The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-12-25
Election OF Comm issionors.

The time for the election OF Commits
sioners of License, is close d! hand and
what is said previous 10 this eleclioa, and
published in this paper, must, in order 10
reach the different towns in Rutland and
Addison Counties, be inserted This week.
have few thoughts 10 offer on the
occasion, and trust the readers Of this
paper will not consider them i'll timed
AS [ have expressed the opinion prev>
ously, will now repeat it, which is that
the Laws are not yet right in The matter
of trafficking in intoxicating drinks
Since the formation Of our state govern
ment, the sale. m ore especially of ardent
spirits, has been considered such DANGER
Ons business that no one must engage in
it without license from the State, through
the County Courts, Town Authorities, OF
County Commissioners. And he who
would dare sell aoitAoUt license has been
paced on level with There's who stole
10 any amount, less than seven dollars al
a time and have been punished by fine .
and for want Of the means of paying, have
been mmured within the walls ola prison.
Now one Of Two lhngs is true the
traffic in all kinds Of intoxicating drinks
is morally right, or the Legislature ofthis
State has no moral right 10 license men 10
sell them as such. If the traffic is right
the Legislature has no moral right 10 p1o.
hibit such business, but should place it on
the same footing of other business, such as
all admit to be useful 10 society. But how
are we 10 measure the immortality Of
practice? According TO my ap2rehen-
sion, the most correct criterion ofjudCine
is, by summing up the amount of Injury
inflicted on community through such
practice; and by institu!ing compari>
son between the results Of this and other
practices, we are furnished with pretty
correct conclusions. How stands then,
the liquor selling business, for drink ?
Let us name some occupations say,
Blacksmithing; WheeIwright business !;
Painting; Cordwaining; Carpenter and
Joiner work; Manufacturing all kinds OF
useful machinery aud cloths; Farming,
SC. Does man think of asking for a
license 10 work at any of these occupa-
lions F. No, and for the very simple rea.
son that all know them 10 be right n
themselves, and no Legislature in this
country Wonld any sooner think of fining
a man foraboring at any of these employ
msnts without license, than they would
of prohibiting people from eating needful
food when ii was paid for.
How then stands the liquor business,
when compared with Miering7 hope
no one will be startled at the presentation
of the latter practice, in this connection,
but will ask each reader TO investigate the
real damage Inflicted on community at
large, by the two practices sum up the
results, and give their own verdict.
ask Their, also to go into the investiga-
ton OF, and institute comparisons be.
tween, selling intoxicating drinks, and all
The other practices, which the people O
this state call criminal, and see what ver-
dict they will bring to their own minds
Should airy rum vender in The state think
hint loo strongly against his practice,
will make him this proposition ui1--To
each item Of damage done TO the property
mind, or character Of individuals ir this