Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-02-03

tlOn IN inc community, ana ming me courts WIN
costly and vexatious litigation.
The reason assigned as justification for such
an unusual and violent law, is the great evil Of
iintemperancc. But however great the evil,
there is no wisdom in employing other than rea-
sonable and legitimate means to suppress it,
There are other sources or causes of evil in the
world besides intoxicating liquors. Almost eve
rythng. when misused or abused, is productive
Of evil; and to prevent the evil, we prohibi, and
punish the misuse or abuse. Money is called,
and very truly so, the root Of all evil. 1t has
been the cause Of more daring and atrocious
crimes, more vice and prohgacy, more corrup-
ton and generalization, than all other causes
put together 1t has occasioned murders. rob-
berries, thefts and almost every other crime, be-
sides fraud, extorton, and oppression IN every
conceivable form. But who repudates the use
of money? Who, but the fanatic, the wild en-
thusast, the heartless and designing demagogue,
or the superficial and visionary philanthfopist.
proposes to abolish the right Of property and
have everything in common Agan who
would Danish woman from the society of man,
because their association has been fruitful of il
licit and licentious indulgence often resulting in
crime and misery Of the most aggravated and
unmtiuated nature T? Fire is dangerous and
destructive element, and steam is an agent Of
great power for mischief Both destroy proper
ty and human life, causing scenes Of suffering.
woe, and calamity, almost beyond the faculty Of
description; vet who thinks Of prohibiting the
use of fire or steam a remedy for these evils,
or would do more than subject the use of these
agents to proper regulation and control
II is not the end proposed to be accomplished
by a law that is alone TO be looked at; the means
prescribed and authorized to attain the end are
also to be considered. A right end viii not JUS
tiiy the use of wrong means. No law, however
good its purpose, can warrant the employment of
extreme and violent messures--much less the
exercise of ARBITRARY and unconstitutional power.
Religion is essential both to the temporal and e.
ernal welfare of men, and the purity of the pub
lie press is essential to the predominance of
truth and virtue but the consciences of men are
not to be controlled or their religious freedom
bridged nor the liberty of the press subjected to
| tyranncal and vexatious restraints, BY civil en-
actmens, though the object of the enactmens
be, in the one case TO teach men the right way
and promote true piety in their hearts and lives,
and in the other to suppress the publication OF
falsehood and preserve peace. order and good
morals IN society. A law for the better observ-
ance of the sabbath, compelling every person
under heavy penalty to attend public worship
on Sunday, although good and right in its gen
eral object, would on that account be none the
less tyranncal, nor any the less a dangerous
and unconstitutional encroachment upon reli-
glous liberty. So a law to prevent the publica.
ton oflibes calumny, and personal abuse, might
be for a good and commendable purpose but
would the establishment of censorship of the
press, or Of such power of inflictng punishment
as would be equivalent to an authority over it,
be tolerated The neyer-to-he forgotten sedi-
ton act allowed the publication of the truth, and
punished only lying and libcls vet being rcgar
ded as an attack upon the liberty the press, or
as an assumption of control over IL, public indig-
nation soon swept the act from the statute book
and overwhelmed its authors with popular odlum.
1t is always under fair and plausible prctences
and generally for Ostensby good purposes, that
civil liberty Is invaded 1t is under color OF the
public good that all unjust and arbitrary laws are
passed. Few acts Of tyranny are perpetrated
without being professedly for the moral or social,
religious or political advantage or improvement
of the people. 1t is only in the name of a good
cause that entertainments can be successfully
made, even temporarily, upon the rights of per-
sonal freedom. But all unwarrantabie usnrpa-
tons OF power, in free country, under whatev-
cr specious excuses, are destined, sooner or lat !
er, to certain and inevitable defeat, and general /
ly are of short duration.
Indulgence IN the use of Intoxicating liquors, |
as already suggested, is not the only evil infect
ing society, though it would seem from the dec
lanaton OF the day that scarcely any other exists
or deserves to be named. Thoughtful men can
not be brought to believe, or to act upon the be-
lief, that there is no other vice but ntemperance
'or no other virtue but total abstinence. Neither
can they admit that the temperate use of liquor,
especially Of wine, beer, or cider, for health.
strength, or innoceat exhiaraton, either of body
or mind is, of itself, crime or vice, any more
than the temperate use of food. To call it ell
Their, would falsiiy the truth. # would be an ex-
aggeraion - a le-contradcted by scripture
history, and the universal opinion and practice of
the christian world. None but fanatical minds
minds Of one idea, or minds perverted bv ambi
ton for notice and distinction, or bv other infu-
ences of an equally selfish nature, can hold il as
such, or speak of 1t as SUCH But no adherence
OF intempe rance, OF Of habits supposed to lead to
ntemperance, however strong the feeling, can
warrant any Legislation in the matter upon other
than night and Just grounds. Fundamental prin-
clples and rights cannot be surrendered or bar
tered away, especially when not demanded by
necessity, to secure more strict and general
observance If temperance or of any other virtue
for however valuable and important such further
reform or Improvement may be, these fundament-
al principles and rights are ofyastly greater val
ue and importance.
The temperance reformation was commenced
and prosecuted for many years with success, by
good men from good motives; but other coun-
sells have obtained the ascendancy, and it is 10
be feared that a spirit of blind zeal and misgud-
ed ambition now directs all lis movements. Abb
otlonsts, by their ultra, violent measures, have
injured the cause of emancipation aud temper
anee men, by measures alike ultra, are fast run-
ing the cause Of temperance. The cause can
never prosper. as formerly, until there is more
temperance IN the language and measures of its
protested friends They must become more
moderate, reasonable, and constitutional Fan
atlcal opinions, reckless of rights and principles.
cannot perhaps be entirely banished from among
them but they must forbear to urge the enact.
ment of these extreme sentiments into law, if
they wish to have the counteuance. support, and
co operation of sound, intelligent, patriotic, and
rlght-thlnking men. Such men believe, and
think they know, that the reform will be more
certainly progressive and permanent, if carried
on IN JudlGlous and moderate way, than if at
tempted TO be forced ahead by legal coercion,
especially by measures of an unusual and arb-
trary character. Nay, they feel assured that the
latter course would be certain to retard its pro-
gress, undo all that has been done for good, and
A.. ultimately PROSTATE the cause itself
! The friends of temperance originally contem-
plated, and for many years after their organiza.
ton as associated bodies employed, no other
means OF reform but these of a moral nature
such as argument, reason, precept and example
nor did they extend their views ofreiorm, except
/ by intoxicating temperance in all things, beyond
r. ~. -.