The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-04-30

| lectlvc franchise 10 separate the Quesuon Ol
temperance entirely from all connection with
political parties, and from all merely political
influences; and to answer the earnest prayer
Of, as we believe, an overwhelming majority
of the intelligent and virtuous, and patriotic |
voters Of this State, against which prayer,
that has been for three successive sessions
proflered to this Legislature and published
| 10 the world, not single note Of remon-
STRANGE has been heard. If these are the
proper objects for which VIC are now called
upon 10 legislate, then would we recommend
a favorable answer TO the prayer Of your
petitioners, according TO their oft repeated
declarations IN State and county conventions,
" that the people have right TO be protected
by law from the evils of ntemperance, and
that the ENTIRE PROHIBITION Of the sale OF
strong drinks is the only protection which
the Legislature can give"
In the Appendix is given, in detail, all
the Reports from the several county and city
officers, who responded 10 the call of the
Assembly. We are here furnished with the
abundant materials, which in this report
have been turned to such valuable account.
Of these materials, if Legislatures shrink
from acting, our temperance friends will
both in New York and Vermont and else
where, most successfully avail themselves.
And now why is not most Of the reasons
ing quoted from this Report applicable to
Vermont? True, we have the semblance
of prohibtory law. But what would
prohibitory law against larceny avail with
fine of ten dollars for stealing fry or five
dollars or even one dollar, and not allowing
the sufferer to reclaim his lost property, if
the culprit could escape detection in ninety
nine cases out of hundred. 1t would be
, for the pecuniary interest of tho thief to
: multiply bis crimes And so it proves TO be
with the venders, who fraudulently sell al
cokolic liquors in Vermont. The penalties
are so inadequate; the tedious course Of pros
2 ecuton so tardy and many prosecuting Off
G GERS so succumb to the venders and SO shrink
|, from their duty where they sympathise with
, the culpriis, that sometimes a woman is seen
r carrying liquor perhaps 10 Railroad in
y pals well filled and from a store, where
they deemed it safe to multiply their gains
II DE Jul ttcDlC SANulC uhhN' iOO'.
+ Many man is shorn of all his glory and
Il many family is bereft of all its comforts,
= because persons, who neither fear God nor
: regard the laws of man, will for few groats
o eiiace from their fellow men the image OF
}, God and then turn them into the street as
" beasts. or send them home to their afflicted
d families as maniacs. When our States At
r torneys regard not their oaths, and sympa
'r thisc with the liquor dealer rather than with
!. an injured community or a broken-heartet
J.. family, how easy il is for them not to be able
e to find witnesses, when the question come
Y to Grand Jury, whether person, who wa
Il bound over on the most ample testimony
ID shall be indicted. The difficulty that tn,
t. law-abiding and temperate part of the com
10 munity find in carrying forward prosecu
% ton to conviction, shows that our presen
at law is defective" that there is someihin.
Is rotten in Denmark"
We laud the Chinese, heather as the,
are, fer struggling against the introduction O
VI opium, and condemn the British, who CLAIM
70 TO be civilized and to yenerate christianity
i'll for enforcing upon them the runous drug
" And now, while mass of vrtuous citizen
- protest, shall our Legislators whom we ap
st point to protect US, make legal provision 70
r. the sale or not pass laws which will etlectual
restrain The sale Of poison, that, in our Iii
Of tie State, keeps on hand, from generation t
generation, about ten thousand victims, an
e. does more every year to wrest needed gain
IS and extort agonizine moans, than opium ha
=, done for century.
Of The following is an abstract of the la,
y, proposed by the committee:
~ ~ SEC. l. 1t shall not be lawful for snv pei
W son or persons to sell, 10 be used ms beve.
age, any spiriluous liquors, wines, stron
beer, or any other Intoxicating drinks; no
rt' in any way. or by any artifce, to dispose
$ any such Intoxicating drinks to any person
ne whether for pay or without consideration.
~. we Section ID provides, that an account
w all sales shall be kept, and be open to til
es, inspection of Supervisors, Justices Of til
nH Peace, and Poor Masters.
|
ed navigating the waters of the State.
al Sections 4,h and 9TH impose fnes--s2
IN, for each ofTence-S3o for each, after OF
ta conviction after the second conviction fin
e? and imprisonment for from so to 90 days.
ar In the seven following sections are variol
Ill provisions-one allows any person to pros
in. cute and have halt the fine; another Ill
ate the law in Wisconsin, holds the person wi
re, sells unlawfully liable for all damages, ar
Ss Ss' feme coyerts and minors may sustain an a
NV ton.
au- One section provides that the act shall
Ike submitted to the legal voters 10 determil
re- whether it shall become a law.
Ike Such law as this would be Samson
md king hold of the pillars of the temple.
W. alcoholic drinks are as is we'll settled
lsr physicians, never useful for persons in heAll
oe and if they entail the miseries stated in d
an Report, what evil results would such ID
IU IUh producef Would it not promote the heal
/ oil and happiness often most emphaiically
xxi. the very men who oppose h2 1t might a
'la- noy those, who for gain desire TO put I
10, Of bottle to their neighbors' mouths. But if
ory is an object to save thu community from
temperance and suppress the traffic, wol
less any man even in his temporal interest
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