The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-12-30
Vol. s. Whole No. sS7. No, %.

This is lust his crime lilo did not care lie turned
loose Wild fiery, iIl-tempered, ungovornab'e am
maj, knowiHg him to be such; and what mscmei
that animal might do, what suffering he might
cause, he 6td mol care But Zoo heIS htn resPopr
sibe.
Take another ease upon the same principle, And
ii is concerning this which has caused fear and trenb-
ling TO most of a.. Your dog has gone mad. You
hate to kill him. for he has had some good quail
ties You hate TO tie him up for is TOO much
trouble and you hate worst Of all, 10 believe that
he mad. 1t has been testified TO you that many
have died Of his bite, already ravng mad; ana thot
many laore in different stages OF the disease, are
coming TO the same miserable death. But still you
will neither shoot shut up the cause OF lhis
wretchedness. You affect 10 doubt whether any one
of them had the real hydrophobia, or whether The
bite will produce the same effects agaE ana SO
you leave him loose among your neghbors and your
neighbors' children. Is II not a dictate OF common
sense that you ought TO be responsible Tor the resuht
And you arc. All that perish by means OF this an
imal, are virtually slain by your hand. They owe
their death to you. careessness or your selhsnless
and il is vain FOR you 10 say had no malice, did
not sci The dog en-they might have kept out OF the
way, and il ne mad, it was none ofmy concern;
let every one look out for himself Would not tins
be adding insult to injury; and instead OF proFAg
your innocence prove you n wretch past feeling -
hut what has all this 10 40 with the object OF THIS I'D
drnaoS Much, every way. We wish TO act upon
established principles. we have endeavored 10 es-
tabsh principle, viz that every man is resPon-
sble for evils which result from his own selishneRs
Indifference to the lives ofmcn,
IN oher words; to make responsible for re-
Suits il is necessary to prove that he has malice
or that he intended the results. The hish-waymap
has no malice against him he robs and murders, nor
does he desire his de 9TH, but his money,
and f lie can emily secure the money he does not
care And he robs and murders because he loves
himself, and does not for others, acting in dill
erent way, but the selfish principles with
the owner of the o. aud OF the mad dog, and on the
very same principle, is held responsible.
In the trial Of the owner Of the OK, the only ques
tions TO be asked, were these two. Was the OK
wont TO push with his horn in time past2 Did the
owner know il when he let him loose? II both OF
these questions answered in the Affirmative the
owner was responsible for all the consequences
This is rule which God himself has esablishedI
and il applies directly he object Of this address
Is ardent spirit wont produce misery, and wretch
edness. and dcalh1 Has this been testified to those
who deal in It, l. Q. 'naers and retailers? IT these
two things be established, the inference is nevi-
table--they responsible, on principle perfectly
intelligble-d principle recognised and proclaimed,
and acted upon by God himself. II is possible that
may starte al this conclusion, and look around
for some way to escape it.
What is responsible 10 God for the effects
pr0dGced by all the spirit which he makes and sells?
This is a fearful responsibility. Indeed is.
But if these two things are true every retailer and
maker must bear it. And can either OF these be
disproved. Turn your attention TO these Two facts
lst. Ardent spirit is won't produce misery I'd
Those who make and sell t,are perfectly Of its
effects I will not insult any mans understanding,
by entering into n ubured proof Of these positions.
Upon the first point lot me refresh your recollection,
and bring wildly before you, the hopes which
dent spirit has blasted and the tears has caused TO
flow. Most Of us can remember many shocking
which spirit has produced. Let any one OF US
set down and count up the number Of its victims,
which have known-and their character aud their
standing in society," aud rlicir prospects, and their
happy families, and what they and their families
now. Whit catalogue of wretchedness might amy
one of US make out Very few but could remember
20, 80, 5O,or 100 families ruined in this way-somo
OF them most intimate frlends-and their
story is soon told.
They once promising excited high eXpecte-
,ions were high spirited, d.spsed every thing mean
and had special contempt FOR drunkard; and had
prophet proclaimed that they themselves should be
all that they despsed, they would have repelled it,
as a thing impossible. SIS thy servant dog"
said Iiaz Ie, cha, he should do this ihing?'
But they could drink occasionally, just for spree,
for the sake of company. In this way the taste wae
acquired, and habits Of dissipation formed. They be-
came idle, and of course uneasy. And they drank
partly crafty taste and parity toyquet conscience
They that the tide coming in upon theni,nnd
for time, perhaps, made some earnest but irregular
struggles against it. But gained upon them. Ev
cry flow rthe tide drove in some barrer-the resist
ance became weaker and weakcr-by and by the
struggle is ended, and they float with the current:
and where they? One has been found by the
temperance reformation a nero wreck-in property,
Gle reclaimed. After years of dissipation, after
causing uuspeaknbs misery, he is saved, yet
by fire. Another is dend his constitution could not
bear such continued course Of dissipation Another
died Of u ftanother was foundry the road eide
cold morning stflened corpse Another thrown
from his horse and is cripple for life hut still can
contrive means to pay daily visit 10 the grocery.-
Another is vagabond ,unprinciPed and shame-
less--wandering (rem grocery to grocery-fit conf
panion for the lowest company. Drinking upon their
bounty, yea, drinking their leayngs-the mere rms
iugs Of the gusses-a nuisance society, and a
curse to his Kindred Another in the penentiary,
for n crime which he committed in drunken ftoiic.
Go into the crowded courthouse. aud you may see
another; his countennnce haggard and CHASTITY, ana
his eye wildly rolling in despair What has he done3
One night after spending all his money for drink, md
lettering about ill all tho shops closed he
turned to his miserable habitation. IIcfound few
Goals the hearth, and his wife and children sitting
by them. lieihrew child this way, and unother
that, for he cold HIS wife demonstrated, and
withal told himthat what le'fre there was, Svas
none Of his providing. With many horrid oath he
declared he would BOT be scolded after that Sort lie
would let her know who should govern, and by way
Of supporting his authority heat her brains ont with
the last remaining stick of wood. lie did not
10 kill her. Her diving struggles brought him to hia