of intoxicating liquors,
as beverage, discontinued-who believe that
the community would be better off without,
than with, such use. / do not deem it nee
essary to occupy any space in undertaking to
prove that such use is an evil-tending to
waste the estates, impair the health and inju-
riously affect the morals of the community.
If there are any who honestly believe that
such is not its tendency, shall leave them to
reconcile that position, as best they can, with
the facts which the Temperance discussions
have brought out and established.
The friends of Temperance in the County
of Addison are asked to give their sanction
to icell-reguLdted and judicious system"
Of opening establishments for the sale Of
liquors that intoricate. "Well regulated and
judicious!' Let us look at this. We have
statute relating TO "offences against the pub
lie healh," which subjects ''every person who
shall knowingly sell any kind OF diseased, Cor
for meat or drink" to penalty Of $780,
Suppose that instead Of prohibition by di-
rect act ofLegislation it were left to the peo-
PiC VI tuiS " COutIOi Tic lldtttf Vi the
sale of such "meat and drink" and they
should be asked to sanction "well-regulaied
and judicious system of licensing such sale,
what would they think of it, Who indeed,
would be willing to take the responsibility of
calling public meeting to consider such
propositionl And yet we have a call mot in
deed signed by any body y asking the people
of this County to assemble together for the
express purpose of authorizing the absurdity
Of a ''well-regulated and judicious" system Of
opening establishments to tempt men, not on
ly to throw away their money for that which
will not profit them, but to indulge in the use,
as a beverage, Of liquors that intoricate-that
tend to impair health, corrupt morals, break
the peace, make families wretched, incite to
the commission Of crimes, waste estates, make
paupcrs, and plunge men into utter and hope
less ruin. How greatly does the danger of
granting such licenses exceed that of IL
censing thesale Of diseased, corrupted, or I'M
wholesome provisions" The effects of the
OF such provisions would, gen.
orally, very soon admonish the consumers to
purchase no more, and would even drive the
for all the purposes oftrade, from
every establishment where they should have
been sold. And especially if nature, recoiling
at the touch Of suchimpure substances, should
cast them from the nauseated stomach, would
men be admonished OF the danger, and take |
heed against renewed exposure to them. But |
not so with the Intoxicating beverage. Every |
draft oft begets thirst-too often, alasi ir- |
for another and deeper one.-l
Yea, the very sight and smell ofthe poisonous
LIQUID, which, in case Of the corrupted un-
wholesome "meat or drink" would often |
warn and deter from their use, does, in this
case, directly and powerfully tempt to fur
ther use, even in the face of the most terrible |
warnings of the fatal consequences Of indul-
gence. And then the unwholesome food, If
used, would act only on the body, while the
liquor strikes with its insidious
but deadly influence, lat the nobler part of man,
bunting the moral sensibilities and brutaliz-
ing the heart, often long, very long, before it
consigns the body TO the drunkard's grave.
could illustrate my idea in regard TO the
swell regulated, and judicious system" of IL
censing establishments for the sale OF intox-
icating liquors by considering some other
things prohibited by our Statutes; as for
example gambling, the keeping Of imple-
meDts Of gameing sby inrkeepers, and the
selling or distributing ofobscene prints, books :
Or pamphlets. But it is only necessary to
make the bare reference, TO enable any one
10 see at glance, how absurd it would be to
talk of "a well regulated and judicious sys-
lem of licensing in such cases. Well, have '
The legislatures prohibited in all these cases; s
but with no more reason than should thepeo
pie, under the existing law, prohibit the sale ,
Tor beverage, of intoxicating liquors. :
The truth is, that the only well regulated
and judicious system, applicable 10 these ca !.
,es is, prohibition. Regulate? why / would
as soon think of regulating the Introduction
Of the small pox, or the cholera. The only ,
safe regulation in regard 10 them is, to keep ,
hem out Of the community, and if a case Of
he small pox happens in spite Of all ourpre-
cautions, to get among US, to shut it up in
as far removed as possible from
he abodes of men. So should we do with
rum, brandy, gin, wine, and strong beer =
Of cider say nothing, because the law does
not though think the apples had better be I
usedfor noarishmenf than for the mere pur-
pose OF exhileration, and as an introduction
10 the dominions Of King Alcohol with his
grim visage, his iron sceptre, and his re-
morseless rule.
But what is well regulated and judicious
system of licensing the sale Of intoxicating Il