The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-02-20

promotion oftle noble cause which aciuated
lis course. The experimsn. has surely had
fair triak No one can question the SINGER
i,y, ability, and energy, with which my pred
ecessor endeavored 10 enforce the laws IN
this, as in other respects, aided by an ell
Gent police. and barked, in his Efforts, ny
large and influential portion oil his fellow
eiriz.us. " hat has been the resutF Ma
rv ntoseculions have been instituted. and
convictions obtained. But has the iraihc III
The prohibited articles been, in any measure.
sun,,resset,2 Have The dram shops ceased.
mr. il any degree diminished m number
Has temperance been promoiedl Have
riot and hceniiousness received percepiI-
bic check Nothing Of all, or any oi Tins :
the reverse is apparent 10 every one whose
ewes and ears are open. The evil has as
sumcd a more menacing aspect !Ean ever.
The Lumber OF drinking places has augment
ed 10 a degree never before Witnessed in
Dosto1 The forbidden articles are sold las
furmerly) in hundreds Of conspicuous and
we'll. known places, and also in holes and cor
nafs. which were never before sysiematical-
~ USE for such purposes. The daily reports
Of the police and lie watch, the nightly out
cries in our streets. and the calendars oil our
courts bear witness 10 the acceleraiing and
appalling increase of intcmperance and its
attendant crimes. II would seem as If The
Saiurna'ia of Bacchus took tate from the
woe which was 10 overthrow lis affairs and
coqfound his yotarles.
What, then, has been accomplished, by
the new policy, for The cause of virtue and
good order? Truly we may borrow a SEN
time nj from Junius, and exeldiHn-''The good
which has been done must have been by
sleaIIlr,-the evil is upon record" II Is
clearly an experiment failed. To my mind
il is apparent thai il would be as well for So
eiety 10 have no laws upon the subject, ss &c
remain in lis present anomalous position
for The existence of a law which you vainly
strive 10 execute, tends 10 bring all other
laws into contempt, and invite ihier infrac-
lion. The ignorant and wicked, who End
that they can openly and successfully resist
yoar etTnris to enforce single established
statute, will not be slow 10 bid defiance 10
your CODE and deride your constitution.
What, then, shall we do? Shall we 60 on
in the present course, because we do moi like
10 retreat from a position taken, or route a.
dopied Shall The s,rong man struggle on
ward, and downward, in the deepening mo-
ras-. without a single effort 10 regain the
shore? VIII he viudicate his wisdom by
rejecting The admonIions Of his experience
by declaring that his object is a good one,
his course the direct one and that, come
what may, he will adhere TO that route, and
mono uther2 What, then. is the remedy {?
kaow not it here be any. The "experi-
ment failed has complicated II difficulty,
which was bad enough before. The refusal
10 license has practically resulted IN eene>
ra! license. II will. therefore, now be far
more difficult, by any system. 10 restrain the
sale within lis former limits, than it was be-
fore the experiment was tried. The license
system WAS incomparably better, in its acts-
al workings, than The present one; and, with
sniItble notifications, would seem worthy
OF anOthrr trial, unless some new and prdc-
tcd5d substitute for The present unfortunate
scheme can be devised. The license sys-
ten, with all The objections TO il, land there
are nanv) possessed The substantial advaR- /
iage Of having a considerable body Of respect |
able persons deeply Interested in complain
ing Of and helping TO put down unauihor-
ized sates, The individuals licensed might
sell more. but the aggregate Of sales would
he less. and the more offensive resorts Of the |
Incorporate, would probably, to a great de-
gree, be suppressed. In regard TO return
inc 10 the license system, know that many
81 my fellow citizens entertain conscientious
scrnpl,.s. and have heard individuals, Of
;sckno@ edged worth, speak MS il it were i'm
moral and irrciigiDus, 10 license the sale Of
the source OF 50 much evil. Whoever lakes /
thai ground, casts obloquy and reproach up
on the mrmory Of our fathers, (for whose |
vision ard viri0c we profess SO much Won
erotinnl ~ hn from, tho ianIinu NJ pfymoufh
until our own generation, saw fiji 10 coun-
tenaucc the policy which is now repudialed.