Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-01-20
The Temperance ohvention.

men live it will never cease TO have a strong
hold upon public attention, while such men
[ advocate il; it will never cease growing,
while such men noursh it. Representing all
secls in religion, all parties in politics, all
conditions in life we may be sure that the
temperance cause has claims upon all
claims which all. to some extent at least, al.
ready ackunwledge, and which will be more
universally acknowledged, as they are more
universally pressed upon public attention by
ea nest men, and sustained on substantial
grounds.
The attentive reader will probably gather
from the resolutions that somebody had in
view poiiticat aciion,-p rhaps the iounda-
ton Of neic Poit'ca pariy-for the purpose
Of sustaining the temperance cause; AMI
when they reach the last resolution of the
series, adopted on "Wednesday evening, the
conclusion viii probably be that the conycn-
ton gave such project beautiful coup Dc
grace. In word the proprety Of political
action was admitted, with an excellent pro.
yiso, to wit" iohea he occasion shall de
mand it," We think there was an error ia
declaring that the great obstacle in the way
of good temperance laws IS found in political
organizations admitting, however, as every
body ust admit, that especially in the year
1853, political men had great zeal to do
with the liquor law But it was also true,
and always has been and always viii be-
true, that political men have given their in-
/ auence, their example, their labors and their
votes. for good laws. Nor Is This remark
applicable 10 men of one party it is true, to
a greater or less extent, Of all. For twenty
years the laws Of Vermont have been air1n
cling toward perfection; yet every legisla-
turc has been composed Of politicians, and
ruled by political organizations. Is il wise
to deny TO politicians justice aye, TO repel
them by injustice; The obstacles 10 good
temperance laws he deeper, aud not in one
thing, but in many things. If politicians do
not come fully upto the mark Of any zeal.
JUS ltuptidHer hAuf ne VIII Huu Oh llDf-
ough examination, that the obstacles exist
not so much IN the p)Iiticlns as IN the pow
er which is greater than the p,lit ians. His
mark is ahead perhaps Of the views of the
people he asks for more thin poppIar opln
ion viii sustain and as a necessary conse-
quence every wise politician vii. frankly tell
him that he ought to moderate his demands
that he ought to seek for measures which
can be executed lin word, that he ought
to fix upon the substantial good which can
be achieved for the cause, rather than RISK
all upon schemes which cann1t be success
full" aud qaadrate his principles aud ac
tons accordingly This sort of' obstacle"
has been met, undoubtedly. by such men
no, from political organizations, bul rom IN
dviduols. They have met exactly the same
obstacles too, not merely from politicians,
but from men who do not profess to be poll
tlclans-fron AS earnest, self sacrificing aud
honest friends Of temperance as themselves
We say, not from political organizations.
We snoak e,r ons org,n,,,,,,, ,,,b ,,h,..h
we bnyc lonr haen f,m,lor ana o,. ,os,,
,no,y = ,ha, 100 novor b,.o l.,..... 49,.
WIN nar,y in conyen,i,, ~. c,,.ns .,
treat either favor or hostility to any temper
ance law, as party question. Never, per
haps, has the cause of temperance under
zone a seyerer trial than tb,t in tine ,,osos
SION of the legislature. We, we neysr b,,rd
one word hsped in a Wbir caoru. uoon,bis
snbiect as ii Marty me,.nr. Members
Wb,g neubers tos,vtbela,st ,c,oln o,,
their ind,d,du,l resnons,h,lity So far ~. ,o
kpo,y and,f , u,.,,,r,,y oc ,b...,, s,.,,,,,...l
the nresent law we donb, po,. ,ty,. bor,o..
tbev were i, d,ro,. otsncb !, Laws b.l,.,
oil ,,vo,lI.o,,dr,,.n ,y,,L ,L. o..n....t..
ana c,,l,oo. nf moi. con, ;t,,,n,, H., a..