Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-05-31
LICENSES.
LErrEn OF NJ. P.PAnlsn. Esa.

LETTER OF NJ. 2. PARISH, ESQ.
TO The Chairman of The Central Committee
M cfhe Iernsont Temperance Society.
SIR,-Since completing the tour described in
my last report, ! have visited Rutland, east
and West,) Manchester and Bennington, on
the West side Of the mountains, Windsor,
Weathersfield, Cat the Bow and at Perkins
villc,) Springfield, (North and South,) Chcs-
ter, Ludlow, Proctorsville, in Cavendish, Felch-
vile, in Reading, (whcre a severe rain pre-
vented meeting,) and Woodstock have
also spent fortnight in Massachusetts
Through this entire section of the State a
general movement has been made upon the sub
ject OF licenses. In Rutland county the Court
has had its session, and a printed letter from
Mr.. Spencer, our Corresponding Secretary for
that county, informs the public that licenses for
ruin-tavetns have been granted in only FIVE
towns Of The county.
Bennington county stands in about the same
condition.
In this county (Windsor) cannot yet as
certain the number Of towns which have taken
action on the question, but this has been done
in ten AT Least, either by vote in town meeting
Or by petitions, and in all these the expression
is decidedly against the granting OF any licence
The Court rs now in session before whom the
battle is TO be fought between rum and no rum.
4 deep interest is taken in The question upon
both sides, and next Monday evening, the dis
cussons are TO commence. Probably several
evenings will be consumed ere the contest will
he closed In no instance in which this sub
ject has been presented before these towns, has
the result been unlavorable, with the excep-
ton of Hartland. BY the free use of rum, aud
the aid of the votes of about IS drunkards, our
opponents secure majority. But even there,
the sober second thought of the people was
correct. A greater number Of voters have
signed the petition that the traffic may not be
licensed, than voted with the majority at the
meeting. In some towns even the ntemper-
ate are prompt in giving us their names =
They say that they know they are injuring
themselves and their families, but when the
temptation is before them, they cannot resist.
In Woodstock the petitions are signed by
great numbers.
Upon one topic connected with this question
find, almost every where, mistaken views in
the community. | refer 10 the laws restrain
ing the sale of intoxicating liquors in Massa-
chuseits. 1t is said by ruJnselIers and repeat
ed by those who conide in their statements,
that drinking is as prevalent in Massachusetts
now as ever, and the laws generally violat-
ed and with IMMUNITY. OPTICAL DocuMENTs
prove the contrary Of all this. have before
me the reports of the Attorney General, EN-.
bracing these particulars, and give you the
result.
The State is divided into five districts, the
four western counties forming the "Western
district" Worcester and Norfolk counties the
"Middle," Middlesex and Essex The 'sNorth-
ern," Suffolk district by itself, and the Other
southern counties forming the "Souihern dis.
trict." Taking the trials that were had during
the years iSS4-lS39 inclusive, the results were
as follows;--