The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-05-23
From the White Mountain Torrent.
Voices from the Prison.


Hearken, all We who sacrifice upon the
altar of Bacchus- hear the warning voice
from the Prison, saying, Pause you, in
your career, and consider your ways
My voice is to the Incorporate. and TO
these who take the social glass. | have
been an Incorporate man myself, and it
has robbed me of my health. Rum has
caused me TO wander from the path of
rectilude ard honor. My prospects we're
once brigh! and cheering. In my early
days was happy in the en- oyment of
friends loved most dearly. looked
forward while | was surrounded with
peace and plenty, with strong hopes of en-
joying life of happiness and comfort;-
but alas the spoiler came with his fiat
tering bait, and laid his whitening hand
upon me and blasted all those bright pros
poets offulure happiness and sunny days.
was arrested by the strong arm of the
law, and thrown into loathsome jail,
there to await my trial before legal tri-
bunal, and from that tribunal, was Sent
to this Prison. Fellow-men, here | am;
and to you say shun the ways of intem-
perauce, if you wish to shun the feon's
cell. en,reat you by all that is good
and virtuous, by all The horrors of confne.
ment, 10 abstain from all that can inlox-
cate. Visit this Prison, We who take the
social glass, and We who spend your time,
at those places of resort for social drinking
and you will see what will be your sad
fate, unless you speedily forsake your cup
and turn from your Incorporate habits
The morning of our life was cloudess,
and dawned as bright as your own. But
behold US now,-how has the scene
changed intemperance has beclouded
our sky, and caused the sun Of our Iiber-
ty to set, perhaps 10 rise no more. Think
of our fathers and mothers, whose grey
hairs are coming with sorrow to the
grave. Brothers and sisters weeping
over evils which they could not avert,
and the broken hearted wife, mourning
the loss of her bosom companion, and the
cries Of the innocent children, saying,
when will father come homeland if this
will not induce you 10 refrain from your
incorporate habits, it will be yourselves
which as in a glass you behold.
To the RWmSellerS, | wish 10 say a
word. You are men. You have hearts
which are susceptible of feeling as we'll
as your fellow-men. How then can you
persist in selling to your feiow-man tina,
which you know will cause him to violate
the laws both of God and man, and trans
form him into 6end ? Could you but
feel the anguish caused by Ruin,-the
sorrows Of the heart broken wife, weep
ing over an Incorporate husband-the
mother mourning the loss of darling
son, who has fallen victim to your I'm.
halIowed traffic. Could you but feel one
tenth part of their grief, you would aban-
don your traffic at once. | entreat of
you to stop where you are, sell no more
intoxicating drinks, but put your hands
and heart 10 the Washingtonian move
ment then instead OF causing sorrow
and signing, you will cause joy 10 spring
pin the hearts of the weeping wife and
mourning mother ; and you will cast a
halo of peace and comfort all around you.
But if you persist in your unholy course,
selling death or that which causes death,
how can you sland dLYui..s1 Az Lor
of your own conscience and how can
you expect TO stand acquitted when you
shall meet your victims at the bar Of
God !! T. L.***+.
N. II. State Prison, April, 1914.