The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-12-24
ANNUAL MEETING
OF THE
Vermont Temperance Society.
NOTICE.

NO11CE.
In the exercise of the discretionary power
vested in the Central Committee, with refer
ence to the particular date of the ensuing
general meeting of the Vermont Temperance
Society, they have liked on the third We'd
nesday of January next. Notice is hereby
given that the meeting will be opened on
Wednesday, the Goth, at 10 o'clock, AM and
continue in session through that and tho sue
ceeding day. The usual Invitations to pledg-
ed friends of Temperance from abroad who
desire to attend and sit as members, is ii hereby
given.
At no preceding period of the moral histo-
ny of the State, has the general welfare an
pearcd to depend, to so great an extent as at
the present, on the individual exertions and
combined spirit and energy of the advocaters
and promoters OF the Temperance cause. 1t
is a marvellous fact, and must needs be excit-
ing, even to the steady uphoider, under the
old License system of 6 judicious restriction
that the only choice of the people is now to
be, By Tar, between an entire prohibition of
dram selling and such an open anil universal
liberty thereto as New England, we suppose
has never witnessed since it acquired q name
in the Earth. For if the majority of the votes
to be cast, on that question, at the meeting of
treemen on the first Tuesday of March shall
not be-m least by 0ne-fOr i" No License
the statute makes it imperative on the Courts
to grant a retail license to every applicant of
good moral character; that is, in effect, to ev-
cry one who has not been c0nuictcd of some
immoral act; so that it may almost be said
that the power of dramselling will be c%urtail-
cd to none except those who have been, or
are tenants, as criminals of the jails and dun
geons. Anomalous as it may seem, that the
prohibitions of the statute should thus be fast.
ened on the class to whom the traffic in alco-
holic drinks seems, by its iendish attributes,
to be most eminently suited, it is an anomaly
which we regard as a favorable one, by rea-
son of its presenting the unmixed issues of
good and Of evil in form which makes indif-
ference, on the part of citizens, we'll nigh
Under such circumstance the
Committee may spare the labor of special en-
beavers to awaken any sober, patriotic man
to a suitable activity the recent legislation
will have awakened him,-his own Fremont
tions of impending hazard to the general well
will have awakened him,-together with
the warning sounds of the fiery ruin that has
ragged against its restraining barriers,
which, NOW, a majority Of a single vote for
: License" or even perhaps the defeat of a
majority the other way will completely pros
,rate-the State over.
1t is not alone, an OVERLOOKING concourse
md prudent vigor, at the approaching ami
'ersary of the State Society, that the present
xigency demands, but an instant and inces- {
ant activity, every where in the towns and
n the part of local Temperance Societies. {
n order that the people may be brought to c
fully the TRUE ISSUE they are to
nake. Let every region be diStrictcd-per- t
onal labors, in private and in public, be I'M f
ergone-and delegates repair to Springfield
accounts of measures well established o
nd advanced for the diffusion of information S
nd persuasive argument.
And, as an indispensable instrumentality, I
e hope the PRESS will not be overlooked, C
nd, especially, the employment of our valu- 81
auxiliary, the Vermont Temperance
[erald." The sheets of this useful, and as
e believe, generally approved publication Il
crit an extensive circulation,-nor can we ty
rboar to improve the opportunity thus Incl OF
,ntally offered,of suggesting to Temperance re
en- the expediency of doing each his part, to IL
tablish this periodical upon foundations of
precarious stability. As to what is expe- til
emit, in this particular, let each man be his NJ
Vn judge, and on the subject, especially, of w
G great issue not far distant, let there be tn
failure, by an united activity, that Yer ell
ont shall have lasting cause of satisfaction in al
+ individual influence and in the result Of
II ensuing Annual Meeting.
BY order of the Committee, .
ALEx.C.TwINING, Chatrm'n. ~