Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-01-27

~ ''N bhi VI pNbs anu ~ tHt OdI VI Cil-
science, you are his murderer. Why =
You did not kill him. Neither did the
owner Of the OK lit hand. BIT he shall
surely be PIT to dcafk You had no malice
neither had he. You did not intend his
death-at the very worst, you did not care.
This is Just his crime. He did not care
lie turned loose a Wild fiery, ungoverna-
bic animal knowing him to be such; aud
what mischiefthat animal mightdo, or what
suffering he might cause, he did not care.
But God held him responsible.
Every mau is responsible for evils which
result from sel6shness or indifference to the
lives OF men. In other words, To make
man responsible for results. It is not neces-
sary to Prove that he has maice, or that he
intended the results The hghwayman has
no malice against him whom he robs aud
murders, nor does he desire his death, but
bis money but ifhe can get the money, he
does not care. And be Tobs and murders
because he loves himself and does not care
for others; acting in a different way, but
on the same selfish principle with the own
er Of the OK; and on the very same prlnc-
pie is he held responsible.
In the trlal of the owner of the OK, the
only questions TO be asked were these two
Was the on front to push with his horn in
time past! Dad the owner kHoD il when
he let him loose! Ii both these questions
were answered IN the affirmative, the own
er was responsible for all the consequences
THIS is rule which God himself has cs-
tabllshed
Is INTOXICATING LiouoR wont to pro-
ducd misery, aud wretchedness, and death
Has this been testified to those who make
and deal IN It as beverage Ii these two
things can be established, the inference Is
Heutabe-they are responsible on prin-
ciple perfectly Ineligible principle rec
ognlzed aud proclaimed aud acted upon by
God himself
Turn then your attention TO these two
facts ! Intoxicating Liquor Is ront to
prodUcc misoy , Those who make OF
traffic II, kR0,o this.
Upon the FIRST point 1t will be sufficient
TO remind YOU of the hopes which mloxi-
eating liquor has blasted, aud the tears It
has caused to flow Let any one of Us
count up the number of It's victims which
we have known consider their character
and standing ~ society--lher once happy
families aud prospects, aud what fearful
change has few years use of strong drink
produced. Very few but remember TWEEN
", thirty, fifty, or one hundred families
ruined Ia this way. Some Of them were
once our intimate friends-and their story
l. soon told
They drank occasionally, for the sake of
company, or merely for eNhileratlon. The
relish for siimuants was thus acquired, and
habits Of dissipation formed They became
idle, and of course uneasy. And they
continued to drink, partly 10 CRAFTY taste
and partly to quiet conscience. They saw
the RUIN that Was coming upon them, and
they made some earnest but Intellectual
struggles against it, But the resistance
became weaker and weaker-by aud by the
struggle is ended--they float with the cur
rent, and where are theyt One has been
found by the temperance reformation,
mere wreck IN property, character. body
and mind, and reclaimed Another IS dead
his constitution could not bear his conlinn-
ed dissipation. Another died IN fit; an
other was found by the roadside one cold
morning, a stifeued corpse. Another was
thrown IRON his horse, and Is a cripple for
life, bat sui can conlrVe means, to pay
daily visit to The dram shop. Another is
a mere yagabond, unprucipled aud shame
le,s---wanderng from shop TO shop, fit
companion for the loves, company, a NUS
ance To society and curse To his kiuGred.
Another IS IN the penheniidry for crime
which he committed IA u drunken lrohc.
Go into the crowded courthouse and you
may see another; ms couuieuauce haggard
and ghastly, aud his eye wildly rolling in
despair. What has he done One night
after spending all hts money for drink, and
lettering about lill all The shops were clos
ed, he returned TO his miserable habnaiion
lie found few Goals on the hearth and his
wife and children sitting by them. lie
threw one child this way, and another that,
Tor he was cold. His wife demonstrated,
and withal told him that what hide fire
there was was none of his providing. With
MANY horrid oath he declared he would
not be scolded after that sort. lie would
let her know who should govern, and by
way of supporting has authority, beat her
brains out with the last remaining stick of
wood lie did not mean to kill her. Her
dying struggles brought him 10 his senses,
and he stood horror-strdck. lie would
give almost anything that the deed were not
done. Ii that could restore her TO life, he
would be almost ready to give a pledge
never to taste intoxicating liquor again.
Now look at the wreichedness OF bis family
For years he has made very lille provision
for them; they have lived as they could,
halEnaked aud half starved, aud not educa-
ted a. all-wlh most wretched example
before their eyes. What encouragement
had the wife or the children To attempt any
thing-to make any exerlion The chill
dren are abused aud uampled on at home,
and they grow up without sei-respect, with.
out shame, and without principle. Can
anything good be expected of them And
if they do rise. ii must be through world
of difficulty.
How many thousand families have been
ruined in some such way as this The IA
ther was a drunkard, and the mother-what
could size dol She endured, hoping against
hope-and for the chIldIens sake bore up
against the current; aud many time dis
gulsed sad desparlng heart under joyful
countenance, iii at length she died of a
broken heart. or died by the hand of him
who had sworn TO protect her.