Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-02-25
The Town Meeting,

Governor Briggs, Of Massachusetts, in speech
at Abpny, related the following thrilling incident.
At a certain twon meeting in Pennsylvania, the
question came up whether any person should be
licensed TO sell rum. The clergyman, the deacon,
and physician, strange il may now appear, all
favored il. One man only spoke against it, be
cause of the mischief it did The question was
about TO be put. when all once there arose from
one corner ofthe room, miserable female. She
was ihinly clad, and her appearance indicated the
utmost wretcheduess, aud that her mortal career
was almost closed Aner moment Of sill nee,
and all eyes being fixed upon her, she stretched
her attenuaed body to its utmost height, and then
her long arms to their greatest length and raising
her voice 10 shrl pitch, she called TO all TO look
upon her.
"Yes p she said, "Ook upon me- and fhen hear
me. All that the last speaker has said relative to
temperate drinking, being the father Of drunken
ness, is true. All practice, all experience, declare
its truth. All drinking ofalcoholic poison, as n
beverage in health is ereess LOOK UPON ME.
You all know me, or once did. You all know I
was once the mistress ofihe best farm in town.
You all know, too, had one Of the best-ihe most
devoted ofhusbands. You oil know | had fine,
nobe-hesTled industrious boys. WHERE ARE
THEY NOWl Doctor, rhere are they nOp -
You all know. You all know they lie in a row,
side by side, in yonder church.yard; alI-eyery
one OF them FILLING THE DRUNKARDS
GRAVE They were all taught to believe that
temperate drinking safe, excess alone ought
to be avoided and they never acknowledged ex-
cess. They quoted YOU, and you, aud rou,"
pointing with her shred Of finger to the Priest.
Deacon and DOetOr. authority. "rhey thought
themselves safe under such teachers. But | saw
the gradual change coming over my family aud
prospects. with dismay aud horror III felt we were
all TO be overwhelmed III one common ruin--l tri.
ed TO ward off the blow, tried 10 break the spell,
the delusive spell-in which the idea Of the benc-
fits OF temperate drinking had involved my husband
and sons. begged, prayed but the odds were
against me. The MINISTER said the poison that
was destroying my husband and boys was good
creature Of God ; the Deacon (,oho sits uRder the
pulpit there, AND TOOK Farm TO PAY MS RuM
BiLLs) sold them the poison the DocToR said that
little was good, and excess ought to be avoided
My poor husband and my dear boys fell into The
snare, and they could not escape; and one after
another was conveyed the sorrowlul grave of the
dsnhd NSS G %S sss s sn 0u 5% %y
present home-yoHr poor-6o"ss--to ,ss'n you ali--
10 warn you, DEACON Ito warn you, FALSE TEAcn-
Err OF COPS womb and with her arIIis high
flung, and her tall form stretched TO lis utmost aud
her voice raised 10 an uneanhly pitch-she OK.
claimed
al SHALL SOON STAND BEFORE THE
JUDGMENT SEAT OF God SHALL
MEET YOU THERE, YOU FALSE GUIDES,
AND BE A WITNESS AGAINST YOU ALLl'
The miserable female vanished-a dead silence
peryaded he asscmby--ihe PRiEsT, Deacon aud
PHYSICIAN hung their heads--and when the presi-
dent Of the meeting put the question.
"SEIALL ANY LICENSES BE GRANTED
FOR THE SALE OF SPlRITUOUS LlQ-
UORSr THE RESPONSE WAS UNANE
NOUS -"NOm