The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-02-05

v pllsed nothing in the way of restraint. Bu
/ the organizations did good by calling atten
ton TO the enormily OF the evil, and by col
lecting facts and statistics. This prepared
the way for measure more efficient.
The next important step was the pledge o
total abstinence from all the evil spirits pro
ceeding from the worm of the still Thi
was bold step. The land was convulsed
and thousands were ready to shoulder mus
: ket in defence of their gods. The caus,
Y made progress. 1t was soon discovered
however, that the spirits of dstllation an,
fermentation were all of the same dark fam
lily that the difference between distilled
and fermented liquors was only the differ
ence between Bacchus in fusiian and Bac
; chus in ru6lcs. The adoption OF new
, pledge was the result And now for the frs
time the great extent and power of the sys
tenn began TO unfold itself. The cry wa
loud, the battle fierce. Bnt nttemperance haC
taken her position and was strong in the de
fences Of truth. Her friends now hoped thai
the victory was won.
Soon, however, it became apparent that
the vital power Of intemperancc was no,
broken. The institution as yet stood firm in
Ithe grand citadel of the law. Her temples
remained as before in all their attractive
Iglory. Her mercenary priests still minister.
led at her altars, and employed their best ci-
forts 10 perpetuate her worship. And worst
of all, these temples were reared and de.
Tended by law these priests were appointed
by law, and consecratcd by the hands of the
judges. Thus the "egis of law was both
for glory and defence. What now could
be done? In these entrenchments mere
moral suasion had no power to crush the en-
emy. As well attempt TO batter down Glib
rater with apples. Every avenue to progress
was closed up, for the enemy defied our at
tacks and stood ready to take the spoil from
our hands. While we addressed reason and
conscience, they pandered to prejudice and
appetite those whom we reclaimed they
seduced back again.
| And now came the great conflict to wrest
from this cruel system the protection Of law.
i he history Of this conflict is curious in the
extreme. Like Balaak of old, they 20 from
one hilltop TO another offering their sacri-
fees, and looking for a propitious answer.
| But "thcrc is no enchantment against Israel"
They plead that they are the true friends Of
temperance, on the principle of suaslon,
which temperance men have deserted TO the
| great danger of the cause. Then they are
the true friends of liberty. ready to sacrifice
| life in opposition TO those who would coerce
men in eating and drinking. Then they run
to the Constitution of the United States for
shelter. They have tried hattery and threat
ening, and even appealed TO Justice and re-
| ligon and all in vain. What next they
will do remains to be seen.
Notwithstanding ALL the citadel has been
taken. The law is turned in our favor, and
! the b,py,- afIootc Of, ; hao,,, tn w.
must not however expect too much at once,
or sink in discouragcment because the enc
envy is not at once driven from his hiding
places. Something has been gained the last
year. The amount of liquors consumed has
Some have eluded the law and carried oil
candcstine traffic. This was to be expected
Some too, have defed the law; in this we
their glory and defence so long, il is hard for
them TO believe it ought not 10 be so still
The power Of the old system continues to he
felt
There has been more energy and success
in prosecuting violations of the law. The
friends of temperance are putting on cour
age, and beginning to act like men. They
find it less hopeless task than was supposed
20 bring them to justice. A very grea,
change has taken place in this respect with
in the last two years. In one county, two
years ago, the grand jury boldly refused
to notice preseptments under the tenn
perance law, and no bill could by any means
be obtained, however fragrant the offence
Since that bills have been found in scores of
instances in that same county, and now
scarcely man dares to stand trial. The
great majority plead guilty and pay the pen
atty.
Still we are aware the law is violated and
that many have hitherto escaped punishment.
In some cases this results from the difficulty
of detection. This is specially true along
the lines of railroads, where liquor is kept in
shanties and sold exclusively to Irish labor
ers. In other cases it has resulted from trials
being delayed, by various artifces, until wit
nesses are dead or out Of reach. And il
should be remembered that this class of wit
nesses are not long lived. In more cases il
is the result Of the defective state Of public
sentiment, and of negligence or cowardce
on the part of the friends of the law.
1t is manifest that the great labor now is
TO bring up public sentiment in relation to
lar, We are not 10 cease our efforts TO per-
Suade men 10 temperance. The pledge must
not be given up. This is the password OF
temperance, and must be preserved while
the order lasts But the heat of battle now
is to gain the law, and secure it forever on
the side Of temperance. We would not by
this be understood TO mean that coercion is
our reliance. Law is nothing moro than the
embodiment Of public sentiment the voice
Of the people reduced to the form of a stat
ute. Nor is there in the statute form of pub
lie sentiment on this subject anything coer-
Give. except it be upon kind of business
which has not one single consideration in is
favor and which deserves eternal reprola-
ton for the abominable frauds and iniquilies
which arc inseparablc from il; and much
more from the fact that it is proved by
thousand witnesses to be in all its tendencies
and effects, erd, ONLY EVIL, AND THAT
CONTINUALLY.
Here we say lies the tug of war, and the
demand comes for the best minds and the
best hearts in the land. The DAYS of novel
ty. and exciting itinerancy are past, and
we must now have sober, earnest, enduring
men to carry on the conflict to victory. The
principles Of temperance a1mit of clearer
exposition and enforcement that they have
yet received. Community needs to be more
thoroughly awaked and guarded. The ma
ture and effect Of license laws is not fully
understood Men are yet blinded by rever-
ence Tor an old, venerated system, and do
not see that license laws are all on the side
Of intemperance, and that they actually ap-
point agents and afford all facilities to sus-
tain and increase it. They should be made
10 feel that laws prohibiting the sale of Ii
quors are in most perfect harmony with free
dom and justice 4; that their coercion extends
no further than to the claiming of the OK