The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-12-25


I But lei me consider, q moment, the asser-
ton Of the resolution that a well regulated Ii
cense system is not calculated TO increase the
evils of intemperance. | have shown in a
former number. that the well regulated sys-
tenn will result in licensing throughout the
county and that under it, there will, and
can be, no restriction of sales, which shall
prevent men from getting all they want
We know how il has been heretofore, when
we had very iudicious county courts 10 grant
licenseS-that while the friends of temper
ance were Iaboring night and day to dis
suade men from drinking, the men licensed,
were holding out temptations to induce them
10 drink. As it has been, so it will be, under
the Judicisus SYSTEM whichthes new friends
of temperance have Swallowed forth in their
resolutions. Call the system by as beautiful
and captivating a name as you please-the
moment it is adopted, and the men who have
heretofore been licensed, are again licensed
under the sanction Of the people, they will
hold up their heads, laugh the friends OF
temperance 10 scorn-defy their clamor and
go on, unmoved, in their work Of ruin. Is
any friend Of temperance simple enough to
believe that this will not be the result 2 Are
men 10 be persuaded to leave off selling rum,
by solemnly giving them the authority Of
law for doing it 2 and that, too, backed, d.
rectly, by the popular sanction? No never.
But it is said that more intoxicating liquors
are sold IN this county now, when there are
no ~licenses, than there was when licenses
were granted. This is not true. What are
sold attract more attention because they are
sold in defiance of the law; but the quantity
is evidently less, yet more than it would be
if there had been a vigorous effort TO execute
the law. Let the feofle prohibit, under the
new law, and then let offenders be bound
over to the county courts, upon every sale,
and we shall see how long the law will be
set at defiance. The old law has been,as TO
all practical purposes,a mere mockery OF pro-
hibiiiOn. But what is the argument which
the advocates oil licensing draw from the sup
posed fact that there are more liquors sold
now than formerly. Why, that we must
license TO diminish the amounto OF sales. This
is the argument an argument the mere
statement OF which carries with it, to the COM
mon sense Of all lie own answer. And yet,
there are those whoseem really TO think there
is something in il. and who seem, moreover,
TO be almost appalled, at the prospect OF the
trouble which is TO grow out Of prosecutions
that will be instituted for vioillions OF the
law sliOuiu IiCtl.st Dt EtlCstu. 6ut WHAT
does all this amount 10 but 10 say, if We do
not license, the rumsellers will violate the
law !; they will increase their sales; there
will be prosecutions. and they will make a
good deal of trouble, and therefore we must
~licensel 1t is true, we dont quite like 10 &c
il, but Their they will sell. and the prosecutions
will give US trouble, and veI the runsellers
and their friends, and prejudice them against
us, and thus, in fact, throw back the temper
ance reform, and on the whole we think it
best 10 license
Now what is all this but giving up the
ship-surrendeTing at discretion? III were
a rumseller, l would not ask for a greater
triumph than to receive a license by the
votes Of professed friends Of temperance,
upon such ground as this.
The present is a very critical moment, in
the temperance reform-a moment in which
the question is to be decided, whether the
friends Of the cause are to be left 10 contend
against intemperance, with the authority Of
law leagued with the love of money and the
love ofrum against them, or whether the
law shall be on the side of temperance,
good order, sound morals and wholesome
reform. Experience has abundantly proved
that in the face Of The most terrific warnings
men will indulge in the use Of intoxicating
liquors, when the temptation ID placed be-
fore them and that men will be found, who
for the purposes OF gain. will hold out the
temptation, unless e~fiectually restrained by
law. The question OF license or no license,
comes home, then, directly to every friend Of
temperance as the question on which the
temperance reform isnow turning-the ques-
ton on whose decision must indeed turn the
fearful question whether the temperance re-
form shall go forrdrd or backward in this
State. Especially is this true in regard to
the county OF Addison, in which, for six
months, licenses have been withholden, and
in which the people are now asked 10 take
off the prohibition and open wide the door to
licensed indulgence. Nobody can be so
blind as not to see that a return 10 licensed
rumseiling in this county will give a ire
mendous backward impulse TO the temper
ance reform among US. Rumsellers will be
northumberland the old and tried friends
ofthe Temperance reform discouraged, while
the Influence ofevery honest friend OF tenn
perance VINO may nave aided 10 bring about
the result, will be utterly paralized as 10 all
effort 10 persuade men 10 sIiJn the temptation
which he shall leave thus contributed 10
place before them. Nor is this all. With tae
renewal oflicenses, by the authority OF the
people, will the moral yOueT Of the great tenn
perance movement be essentially diminished;
and especially will be diminished the moral
Influence which the example OF the county Of
Addison has, for the last six months, exert
ed throughout the State. Every where will
il be said. and truly said-Me county of Id
Olson has gone backward and thus shall
we send u chilling influence 10 the hearts of
the friends Of the temperance cause, in every
part ofthe State.
What friend of temperance is willing 10
aid by his vote, in doing all this? Nay what
friend of temperance can justify himself 10
his own conscience i%nsitting still and doing
nothing, at such a crisis. If there is any
thing in The temperance cause worth con-
tending for. now is the time to contend for it,
manfuliy' Let the friends of temperance,
then, awake, arise, put on their strength,
grid themselves for the conflict, and 90 forth
in the spiri. of good will TO all, but with a
deter minaiion. an energy, and n persever-
anoe worthy the noble, Heaven approved
cause in which they are engaged.
A. B.