Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-02-01

have mainly been directed ior lew years
past. And, ns we have said, the law at
length spenks upon that subject much as we
would have It. The authority OF the STATE is
no longer against us; yen, it IS Jor US IN our
moral efforts For every one knows That the
law is n great educator Of community. lhete
are many whose ideas OF rigHt aud wrong |
seem to rest on no other basis, thah th"e u"e
law permits one thing md formds enother'
With such, the indiscrininHte safe OF int0N'-
eating drinks is perfectly right, II the Ia"
permits and protects it; and II tho safe ls
ri lht, of course the indiscriminate use must
b. ri,h. A great points gained therefore,
Wien, through lr ,hibitory law, the sale IS
pronounced wrong hv the authority OF tho !
state. Even where such a law is not eniOrccu'
it must yet be quietly working change IN
the views and feelings of the cjmmunity' ana
where it is enforced and sustained by pabhc
opinion il becomes Il mighty temperance 'ec-
t,,rer, winning over nultitudes, not merely to
the habits, but to the principles OF Temper
ancc.
This point being gained, the way seems
clear for a united and vigorous ell ,rt 10 en-
Tighten the public mind and keep 1t awake
to the moral aspects OF this great cause ana
In Ills effort, we have right 10 expect th9
active anI vigorous cooperation OF all those
from oar enter prise, writing homiies In COM
mendation of ''morAl suasl0n.' Moral snd-
sion, N the op,n,or of your committee, i, nou
the great ,cdHt Of the times, that which is ex-
actly fitted to our present ezlSency
An cnlig ghtened public sentiment, and tuil
appreciation or the evils Of intemporAnce, and
of the consequent wickednsss and laeanness
Of the rum traffic, is nvedful, that the law as
we have it may be respected. and promptly
and universally enforced. Where c0mmu-
nifty have not been thoroughly aroused upon
this subject, prohibitory law Will be com
paratively imperative, or the whole labor OF
* cutting it will devolve upon a few, who,
in contending against public sentiment and
the combined interests Of rum-sellers ana
their supporters, will fin it all uphill bust
ness. Ine people must be made to feel in
their own homes, as every parent may and
ought TO feel that the we'll l-being OF every
family is promoted and the morals OF the
young more efectualy guarded, by the
watchiul and uniform enforcement OF law
even to the universal establishment Of rrinci-
pies which are the source and spring oi indl-
vidua conduct. We are not among the MUM
Der of those whose sole reliance IN the pro-
motion of the temperance reformation II, OF
has been, upon the authority Of government
Temperance, as "a yirtue-as principlc OIL ac'
heart is promoted only by moral moans-by
appeals t. the intellect and to the conscience.
However eiTectual a good law. well enforced,
may be in removing temptation, 1T will not
obyiate the necessity for other nstrumental-
ties by which the evils of intemperance are
| kent before the minds of our youth especially,
and they are led intellIgently 10 choose the
! ways OF virtue, and to shun the paths ol the
| destroyer The law performs lis great oihce
/ by removing temptations and thus preparing
the way for those moral influences which the
| friends OF temperance should never be slow
nor backward in using. Here we have
work In which we can all OF us engage, each
one in his own sphere and manners
rhe mission OF the Temperance Lscturr is
not yet ended The strong man who loves
| his race-who understands the steps by
which the pure minded but unsuspicious and
! Generous youth is led on from an occasional
( sDc;, glass to an ungovernaulc appetite, and
an uuresaryed yielding up Of his + lson ami
conscience and entire manhood to ruln-.he
lano VINO has intelligence anu character
which every where command respect; common
sense that never forsakes him, and an elo.
aucnce that sways the mind and heart through
the power Of truth-such a man is needed to
% through the towns Of our State, great and
small, awakening, informing an moulding
the public mind. And we cannot but hope
that the right man may be found, soon to en-
ter upon this service,
Ministers of the gospal,too, Of all denomina-
tiors, and having direct access to so many
minds,-as they have done good service in
this cause should feel, your committee thinks
that more is yet demanded of them. lem
perance' is one OF the virtue. which the word
of God requires US to add TO our faith, and
it should receive its appropriate attention
from those who are laboring to secure in their
fellow men the fruits of godline.s in this life
and preparation for the life which is tc
come
The Editors OF many Of cur papers have
done much in turtherance OF this cause, ano
we depend upon them for much more
Their good influence is appreciated by those
who look over the whole field and watch th'
. avenues by which light reaches the public
mind. 1t is not merely the heavy ordnance
, Of strong and logical argument that is needed
but the more hight. and if you please, scat
: terng fire of small arms may be very seryi
S caable. Events showing the evils OF intem
perancc are yet occurring all too frequently
and an editor pen, in brief sentence, ma,
point moral : and the telling messenge
E may thus be sent out to bear Its part II
5 awakening interest, and moulding public sen
timent. And there is no other instrumen
e tility which will find its way into 50 man
- families, and gain access to 10 many mind
v aud hearts. Multitudes come not nigh tn
D.. Temperance Lecture. Many are little inlu
I cnced by religious teachers, seldom comm
V within the sound Of their voice. But ther
/ are very few native families among US VIII
f are not visited at least once u week by
" newspaper Of some kind, and if our period
d cal press breathes the spirit of temperance, tn
+ la will