Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-08-11

IN uhe tAcrcise OF taat courtesy Tor which
" Fair Play" gives US credit, we have given
his communication above, and the proceedings
in full Of the Liquor Convention. We now pro-
pose to remark briefly on three points
l. On the Effect Of an unconditional repeal oil
The Presenilat0. We are aware that the effect .
Of repeal is to restore the act Of 1850 but we
insist that the consequence Of that restoration
is to permit an unlicensed traffic in "um and .
ruin" What was the fact under the law of
1850; Every body knows that rum was sold
freely here and elsewhere throughout the coun
try. Hardly day passed in which you could
not find barrels of the most poisonous of all 'rot
gut" in the depot of this village, marked with
signs which, however cebalistic or mysterious
to the initiated indicated wholesale and re-
tail dealers in the article. Red noses fourshed,
delirlum tremens got IS victims, public and pri-
yaie peace were often distuibcd,and drunkenness
never increased so rapidly, since the first day of
/ the temperance movement in this community, as
/ in the years l65l-2. This town and county got
bad name abroad, and retainit now. We know
this TO be true Fair Play knows it 10 be
true and yet what did the law of 1850 avail
Who, among the hundreds of unlicensed traffic
ers in this county, were stopped How many
/ prosecutions were there We have examined
the records Of the county court, and find that
during the two years existence Of that law, there
were less than one dozen prosecutions under Il
in Washington County Court In short, there
were just elsren prosecutions, and convictions
I IN "a tI 8
1852 Enough this point OF view. There is
another What is the CONSEQUENCE Of uncondl-
tional repeal fit does not succeed " Far Play"
takes the ground that the law is uuconstitution-
al-voId of course; nuliiy Of course; and the
Liquor Convention avows this doctrine. What
Is the inevitable tendency of such procama-
ton by convention respectable in numbers and
character and by lawyer of good standing in
ms profession We submit that it is an open
proclamation to the people 10 disregard the law /;
to treat it as no law to trample it under foot to
convict and punish no offender To sum up in our
language last week 1.-The liquor convention has
raised the issue of unconditional repesl-and
also the issue, IN fact if not in form, whether an
unlicensed traffic IN rum and ruin is TO be legaIz-
ed q g. permitted as illegal or the law of the
land is to be despsed and violated with lmpuni-
tyn-prccisely was the act of 1850.
,. The Constitutional objection. We do not
doubt the right of Fair Play" or Of any body
else, to entertain, and on all proper occasions
and for proper purposes to express, his opinions
on this question. Now grant, if you please,
Vat the objection is well taken. Wesay then,
1t forms no excuse or warrant for the formation
of an and-liquor law party. Ifthe law is un-
constitutional, it is not the office Of any party to
set the law aside. Noparty can be the judge to
decide that point. This belongs to the Courts
and it is enough to say that if the law is uncon
siitutonal, it will be authoriatiSey pronounced
so; and from that moment the law will be dead
No "repeap viii be required A "repeal
party is therefore entirely unnecessary. we
are surprised that so good lawyer as FAN
Play" has failed to perceive the absurdty Of sub
stitu'ing an irresponsible and poweress political
party IN place Of the Supreme Court.
3. Bringing The question into politics. "Fair
Play" seems to think that we have changed oui
opinions on this point that we have been aga,,,s
bringing the question into politics, whereas We
are now IN favor Of it, He is considerably mis-
taken. Our opinions are changed in no respect
our course may be changed; but if it is the re-
sponsibility rests entirely with Fair Play" anC
his associates They have forced upon all par.
ties in the county the question Of Rum or Nc
Rum-the Law or Repeal. They haze said tc
every candidate, and to all parties, ave vii
vote fol no man unless he is for the repeal of the
law" Their war cry is, Repeal or DgfeaF-
and it is in the very spirit of the highwayman-
your purse or your hf." We say they hav,
done this We are not unmlndful of"Fair Plays
plea, drawn from DIR. Powers STANDARD" the
aurora" and the Orleans County Temperate,
meeting. Our answer is, that no Temperance
ticket had been nominated any where, or by an,
body-no political convention had meddled witt
the law-and in this county the Wing conyen
ton had resolved ITO raise no new issue" Tn,
Rum convention-it, and it only--has ERASED
new issue" and il is but fair to suppose that the,
intend TO make us take it, or rebel. We dom
like the dose. Clear, il would be bad. Mixed
SIX parts locofoco to two parts Wing, the thing
eh"li hoe Z" "o"h ou thloal W nave not Chhllg
ed opinions or principles on this subject but ",
tell Fair Play" that he ard his associates har
forced upon US, and upon every freeman of The
county, a new and important question of duty
"Fsir Play" has arrayed himself against the whig
ticket in this county, by pledging himself to an
other ticket six eighihs locofoco, and three o
them on the regular locofoco ticket; does he thinl
that the Wings Of the county have not the righ
ofselfdefence, and to choose their mode Of de-
/ fence We tell him that be has required us L
exercise this rght-has raised new question
1t is this; will you go for unconditional repeal il
, order to save the votes Of these gentlemen who
propose most kindly to cut your threats political