Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-12-10

In the last Phoenix have been favored with perusal
Of the Act relating the Licensing Inn keepers and
Retailers, passed the last session Of our Legislature That
this improvement former laws this sub
eet willing to admit yet the general provisions OF the
old law and its prominent objectionable features are
retained the new which renders my opinion, of little
importance support of the temperance cause This
act like the other,s essentially and emphacaly license
lac, requiring all persons to pay bonus into the treasury
before they permitted to engage in the traffic. with no
restrictions prevent the land from being flooded with the
intoxicating beverage, excepting the nconguiiy expressed
in the 18th Section empowering and making ii the duty Of
the Judges of the several County Courts 10 grant lcen
all such persons shall make application therefor
and who sustain good moral character Now the plain
import of this section establishes important principle
be decided by County Courts from which there is no
appeal (vz that good moral characters only will be per-
mited deal in the demoalzng traffic Of ardent spirits TO
be used beverage, and consequently 10 excess To this
unavoidable conclusion the friends Of temperance must
rive established by law that he who manufactures drum
kar keeps his machinery constantly in operation Tor that
purpose living the of the people, engaged in
lawful employment and susains good moral character
And this conclusion friend of present license law
ought object for in the event that the license part
Of the goes into operation not the law Presuppose
that good moral characters may will engage in the de-
morazng traffic. and that the final decision Of rbu
nails will grapey sanction the practice The result OF IL"
eense No License TO be hereafter decided by ofty
OF the freemen does alter vary the principle,
for the law sanctions the traffic and indirectly admits 1t TO
be moral employment requiring its fostering care to make
il respectable business Now requires deep penetration
of mind perceive, that The respectable the faic,
the more deleerious its effects and the feeble are
combined efforts Of humanity arrest its progress But
since has effected great revolution in the
temperance cause requires no,O more than everhe
ton of the law enable the dealers ardent spirits Tn be
considered reputable citizens Had the law required the
Itnt III
ardent beverage excepting such sustain bad moral char
acer, decided impulse in my opinion would have been
given 10 the of temperance, and there would have
been then hope, that the traffic would be confined to
such and only SUCH would deal in it, IL no license law
existed, to make il lawful and reputable calling Bot
as the act is the Ieemen will he called in March
next decide the propey improperly OF taking the
lroeaie and retail business out Of the hands Of good
moral characters and il 10 the hands Of unlawful and
irresponsible agents. candesney employed to furnish the
exherang beverage wherever can be secretly or surreP
ously obtained and eagerly drank in every nook and
of the land e1empfyng the words Of Solomon, thai
stolen waters and bread eaten in secret pleas
ant Now to me this is a in which feel but LITTLE
interest Had the issue been license lao fol
the ifeemen to d, eide instead of License No License
the yerd then would have been in accordance with The
DESIRES feelings and declarations Of every true Washingto
man. and given real and beneficial impetus to the temper
ance cause. But license law" on the subject, reard
the progress Of temperance, by erecting stumbling
block over which many Of best friends have bunder
ed 10 the trent detriment Of the cause. VERIFY.
Nov. 25lh, 1876.