Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-12-31

Leave was given to present the following
resolution, which was adopted by a rising and
unanimous vote
Resoiped That we tender our hearty thanks
to the citizens Of Bradford for their liberal
hospitality TO us on this occasion also to the
choir for their acceptable services and to the
Vermont Central and Passumpsic Railroads
for the liberal reduction Of fare TO the mem
bcrs of this meeting.
In consideration of the number of members
necessarily obliged to leave before the close,
il was agreed that no vote should be taken on
the question under discussion.
The following resolutions was ordered to
lie on the table. to come before the next reg
ular meeting of the Convention
1. Rcsolred, That the sale or furnishing of
Alcohol in all the forms in which it can be
used as beverage ought TO be prohibited by
law
?. Resolyed, That the sale or furnishing of
Intoxicating liquors in every form and for ev-
cry purpose ought to be prohibited by law
3. Resoived. That our present system OF
Liquor Agencies, as generally practiced. is
an odious License system, wrong in principle
and wickedly mischievous in its operations
as, under it, every moderate drinker in the
State, and almost every drunkard is able to
obtain all the alcoholic stimulus his appetite
may crave, and thus the manifold evils and
ravages of Intemperance continue to afflict
society
EVENING SESSION The President being
absent, Rev. f. Ballou was called to the
chair and prayer was offered by Rev. A. J.
Copeland
The following resolution was presented by
Rev. q. c. Sampson and adopted.
Resoiced, That the stated reading of tenn
perancc papers is essential to the intelligence,
devotion and efficiency of the friends of Tenn
rerance and we therefore recommend the
Journal Of the American Temperance Union,
TO the friends of the cause in Vermont. Al
so, the Youths Temperance Advocate. pub
lished by the American Temperance Union,
and also, the Temperance Visitor. the only
Temperance papers published in the United
States. worthy Of patronage Of all those
who would deliver the rising generation and
the land from the future crimes and evils of
intemperance.
The Secretary was requested to furnish
copy of the doings Of this meeting to the
press requesting the same to be copied by
the different papers in the State
Isaac MoANN, assistant See
Bradford, Dee. 6, 1868.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The Executive Committee submit the fol-
lowing Report:
FIRsT-fN REGARD TO WORK DONE.
At the time of the meeting of this Society
in January, Mr.. Hawkins, who, for almost
score of years. had been identified with the
Temperance Reformation one of its most
eloquent, unwearied, successful advocates,
had just commenced his labors in the State
He prosecuted his labors almost continually
until he had ectured in nearly all the towns
in Washington. Franklin. Lamoille, Chitten-
den, Addison. Rutland, Bennington, Wind
ham and Windsor Counties. The last of
June, before he had quite finished the canvass
of Windsor county, he was called to Boston
by the sickness of his wife, and Immediately
wrote to the Committee that he should be
compelled to suspend his labors in the State
for the remainder of the summer. Early in
July he went with his wife to the residence
of their son, in Lancaster Co., Penn, where
in few weeks, after very brief illness, he
died. We received from him no regular de-
tailed report of his labors in the State, though
we expressly requested it, We cannot there
fore speak definitely and positively of his
success. But from occasional letters, and
from incidental information received from va
rious quarters, we learn that in ali the coun-
ties but the two visited last, he usually had
large audiences, and found the friends of
temperance awake and in earnest. The pledge
was readily and numerousy signed, and So
cieties were formed or reorganized in almost
every town. His abors in Windham and
Windsor counties were during the latter part
of May and the month of June. His meet
ings were very small, and evidently but little
was accomplished.
Rev A. j. Copeland has been constantly
in the employment of the Society through
the year, with the exception of about two
months from the middle of July to the mid
die of September. He has labored mainly in
Orleans Essex, Caledonia, Orange, Windsor
and Wndham Counties. The last two he has
canyassed since he commenced his labors in
the fall He has delivered lectures, circulat
ed the pledge. organized societies, collected
assessments on the fund, and done what he
could to secure additional subscriptions to
the same. He has made detailed report of
his doings at the end of each month, and it
gives your Committee pleasure to say he has
proved himself most efficient, systematic
and successful agent. Every dollar that has
passed into the treasury during the year has
passed through his hands, and nearly all the
definite and reliable information in regard to
the condition of the cause in the State has
come from his carefully prepared monthly re-
ports. 1t would be difficult to find better
agent than he has been
In addition to these two agents, Rev. S.
w, Clemans labored seven or eight weeks at
the beginning Of the year; r. l.. Perkins,
Esq, has delivered occasional lectures.
At the beginning Of the year there was a
very general waking up among temperance
men through the State In almost every
/ place the Socetys agents received a hearty
welcome and an earnest cooperation. The
result is, that doubtless more societies were
organized, or more names put upon the pledge
during the past year than for very many years
before But while this has been generally
true, there have been found some sad excep-
tions In some localities in the northeastern
part of the State, our agent found the friends
Of temperance in profound sleep, the law
poweress, and drinking alarmingly prevalent,
especially among the young; and in the last
county visited in the south part of the State,