The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-01-22
Frou the Tcrmoufer.

Ce0tiy WIittcu W tue hCS h~SnSS Suh-
didate for commissioner in your city,
for having recently addressed the people
OH the subject of temperancc-my visit
to Vergennes, for that purpose, being es-
pecially alluded to. The writer affects to
regard il as quite beneath the "dignity'
of a Governor, Captain General and
Commander in Chief to speak to the peo-
pie. l deem it proper to make this attack
the occasion Of defining my position, and
explaining my motives, in connection
with the matter referred to.
have, in few instances yielded to
solicitations to address, the people on the
subject of temperance, because it involves
in connection with their present author
lied action, as well as in all its aspects
and bearings, one Of the most important
questions that has agitated, or ever can
agitate this community. The traffic in
intoxicating liquors, has been, and is, one
of the most prolific sources ofrice, crime,
misery and ruin, in existence. For IF
teen years have l lent my humble aid in
the effort TO roll back its desolating tide.
have seen its terrible effects upon the
bodies, the intellects, the conscienccs, the
hearts, the happiness, the hopes Of men.
My heart has bled at sight Of the once
happy homes made desolate, and the once
cheerful and buoyant hearts crushed by it,
in the agony ofdespair. Our poor houses
our jails, the records of our criminal juris-
prudence, our States Prison and our In
sane Asylum, all bear witness to its raw
ages upon the bodies, estates minds and
hearts ofmen. And while all these appal-
ling evils and miseries have been made to
stand out in bold relief, and have been
urged with power which has seemed re-
sistless, have seen men persisting, un-
moved, in the traffic which has produced
them-coolly tempting men to the danger
Gus indulgence, and even drawing 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 apparent consci-
business that the temptations were stron-
ger than all the arguments and warnings
and intreaties they could urge TO save the
tempted Could all this have been pre-
vented by even kneeling in the presence
Of every rumseller in the State, and beg
ging him, in the name of God and human
ity to desist. would have cheerfuly done
it. But it would have been unavailing.
Experience has proved that intreaties
have no power TO stop this evil If they
could have done it, the tears and agonies
of the women and children made widows
and orphans by the traffic would have,
long since, been effectual.
In this state of things, l have looked
round, almost in despair, and asked-can
nothing be done TO protect the community
from the ravages Of the destroyer! l
have been opposed to any attempt by the
Legislature to enact sweeping prohibit
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 question
and should stand aloha, and go directly
to the people. Such, l am happy to say,
has been the disposition which the legis-
lature has thought proper to make of it
referring it to the,people TO say whether
this scourge shall be permitted longer TO
continue among them, under the author
ity oflaw.
The people of the county of Addison
have thus been called on to decide the
momentous question whether they will
solemnly authorize and sanction this traf-
fc. OF this county l am citizen. 1t is
the place of my birth. Twas reared
among its people and, with the eScep-
ton of a few years residence abroad, it
has been m, home during life now
somewhat prolon ged. The memory of
the past rushes upon me with overwhelm-
ing interest in connexion with this sub
jert. How many who began life with
me have fallen before the power Of this
great destroyer | can scarcely vi:i
neigi,borhood in this county, where he
not inundated his victims. / cannot go
By Craze yard. where the tears of the
widow and orphan have not been shed
orcr a drunkards grave. Six were killed
by rum in my own village between the
months of Dec. 1889 and April 1913 and
/ daily see others moving onward more
or less rapidly, in the road they SO fatally
They died-were buried
and are forgotten! The dealer in intox-
icating liquors walks over their graves
with as much Indifference as though they
had never been, and as though no one
had an account to render for what they
arci
And now the question comes home to
my heart-Shall assume an air of grave
Indifference to all this, and hold my
peace because am the Chief Magistrate
of Vermont l frankly say, cannot. |
must speak, at whatever hazard. l will
infiict no wounds, wantonly, upon the
feelings of any but must speak. Truth,
justice, humanity demand it. The dear
est and most precious interests ofthis CON-
muniiy are at hazard and do my fellow
citizens think that am going to wrap
myself mp i'll solemn dignity, and witness,
unmoyed, thesswork of destruction that is
going on around me VAST for. this
they elected me to the Chief Magistracy