Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-23
Il e HE peTa nee ,

SYSTEM
No. 8.

MEssRs EDIToRs:-lt has been my object in pre-
Cedng numbers, to call attention to the great of
the alarming extent of intemperance--to show that
the license system is its great bulwark of Defence
that the responsibility for these evils rests with the
law-making power-the people could abolish the sys-
tem and therefore should-laws for this purpose
would be founded precisely the same principles as
other laws-thc same necessity for them exists-God
himself has set the example-his curses still follow the
Incorporate. Good policy requires such laws to carry
forward the cause-economy consistency and philan-
thropy, demand them-the drunkard impIores their
aid to Danish that irresistible temptation and break the
spell which binds hm--and without such laws intem-
perance never can be banished from the land while
sin exists.
| have called attention to these points, because I
deemed them essential. believe we should ever aim
at this object in all our labors in the Here is
full scope for all our powers of moral suason-a the
eloquence, rhetoric and logic we command If
the people are not prepared to enact and sustain such
laws, it shows that great change reformation in
the public mind is needed before healthy action can
be produced. 1t shows how much and what, the
friends of temperance have to do. If the people need
light, then shed light abroad If they have light, and
still continue, from choice, to walk in darkness, let
them bear the responsibility
But some feel sort of sympathy for rumselers and
think it hard for them to be compelled to give up then
traffic Laws may be hard for those who are disposed
to break Them Such may be impatient and FESTIVE
under their restraints The rope may be hard upon
The murderers neck the handouts and chains upon
his limbs may be hard. The walls of his dungeonmay
be hard but does this prove that the laws by which he
is punished are unjust unnecessary for the public
veal?
Why does he subject himself to the penalty of q
broken law Was not his crime hard upon his victim!
Was it not hard to be hurried by his fellow man int
eternity? Was it not hard for the bereavod family tc
behold the mangled remains ola dear friend, who was
thus cut off from their society and the world? Do We
not know that great proportion Of almurders as wei
as other crimes, are committed while under the infu
ence of intoxicating drinks? DO we not know tina
vast nultitudes are rushing onward to fill drunkard'
grave? And shall we continue to send out from thi
fountain such streams of bitterness wherewth to over
flow the land with moral desolation? Shall the cry o
ehe widow, the orphan, the pauper and the maniac
made such by alcohol, continue to fill our ears, AM
we not listen to it? Shall the rumseller complain 0
hardship when outraged humanity cries out, 1t il
senough--let the work of destruction cease? But lie
us put the rumselers pecuniary interest in this traffic
with all the benefits resulting from to the public il
one scale of the balance; and in the other the nnu
merable woes which may be gathered from the abode
of wretchedness and sarvation-from the couches
the many thousands of the sick, excrucated with eve
ny description of pain; from hospitals, unauc asyum
ials and prisons; from the gallows the murdered an
the dying from the depths of the grave, and the dar
regions Of the damned--and which will kick tn
beam?
Is tia wonder, then that those who look at the sui
iect in this light, should wish to rid the world of tn
great evil-to their felowmen happy in the EMO.
ment Of health, reason and life? That they shou
wish no longer to hold out through the license lay
the damning cup to the inebrate2 That they shou
feel the necessity of legislative aid as prominent pa
of the great remedy and without which all other
tons will fail, while sin exists9
Let every female, who can influence father a br
Their, husband, or friend in the exercise Of the ele
tive franchise come up to the work and discharge
duty to herself, by taking decided, uncompromis