The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-10-28

certain-or rather, to very uncerdin--ex-
tent are salutary to the human system that,
moderately used, they are good for man, and
that the evil, connected with the use of them,
results from the excess of it. 1t was upon the
foundation of this assumed fact, that our faith
ers built up the License System. And, con-
sidering the light they enjoyed, they did
wisely and well. The medical profession
stood with them upon the ground they assum-
ed. They acted in the light of all the science
that had reached them. Public law, and the
moral sense of the Christian world, lay under
just that degree of light. They were faithful
to that light and were guided by it. That
was all well.
But light is progressive. The men, of each
successive generation, stand upon their faith
er's shoulders In our day, animal chemistry
and physiology have made great advances.
New discoveries have been made in these de-
partments of physical science, not less than in
astronomy and geology, It's now demonstra-
ble-it is admitted by the medical profession,
as body both in America and Europe-that
alcoholic drinks, as such, are never salutary
to the human system, when in health, but al
ways the reverse-that just in the degree in
which they are alcoholic, their action upon
the animal economy is always sinister; that,
instead of strengthening, they weaken the or
gans both Of body and mind; that, instead of
extending, they cut short the line of human
life; and that, instead of lubricating the del
cate machinery that measures mans hours
and years-machinery so fearfully and
wonderfully made"-over which the soul of
man presides, and through which it acts, and
derives, at once, its own growth, perfection
and joy-they always act as disturbing
force, straining and Earring that machinery,
and often breaking it into pieces, to be hope
lessly cast away.
This, in our day is known. 1t is not con-
fact. And, on this great fact in physiological
science, the moralist, the philanthropist, now
takes his stand, and asks us to be as faithful to
our lights as our fathers were to theirs, and
conform the legislation of the day, to the sci
ence of the day. If we refuse to do this, he
tells us, and tells us truly that we are I'M
worthy of our fathers and of our light; that
we are false to them and to our trust. IF we
say that we aCM do this, he pressesses us on
this argument Such, being, as demonstra-
ted, the effect upon the human system, of this
noxious agent it is wrong to drink. 1t is a
violation of the organic law. 1t is in the teeth
of the apostolic precept, do thyself no harm"
And, if it is wrong to drink it, it is wrong to
sell or give it, that it may be drunk. And, if
it is wrong in the individual to sell, it is
wrong in the State to say, you may sell it."
That is the argument.
When we say of any act, " 1t is wrong"
we mean that it is contrary to the will Of God,
the Supreme Lawgiver. If contrary to his
will, it is contrary to his law, which is but an
expression of his will. If, then, the law of
the Creator forbids the selling of this noxous
drink, the law of the Creature, that permits
: it, is one, in making and sustaining which,
man puts himself in antagonism with God
and whoever does this, whether a man or a
State, will feel the inevitable penalty, and
should be prepared to meet it.
This, then, is the ground now assumed by
the Temperance community, in this State,
so far as its action has been expressed in the
action of the three above named Conventions
) And, suiting our doings to our doctrine, we
90 against the whole system of licensing the
f sale of Intoxicating drinks, because it is NOR
: ally wrong; and because we wish the laws o.
New York, on this subject as well as on eve
ry other, to be in harmony with those of the
Ruler of the Universe That is the reason
, the only, and, as we think, the sufficient rea
son, of the step that we now have taken, an(
81 that we recommend to the friends of Temper
u ance throughout the State. The use of in
! toxicating drink and consequently the sale o
e it that it may be drunk, is at war with man
d every interest He is a loser by it in his bod
If lily powers, his mental faculties, his mora
e sentiments, and his religious character ant
~ hopes He suffers from it in his pecuniar,
n interests, his domestic peace, and in all hi
: private, social and civil relations. He is i'm
/ povCrishcd, debased, degraded and enslave,
T. =, 10 b;,,, ,ybn,,n,n, Of NJ
him. 1t is wrong 1t is forbidden by tn
timents and action can affect them, it sha
: not be allowed and protected by those of tn
=" State.
he In saying this we do not mean to cast re
proach upon those who have enacted til
s, laws licensing the sale of Intoxicating drink:
le nor yet those who have repealed laws restrict
IS ing the sale. We mean to censure neithe
$ the legislators who made, nor those who re
in peaed the law of 1916. BY both the enact
k ment and the repeal of that law, we believ
v that good will have been done. Public al
n, tention will have been awakened, and draw
u to the subject; great questions of morals an
at true policy, brought into discussion, through
he out the State; theories examined principle
is settled, and politicians tested by a highe
standard than hitherto in one word, AGITA
Sc rIoN, the very genius and living spirit, bot
&c of Reform and true Liberty, will have bee
v, evoked for the salvation of the State.
of To the law of 1915, even the friends c
as Temperance felt that there were grave oil
IL jections. Upon the face of it, was a parti'
IN law, excluding the great commercial empor
a. UNI Of the State from all its benefits, and eN
. empting it from all its burdens It was lttl
Il better than mockcry to the temperance pan
IN of the community, in that it put it in the pow
d, er of any one town in the State, by l.
~ cense" vote, in great measure to defeat tn
Sc beneficial effect of No License" vote i
IS all the contiguous towns And, above all,
ne was radically vicious, in that it expressly pei