The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-05-02
Intemperance and its Remedies.

In common with all GoCu cltlzeNS Vi thc
State We have always felt deep interest in
the operation of the Law prohibiting the trat-
lie in Intoxicating drinks. That the Law has
lone good. given relief and comfort to many
o'thcpoor, prevented vice and crime and been
agenc;al conscrvator Of good order and NOR
:ls, wherever it has been enforced, is too OBJ
vious to require proof. Few of its former
opponents, we think. are now disposed to
question its utility.
But it is well to remember that the Law
An no power to enforce itself; and, further
ill. that TO efforts of the States Attornies,
a5wever faithfully exertcd, will be able to
make the present, or any other prohibitory
L:w, an elective and permanent preventive
oeIn;emperance, any farther than they are
sustained by the constant cooperation OF
,,,a+,vc, moral forces exist in the communl-
=. II this statement, we intend not merely
IA. cooperation which advocates and Justl-
-, the prosecution and punishment Of the
s-aussressors of the statute, or IS ready to
petition or vote for greater stringency In Its
provisions, whenever experience shows them
70 be necessary. and. beyond these things. do
nothing more but that cooperation. rather.
which comprchrnds the whole field of moral
influence III its sphere Of labor, and works,
alike with individual ard associated effort, to
remove not onc only. but all social evils.
There is danger. We apprchcnd. lest the
friends Of Temperance, confding too much
upon the efficacy Of the Law should neglect
their duty in this direction. and thus the ster-
eotyped prophecy Of all DIRECTORS to one Pro
hiti,orv Law, That it would do the cause OF
Temperance more harm than good" ma!
prove true That there has been some ten.
dency towards such result. since the Law
has been in force, we have no dcuh'; ten
dency which, in many places, has made quite
obsolete all Temperance Societies with theil
pledges and various other appliances of NOR
al force, which were once so ctiicacious i'll re-
claiming inebriates and saving from tl same
state multitudcs of youth and sober men.
There may be- and doubtless is. on some
accounts, less occasion for erployine: tn sc
instrumentalities, iii promoting the cause OF
Temperance, now than heretofore. The pub
lie mind has been enlightened in regard to
the causes ard evils Of intcmpcrance. Ii ub-
lie conscience, too, if there be such thing
has been awakened to some of ne obligations
Of the State to interfere and suppress. So far
q it can, thi, great social evil; and i: public
sentiment had any permanent character, or
ia other words, if the men with their opln-
ions and habits Of to-day. were not liable to
be succeeded by other and different ones OF
tomorrow; if Human Nature - gravi-
tate downwards. guiding often to impulse
and appetitc-when reason. conscience. and
all opposing moral forces are arrayed against
them, i. might be comparatively safe to dis
miss other agencies, and entrust to the CIVIL
LAW alone. the future care of the Temperance
Reformation.
But Human Nature and its circumstances
remaining unchanged. there can be no satet!
l., such a course The circumstances onl.
are subject to change, ard in SO far as the.
have changed, since associations and pledges
Temperance Lectures nd Sermons, were II
place Of Law and prosecutions, there IS NOR
demand and wider : for the ri ms me-
ehinerv Of Moral Suasion to work, in beha
q Temperance, to-day, ',an at any r:"'
period. And the reason is plain to observ;
ton.
ln.empe~cnee IS ,ocic' rice. The tenn
,.tiors and tendencies to it, i'll any commun
~ will generally be as the facilities for socl
intercourse ard the taste for popular anus
,aen,s. The rapid increase Of these facilitle
and the taste and demand which they ha'
created for social recreation and holiday e
,.rt:;nments, are marked features i'll the HI
-s:v of our State during the last ten yea'
!, IKE manuc. the removal of disabilitit
which i.oi.ted us from the great cities Of o
country. Ect more the centres Oh lnteihgen'
OF social refinement. Eand large and hene'
lent Christian effort, than the prolific sour
Of eorrup: inassnaea that spread contagl
into all surrounding conn nities, has hi
and will have It's etee. upon the charac'
Of our people. Steam ard Hal.ro ha
brought US to the tide le,e, Of :he great 1
lantic reservoirs Of poisoned vaters. ant tn
streams have flowed, and. not2,tas1andl.
the prohibitions. are still flowing fast by o
homes. our schools aud ouy churches. 81
their noisome vapos comes forth from ma
underground recesscs throughout all our be
ders.
True there is apparent xnaoug u.s. le
drinking Of intoxicating I4xsr., and le
traffic in the contrahand articles, than hei
tofore; still enough is known of both,
show that the vicious appetite still widely pl
walls and clamors for indulgence, and II
avarice still feeds it freely in secret plac
And 50 the demon will continue 70 feed
and from the ranks of our children a
youth, will multiply its victims in spite Of
legal prohibition; fer LsSiataan is not
tanned. His heart is farm as stone: v
tits hard as piece Ct the neither milestone
and unless special and earnest efforts
mad. to correct and mould youthful hal