The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-01-27
REPORT OF THE CENTRAL COM
MITTEE OF THE VERMONT
TEMP. SOCIETY.

The year that has Just closed has not bee
marked, so far as the Central Committee ar
informed, in the most considerable section
of the State, by strenuous and Astounding eli
forts in the Temperance cause. Temper
ance, therefore, as we believe, has mad
progress chiefly through the impulse derived
from past and more active periods, and th'
strongest of public opinion in the Easter
States, generally. But, as ours is not {
world in which any morfl reform will pusl
lis way without the incessant eXertions OF il
promoters, IT becomes US 10 investigate tht
causes that may be supposed 10 have con
iributed 10 the undeniable inactivity of tn
past when compared with some iorme
years.
We suppose in the first place, there may
have prevailed, in some minds, a wrong kind
ofreliance upon the present License Law
The power which a similar act Of Legislation
has exercised in Massachusetts is due, not tt
the bare existence of the law, but TO the grea
amount of personal effort which has beer
made under the auspices Of that law and in
lurtherance oft. The bare existence Of the
law OF Vermont has worked. in some Of OuT
counties, il is true remarkable benefit, by
driving back intoxicating liquors, from pub
lie bars and counters, 10 the secret recesses
into which a man of responsibility will
scarcely, venture. Yet the operations and
efficacy have been realized 10 only a very
partial extent, compared with what is at our
command, by means of our personal agency.
A second cause of the state OF things re-
ierred to is to be found, we suppose, in the ap-
parent suspension of the question Of the
cons;itutionaliiy OF our law, as involved in
that ofihe Massachusetts law now before the
Supreme Court Of the Un:Ied States. We
say the apparent suspension, because it can
not but have been obvious 10 all rehectin O
men who have turned their attention to the
subject (omilting here the consideration Of
the possibility of mere technical or accden-
tai objections, applying only 10 the form Of
some particular statute that the law of Mas
sachusetts, like that OF Vermont, is essentially
police and sanitary law and, Therefore,
within the rights which are acknowledged
under the Constitution. to be reserved 10 the
States. However an attempt to conlound the
clear distinction between laws laying imposi
laws TO relieve society from the crimes, dis
eases, prohigacy &pauperism tharresults from
licenses 10 retail for indiscriminate use. may
have fallen within the supposed duties of dis
tinguished advocates in their plea before the
pretended that Massachusetts and the sister
States have, either Willingly or unwittingly,
given up their sons 10 consumption. their
families TO Reorganization and their morals
to degeheracy that the United States might
derive either revenue or political advanta
yes by the operation. Besides, IN the case
of Brown and others, rs. the Stale of Mary
land, (12th Wheaton's Rep. 1867 Chief JUS
tice Marshall clearly marks the dividing line
between the proper Legislation of the States
and that OF the General Government,-main-
tanning the judgement of the Court TO be,
that articles of commerce introduced into
The country, after the original paroles or
packages are broken up, lose the charter of
imports" by becoming mingled with the
mass Of State property and subject,
together with that 10 such regulations and
restrictions as State policy may Direct
The same distinguished principle has been
elsewhere referred TO by the Judges OF the
,ame Court The men within our borders
who have exulted in the lain prospect of
Iubversion of all restraining legislation upon