Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-04-15
The Victory of "NO License" in Vermont
Slavery,

We have more than once, congratulated the Free
men of Vt for their glorious victory in the recent bat
tie with "King Alcoholic victory which we can
contemplate, now that it is past without blush or
sigh. No laurels on the fields of Mexico can
compare with it. Here we have vanquished the enemy
sacked his Cities and driven him in confusion from his
strong-hods. This has been emphaticaly victory
of truth over error-of love over hate-of principle
over sordd passion. 1t has made no widows or Or
phans has repuscd the enemy without rolling back
upon the peaceful families of the c1nquerors them
selves an overwhelming wave of CONSERVATION and
woe. Nay verify, only let us retain the territory we
have conquered and hundreds of families will rejoice
that their lost found their dead are alive again
Muttudes will return from the depths of the gutter
even to be blessing to themselves and to mankind
Now, fellow citizens, we have word to say to YOU,
who have fought this battle on another subject That
you are men of principle, and acted under sense of
duty, we will take for granted. That you will not a.
bandon those principles that led you to vote "no H.
censc," we devoutly hope. For consistcncy's sake
70; your own sake-yea, for the sake of suffering hu-
mainly, we beg of you, hold fast to them. That you
are able to give reason for your vote which you can
defend, we fully believe. Now, why did you vote as
you did? Every man ofsense has reasons enough.
/. You voted against the license system because the
whole business evil, and only evil,-a crime ant
a curse both to him that bought and him that sod-ar
evil ''ful Of deadly poison" to the whole community
You were situated that you must act for it or a
ganst it. Very well, hold fast to that principle ant
let us where it will guide you. 1t will lead you t.
take the same hostile attitude against slavery If drink
ing, and encouraging men to drink, is crime is no
holding human beings in absolute bondage, a curse
deeper die? Is not the traffic in the bodies anc
souls of men curse to the buyer and seller? Is it no
"a paguespot onthe body of the whole nation? There
is we hope, for the honor of the "Green Mountain
Boys" not man among us who will dare to deny it
Is it not too like licensed drinking political evil,
well as moral, physical and social? Certainly it is
And are you not in such dilemma that you must ACT
either for it against it? There is no escape. Now
we ask, in all candor and kindness, tcW you hereafte
vote against slavery Or will you abandon the prn
ciple which has crowned you with bloodles
victory, and 60 for the SYSTEM with all its crimes an
and woes. One or the other you must do
2. You voted against it, because this tchole bushes
Of granting licenses 10 sell as beverage is ,rong
. cannot possibly find sanction in the great lar
: right which is binding alike every where. 1t is civ
- ing men authority to trample heedlessy on the ST.
preme Law of the universe. II is selling for $50
year, an "indugence," worse than the church of Rom
ever practiced, For this reason you determined nc
to be "paraker of other mems sins"
Now, will the Freemen of Vermont vote, in tn
light of this truth, to give few thousands of men
'cense" to enslave millions of their brethren? Wi
they give the shareholders IN the District of Columbi
an "ndugence" to make the "ten miles square" gret
> national man-market? Will you say by your votes
Let the soil of our territories be cultivated by the ur
Il requted toll of the slave? Will you say let the bone
II man cank his chains the conquered fields of Mez
IS ico Shall the wall of the hopeless slave succeed tn
e deathgroan of slaughtered armies? The STAKEHOLDER
u arc looking confidently to you for "icense" to caus
S all this to he DONE Shall they have it? Or will yo
e tell them in way that they cannot misunderstood
: We give you "No LICENSE" to do that which God ali
hors, and man every where repudiates when inhcte
on himself We shall see; an Interested world wi
see whether Vermonters will stick to their principle.
or abandon them.
More hereafter, perhaps.