The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-02-06
J. HOLCOMB, Editor Il Publisher

| question rum or no rum IS now to be de>
cldei by the proper tribunal, VIZ, the peo-
pie. If the people will have rum sold
and the work OF degradation and destruc'
lion still to go on, the friends of temper
ance will submit TO the terrible calamity;
but while they do this, it is TO be hoped
that they will endeavor, BY the presenta.
ton OF facts, by cogent arguments and
earnest appeals, 10 persuade the people
that alcohol, as beverage, is neither
necessary nor useful and that the traffic
in it, for that purpose, is a nuisance which
ought to be abated. That this will be the
final decision, Notwithstanding the terrible
influence of appetite and interest, the facts
stated by delegates afford ample assurance
Wherever temperance men bestirred lhem>
selves and carried the subject into every
neighborhood, the result has been most
suspicious. Hence the report of Judge
Howe, recommending county, town and
district action, was heartily adopted, as
pointing out the direction in which the
friends of temperance should put forth
their efforts during the coming year
Should the recommendations contained in
that report be efficiently carried out, no
fear is entertained for the result. The
great mass of our community are doubt-
less on the side of Temperance; and when
the subject is fairly set before them, it is
believed that they will no more sanction
the idea that The traffic in alcohol, as bev-
erage, as promo.lve of temperance. than
they will accede TO the doctrine, acted up.
on IN some paris of Europe, that licensing
bro'hels tends 10 promote moral purity.
In many of the counties the advocates
of licenses, it appeared, assumed The name
OF friends of temperance This, howev>
er was not universally the fact. La Lam.
ollie county Il was stated. they came out
openly and took the name OF the Black
strap or rum party. This is certainly
honest ard we recommend this example
as worthy OF imitation BY the same party
IN all parts Of the Slae. Let them raise
no false co'ors; but let each party come
forward under It's own appropriate ban.
net; le, the people see on he ensign Of tat
opposing boss the inscriptions" RUM
and "NO RUM and we will abide be
result
On some the subjects which came
before the Convention there was not a
lrlle earnest discussion but when action
was had. there was in general great un a.
ulri,y; At d the friends Of he cause return
ed rou, III" place having experl. need tn"
proveTt, "As iron sharpenelh iron, so doth
II friend hv hearty counsel"
The prestn, year will be one of grea,
Importance tothe Temperance cause in this
STATE; aud it is hoped that every real
friend Of the cause will grid himself anew
10 the work. Some good temperance
men," as they were called, it was stated,
voted the rum ticket at the late election
10 all such we would commend the fol-
lowing anecdole. In LamoiIe county. it
was saFd. a ''good temperance man" ex-
pressed his determination to vote the lum
ticket. A liule boy present, the son of
drunken father, hearing the strange dec
lar tiou, remarked that eff he was old
enough TO vote, he would vote on the otis
er side, and mother would too." How
many children of drunken fathers, and
wives of drunken husbands, if permilled to
vote, would do the same2 And how can
any man protesting to be a freud OF tenn
perance vote to have men licensed 10 hold
ont the temptation to their neighbors2--
Does licensing men to sell rum tend to
promote temperance? Why not then Ii
cense gambling houses to prevent gamb-
ling, and brotheis to promote chastity?
The vote ofthp town Of Peacham-12
in favor and l73 against licensing-we
noticed i'll our last; and yet the Amos
phere oil that goodly town was once black
end by Mirty-tpo distileries !! When
a single town can lsee itself from such an
incubus, who will despair OF the commons
wealth.