The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-01-16

appalling evils and miseries have been
made to stand out in bold relief and has
been urged with fervor which has
seemed re lstIess, | have seen men per-
slstlng, unmoved,In the traffic which rs
produced them coolly tempting men to
the dangerous Indulgence land even draw
ing those who had escaped from the very
jaws of destruction, back to its deadly
embrace; in fact, bidding defiance to
the friends Of temperance, in the appar-
ent consciousness that the temptations
were stronger than all the arguments
and warnings and intreaties they could
urge to save the tempted. Could all
this have been prevented by even kneeI-
ing in the presence Of every rumseler
in the State and begging him in the
name of God aud humanity to deslst,
would have cheerlully done it. But it
woDl Id have been unavailing Expert
ence has proved that intreaties have no
power to stop this evil lfthey could have
done it, the tears and agonies ofthe wo-
men and children made widows and or
phans by the traffic would have, long
since, been ettectUal
In this state OF things, | have looked
round, almost in despair and asked-can
nothing be done to protect the communi.
ty from the ravdges of the Destroyer? |
have been opposed to any attempt by the
Legislature TO enact sweeping prohlbi-
ton of the traffic from the certainty that
such an attempt would sweep the whole
temperance question into the vortex of
party politics, where it would be decided
upon any other ground than that of Its
own merits 1t is great moral questions;
and should stand alone, and 90 directly
TO the people. Such am happy to say,
has been the disposition which the legis
lature has thought proper to make OF it
referring 1t to the people to say ,wheth-
er this scourge shall be permitted longer
to continue among them, under the au-
thorty oflaw'
The people Of the county of Addison
have thus been called on to decide the
momentous question whether they will
solemnly authorize ami sanction this tral-
tic. OF this county am citizen. 1t
is the place of my birth. l was reared
among its people; and. with the excep-
ton OF few years residence abroad, it
has been my home during a life now
somewhat prolonged The memory of
the past rushes upon me with overwhelm
ing interest in connection with this sub.
ject. How many who begun life with
me, have fallen before the power of this
great destroyer! l can scarcely visit a
neighborhood in this county, where he
has not inundated his victims. cannot
go by grave yard, where the tears of
the widow and the orphan have not been
shed over drunkard's grave. Six were
killed by rum in my own village between
the months of Dec. 1889 and A pril l843;
and | daily see others moving onward
more or less rapidly, in the road they so
fatally travelled. hey died were bur-
led and are forgotten! The dealer in
intoxicating liquors walks over their
graves with as much Indifference as
tho ih y had never been, land as though
no one had an account to render for what
they are!
And now the question comes home to
my heart! Shall | assume an air of
grave Indifference 10 all this, and hold
my peace because am the Chief Mag
istrate of Vermont? frankly say can
not. | must speak, at whatever hazard.
| will infllct no wounds, wantonly, upon
the feelings Of any; but | must speak -
Truth, justice, humanity demand it u
The dearest and most precious interests
OF this community are at hazard; and do
my fellow citizens think that 1 am going
to wrap myself up in solemn dignity, and
witness, unmoved, the work of destruc.
ton that is going on around me2 Was
it for this they elected me to the Chief
Magisracy OF Vermont? do not SO I'M
derstand their will, or my duty.
WIN. SLADE.
January | , 1915,