Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-02-26
Il G RlA era N c e.
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
The cause Of Temperance in Franklin
County,

elected antcense commissioners, has this year taken
a"Jim Grow" jump, wheeling and turning about to
the opposite side The circumstances, which, in my
view, have brought about this change, instructive
and should be held up before the world as beacon
lights teaching us not to place too much confidence
in men when party interests seem to come in collision
with their principles, however long and strenuousy
they may have been advocated
1t will be remembered, that OF the six senatorial
candidates nominated last summer by the whig and
democratic parties, ole was recognized true friend
of the temperance cause, one candidate of the
rum party, for commissioner, in January prevous,-
oneha for years beena rum-soler land these were
elected one had been writing long articles against
the license law and the other two in favor of
license, if not opposed to the law. From the fact
that such nominations were made, it is presumed that
the "wireworkers" of each of these parties feared
that in case they put up staunch temperance men, the
other party would get the most votes from the rum
interest," Or they feared that the indignation of this
class had been dangerously excited by the election
of ant-cense commissioners, that to appease them
and keep them in the party traces the interests of the
temperance cause must be given up into their hands
1t also appears evident that they calculated safely and
shrelOdy on the fact, that however much temperance
men might regard the cause, they would not desert
their party to support it, 1t must be supposed that
many in these parties were panied to find themselves
in this dilemma. Much was said in favor of an indie
pendent temperance ticket but the cry of party dsor
ganzation was raised and the idea was Abandoned
Bitter as was the dose it was swallowed. In this town.
which is often called the "patten town" as regards
temperance, and in which a great proportion of the
legal voters members of temperance societies, and
therefore may be supposedt to show as strong tenn
peai2e front as any town in the county, there was
falling off of only votes from the regular whg tick
ct But it does not appear that these votes were cast
against the ticket does appear that there was
any falling off from the democratic ticket on account
of temperance principles.
1t is not surprising that the best friends of temper
nncc who had awaited the result of the election with
painful anxiety were disheOrened and lost confidence
in those reputed temperance men, who by voting for
such nominations had apparently deserted the cause;
or that many were led to think that there such
gross inconsistency, and abandonment of protested
principles, by those from whom they had hoped better
things, that there little hope that nnti
license ticket could be elected, and that if indeed it
could be, the advantages to be derived from it, under
the circumstances alluded to above, were extremely
visionary and doubtful.
Still, painful and dscouragng as was such a state
of things an effort was made to carry the county a
ganst license. To do this with any prospect of sue
cess, it thought necessary to select the strongest
men in the county as candidates. The names of Ea-
ton, Whttemore, and Brainard were accordingly pre-
scented to the nominating convention. Some political
friends of Gov Eaton objected to his name being put
upon the ticket, on the ground that the wing party
might want him for higher office than he now held,
and it might njure his political prospects, &c. The
nomination was however made, and no one to my
knowledge, has reasonable doubt, but this ticket
might have been elected Gov. Eaton however declin-
ed and the other two candidates learning the fact
did likewise Another nomination was made on Mon
day previous to the election, but this too late to be
generally known and the result might have been
expec ted.
AS still farther illustrative of the state of things
and the extreme sensueness and ealouyof party men,
wish to relate fact of recent occurrence.
Feeling keenly that such the part of
temperance men must, if persisted in prove injurious
if not utterly destructive, to their influence in favor of
the cause for Obvious motives the writer of this at
recent temperance meeting held in this town, ntrodu
ced the following resolutions
Resolved; That we will, whenever we have an
opportunity of going to the polls, vote against all ma
kers vendors, and users of alcoholic drinks whose
names may be presented candidates for any Office,
whether executive, legislative Judicial otherwise;
where, if elected the of temperance may be in
any loiSe affectedby their official action"
After its adoption moved and seconded, he en-
deavored to show, that by signing the pledge "in all
suitable ,cays" to "dscounenance the of alcoholic
drinks" we had voluntarily assumed such an obliga
ton--that this the only consistent or efectua
course, and that to stop short of this would be to par
alyze our best efforts, &c.
1t would seem that no whole hearted temperance
could object to this resolutions yet no sooner had
the speaker resumed his seat than prominent lchig
who is a Deacon in the congregational church, moved
to adjourn without day Failing in this Hon. II. Ea-
ton made few remarks, characterzing the resolution
as a "hrd party mouement," and protesting against
the "one idea" of those who favored such measures
After an Intellectual attempt to lay the resolution
on the table, motion carried toadourn one week.
for the express purpose of debating and acting upon
the resolution.
AT the opening of the adournedmeeting, the writer
again took the floor to advocate its passage. But no
sooner had he read the resolution than the same wing
deacon interrupted HIM with the motion to adjourn
without day This nlan HAVING sufficient number
of advocates present to carry the vote the society i'm
mediately adjourned
Thus, the society not only refused to act upon the
resolution, but resorted to this fashioned gag to
prevent discussion, and stave off the question Was 1t
because they dare not come to the ghtes their deeds
should be reproved? Orwere they afradto recognize
principle, which, if carried out, would make liberty
rnen2 Mnssrs Editnrs Won will dnnhtlesa undnr-