The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-03-13

of his materials for war, then and not till
then nav we suspend our laborS.
Let it not be thought, meanwhile that
we reinquish the use OF moral suaSIon, or
overlook its efficacy. This can never be
while we recoIIecl how mlghty weapon
it has proved in our hands, or the wonder
full success we en y through lts aid. We
use it and shall use it still. 1t is our
chief reliance and with it we are daily
Winning huudreds, and shall win thou
sands more. But there are those who
will no. be persuaded, though one rose
from the dead Ten thousand voices from
the tomb fail TO reach their hearts, You
might as well ask US 10 plead with the IN.
velera;e thief, and endeavor 10 reform him
instead of publishing him. 1t takes some
thing harder than arguments or grass to
bring such men TO ust sense OF their
faults; and 10 cavl at more energetic
measures is childishness or worse.
Ii is ust matter of surprise that any one
can al this late day question the right 10
prohibit the lralfi;. 10 say nothing OF its
criminaily, it manifeslIy involves such
injuries to the community as demand its
entire suppression. No mans liberty 10
engage in any trade is so sacred that it
NAV not be restrained when that trade
proves obnoxious 10 the public welfare
For this reason tho right of prohibiting
houses Of II>ame and gambling were new
er doubted The sale of unwho esome
provisions is enjoned upon the same broad
ground. No one ever 40 much as thought
of censurlng the law which forbade sup>
pIying ardent spl its to the posted inebriate.
Whv2 Not merely because ii destroyed
him, but threatened the public with the
burlhen Of supporting his family. Yet
why are moi the liberties OF such man as
sacred as those Of other drinkers2 If we
have no business to thwart the appetite
That is partially depravej, how can we de-
ny the imperious craving CT the confirmed
drunkard! The mischief to the pu5licof
the traffic at large is just as certain and
severe as that OF selling TO any one man.
II then you Interfere with the liberty of
your citizens to proven! pauperism in in
dividuaIs, if you shut up the brothe and
the hell in order to save your youth from
their deadly snares, how much rather
should you inlerdict the grog shop and
the bar which are so much more common
and lenlold more impoverishing, corrupt
ing and destructive.
There is however graver reason for
prohibiting the traffic; it is immoral aud
criminal in Itself 1t is in fact the occa.
sion of nearly all the Offences committed
against the law. Wherever carried on it
is certainly productive of crime. No deal
er in ardent spirits but must know that his
business has in more than one Instance
proved an incentive TO it. How can he
defend himself from the charge of par,lci-
pating in it, if he knows that what he does
will lead to i,2 If he hires another to
commit murder, he is himself condemned
as manslayer, Why is he less guilty if
hs administer any o,her stimulus to the
deed? Is it because he does i, not out Of
malice, but from motives Of gain =! So
does the hired assassin. Is it because he
does not know where he blow will fall |
lie knows it mus! fall somewhere, and is d
ust as Gu pable as IL man who fires gun t
lmong a crowd, or persuades another TO c
10 so. la short, he is fully aware that
lis career necessarily draws after it want, a
nlserv death and guilt; and he must be c
aiken to intend all these necessary conse c
Iuences of his persisling. With what face ?
AN he pretend that he has right, which Il
10 legislature may interfere with, 10 carry B
n business so fraught with calamity
nd crime2
We have been told however, with an 5
ir OF defiance, that the prohibition of the ?
raffic has always been followed, and will t,
e again by an increased consumption Of )
intoxicating beverages. So children have e
cen known to keep weak nurse in awe, G
v threats of doing themselves mischief. II
Sat X is a new thing for those who call Il
themselves men, to resort TO such puerle y
and betrnys a cause lament, 0
bly, deficient in sounder arguments. We II
viii not pause TO inquire how close an o.
finity is thus established between the o
'al1ic, and that sin, which taking occa p
ion by the commandment, wrought i'll me
Il manner Of concupiscence." We do say p
1at you will have the same inducemenl n
Or dispensing with the divine law and all CO
lw whatever, if you listen TO MANAGES 5
ike these. When they deter the legisla> IT
IRE from providing due punishment for P
or the executive from pros a.
cutting them with vigor, then shall we a
AVE the admirable spectacle of a govern '
nent, where criminals dictate the measure 81
# justice to be meted out 10 them under C
he fearful penalty of multiplying their b
normities. o
5. Fl. HoDcas' (Com. of Rut. Co. Ii Ii
S o. D. f a,Ss, Temp. Society 50 50
Rutland, Feb. 20, lS45 9
From the Vermont Chronicle. n