The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-03-03

The License system Reviewed.

Tho nrgumucnt 20 prove lho rigli Hul rX-
prhirucy IT legislation on tho aulggrg OF
Temperance, rests on precisely llr sunih lr'
sis ~ TINT which, exists IN support of nh
ci,l leglslaiinn 1'lir very sniuc priurplr,
N,Iirh makes I, proper 10 pp-s cn1rimcutt
protecting human liir proppty md rish'a'
NlBnplly Wiil, equal force, 10 laws rrsirair-
math9 lfRfllr 90 ardent eiriys,
Hhc'anly djllereucc ia i'iG two rgsrs, b.
rut iu one, tho lgw sccks 10 remove su c,il
hy cutting OF tho brauclcr; in tle other, /,
tlikcfii lle root IN tho lnrnrr ease, h
prohibits certain tGio'F ~ the huIer II Tor.
idis certain causes, known 20 produce these
elects. Which COURSE IS tie iuosi pHilo'
tog'i,s', niay be len for ever wise m9n o..
determine
a rrosy Inconsistency, ll7s htr-'ofrc lrrH
.rhprruir upon our statute hook, thut of luf-
bidding crrtutn criinus,hy frycrr lruHItir-i
mud nj the sumo time, licensing the fruitful
rtusr octioss crimes; Cor it 10 faci clearly
..rn,cd hV thcsialiJics Of ,'r criminal courts,
shat lour inhs ol'nll the crimes computed Ia
unP lind, may be traced difccty 10 ilu use
1t iutnYiraIiug driuis. Ifihru, legislation he,
worth my lhug, ifR loo cSfcdicut ,llbt HlIN
lava shOuld'bc instituted, ii'ilrv 'ropd nf-uri.
,iy demand that murder, theft, md otJrr yi-
rla,ions Of human rights, should br VISITED
viii their jup' desert of punishment docs
not c2n,is'ct,y dcmnud a, Our hauds, TIM 'yc
should cease hciS'nr the ,ontgc Of these
crlueas Instead ~ throwing hrlorr II ,hr
slicld of law, should il not las hraIdHd ~
crime aud no1uugcr ho suffered 90 scatter
abroad in tho community lts pcsulcnunl
irUifss
Il cannot be considered sIlla dchainhc
question, .>yohur thG.use ofardcu' spirits ns
a beverage, IL conducive to the welfare Of so
cioty. That j. point, settled ycnfSN go,nnd
decided beyond qoRlroycrsN MI pasrcNuc'
-.IoJ3O, gOGS against ne Uti1iy Ur 0ir6IjuUt
simGiants. Withnu, ono rcdccudng quality,
it has ever been found among Tho Wnst'cui-
tt1ut aud fruitful sources Of human misery.
WHY then, should the lfuf1ic bG tolerated. hy
any govern airnt, protesting to seek ihe best
az oc the pcoRc? nay, Why should II not
il, ur,Libiisg. orr sane ICason that other
prdcliscs injurious to society, arc iorwdden;
- l,aA our ANCESTOR, re rcG inc eyils rv-u',
inn from the use of ardent spirlts,'n tir ll.l,l
we may now see tlicm, had the facts We pos
ness on the subject, been spread out before
their minds, we cannot believe they would
D.. ever have sanctioned the trnlhci but wonld
have guarded against t,bY tho most stringent
laws. And ii, with the light wc have, we
siill cnunenauce the traffic, 10y licensing men
10 continue the same, we cannot cover mp
4.,,-iatanss uAIet The mantle of ignorf
.Hncp; nor shigld Ourselves from the guilt aud
the iist reprpaCh. such Inconsistency merits.
Shall wo continue 10 throw around tliis
system OF abomnnIiun, the sanction Of law? Is
il right to lccuss the opening orso many
fountains of misery and death, whose pollu-
Jfng soul destroying waters, shall be poured
forth upon the community? L. it right to
ranciiou the usc of an article, which produc-
as n large proportion of all our CfIHliuHlS aud
panpers, aud burdens tho community with
taxes to support them? RQLhsf may ] ask, is
ii not an enormous wr0Rg, thus to lirnnsG the
ranse Of crime, of povorty,n and wreichedness;
and nru we not under The most saCrGd Ubliga-
lion, to exert our influence to-,lc utmost, ='in
putting stop to1his work of death?
Lot those who feel that thoiriighiS are in
vaded, Ivy legislation on this subject, couaid-
or what right they claim. They claim the
rght. TO carry wreichedncss into the bDsnRl
StNmauy otherwise happy families; they too
claim the righiio expose tho lives OF Our citl-
%cus, by passions nflamcd ~ mnduoss
Shrough the influence Of strong drink; lhqN
clnin the right. 10 disturb the pence of Vui-
ct community, 10y the drunkard's midnight
.curousnl; they claim the right, to impose II
iieavy tax upon those who havo endured the
owl patiently for years, without receiving
one particle of substantial Fond in ra,urn.
'rhct claim the right To place upon the
shoulders of others burden, yheh-lltey
themselves, would not 10 willing to touch
with one 'ortheir fingers. To those Who
feel thus sensitive, IN regard to the infringe
ticnt of their rights, m0y'wo address the Inn
guage ofa certain poet, MS not innpplicablc: {
hiring thon these blessings, to a strict nc
count; -----------
Mako fair deduction soc to whnr they