Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-02-01

honorable, are brought about gradu-
ally. The moral reiouner has need
OF patience as well as perseverance.
The change which has already been
elected IN the views aud feelings OF
the great mass Of the people, on this
subject, Is truly wonderful and this
change Is slll progressing. The prin.
ciplc OF . prohibition as opposed by
regulation y is firmly established In
tins state and our lawmakers are
not IkcIJ SOON t0 ignore the puoci-
pie or lo make alterations IN our
prcsrutlaw except such as experience
may show 90 be necessary 10 IT'S olii-
cheney aud stability
Our judiciary also IS now with us.
Last ycat we were compelled 10 re-
porl nol merely that the Legislature
had lortbe time turned cold should
cr upon u.s. but that ln one OF the judi
cial circuits, the l2th section Oi our
Law bad been pronounced uuconsil-
tutioual; and that actions for assault
and battery had actually been sus-
lnined la that circuit, against inferior
judicial and executive officers for hon
esly c1deayorlng to perform their du-
y 10 enforcing the law ! such Off
cets having been subjected to dana
.es and costs for doug what their
official oaihs bound them TO do But
due course--aud The fact IS those
hat are in The right can always afford
10 wait for lhc steady but certain
Hpsicss OF cvents-in due course all
his matter has been fecuied by our
supreme Court, and the taoles en-
pbalically turned in favor Of wise leg
islalon, and a wholesome execution
of law. And the stale crv Of " IN
coHsfitufiogalfv." which has resoun-
ded from Maine To Iowa. has In Yer
mon, died a natural death. Iisnot
snnposed that even its shost will be
beard ofanain amongus or that our
soiu,-rappers. or spirlt-sellers. or soir-
l.hu,ers Will be able to hold any
further communication with it. Thus
artben have we prosressed.-a stage
to which comoaratyeW few of our
sister States hare We, arrived in this
on,erDuse. and In view of which we
d.youtl, Z" thank God. and take cour-
ngc."-we have a good law and a
Judiciary who leelbond TO respect it,
aud most of whom win give it not
merely an official but hearty sup
port
AMI lrha, net remains 10 caH
6rth fbs e0cr0ies Of The 6jonds 0j
TemDerance ? lust that work which
our fathers entered upon so valiantly
ana oHioicnuy ,h,r,y years ago. ln
carrying out that work, so nobly be-
eun, of cndeavorlng TO win the peo-
pie of the land to The principles and
practice Of total abstinence, 1t was
iouudi after a lapse of years, that
governmental authority in all our
States lay directly across our path.
While we were attempting TO incul-
cato The virtue OF temperance, and 10
warn all against the lnsidlous ap-
proachcs OF The destroyer there
We're found nulliludes more or less in
every town, whose business 1t was an
der the authority of the state TO fur
nish freely lhe means of gratifying,
aad thus nurtuung and strengthening
those appeules. which II was our
great object 10 lead meu to control
aud subduc. These persons could
show you, u no, Che broad seal OF
The State, the sign manual Of coun-
~ officers which carried with q the
dignity aud power oi the State,
granting them foil license to furnish
facilities aud enliccmenls to Inlem-
perance and they were thus, as cy-
cry one knows, in spite Of all the
counieracling moral causes at work
excring iearlul Influence upon the
youth Of our land, leading muIIiludes
year by year into the vortex Of dlssi-
patton, inlamy aud crime. We de-
manded thlt our government should
not merely withdraw its protection
from these nurseries of ruin, but that
it should prohibit their existence A.
mong us. To this, our efforts have
mainly been directed Tor few years
past. And, as we have said, the law
at length speaks upon that subject
much as we would have it. The au-
thority of the state is no longer a.
goinsl US; yea, it is far us in our mar
nj efforts. For every one knows that
the law is a great educator Of COM