Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-18
Alcohol Tabooed.

EDITOR FREEMAN Il am not sorry that Doc
tor Powers resolution, which | suppose con-
templates the outlawing of alcohol in all its
forms, and, of course, whatever contains alco-
ho, as part of its substance, passed the State
Convention at Northfeld, because think good
will come of it. Agitation is the proper ali
ment of Temperance. Evolve the subject as we
will, we are sure to bring TO the public olfac-
tories the disgusting odor of rum. Alcoholic
drinks are so fraught with mischief that good
mon may well be called on to make sacrifices, if
sacrifices would bring relief; but if such facts
as you disclose, in your paper of Feb. 18th,
showing that the intoxicating drinks, now in
use, are little else than a compound of death
drugs, will not deter men from drinking, we
may we'll distrust the power of moral suasion.
Ii the horrors of delrium trenaens, added to the
degradation and shame of inebriety, are impo-
tent in holding back our young men, we may
well be called upon to make great sacrifices
IF sacrifices could avail to stay the burning tide
the truly benevolent all over the land would
willingly forego the inconvenience and surren-
der the legitimate use, that safety and salvation
might come to the imperilcd and the fact that
there are not few in our land who would not
esteem the sacrifice too great, is indeed to be
regarded as an oasis in our desert world, where
''sefove, the spring of motion, cuts the soul.''
But to expect majority of such is to forget
that our world is not yet regencrate. If we
can prevail on the majority to be just, we may
well compromise the generous. To forego their
own comforts and conveniencies for the sake of
reforming the vicious, whose misfortune is their
fault, is asking too much to hope for a MAORI
ty.
An attempt to exclude, and shut out from
community every form of alcohol, would OPP
pose the interests and interfere with the con-
venience of large classes who are now very will
ling to do all they can to discourage its use as
a beverage; but whose bump of benevolence is
too small to allow any great amount of self
sacrifice
Whatever may be said of tho possibility of
dispensing medicine without it, no one now
does it; and few would d. it though Sinalo
should blaze in their eyes. Few families would
dispense with their camphor. Chemists, den
fists and jewelers. would not throw away their
alcohol lamp for smoking substitute. The
mason and carpenter would have it in their
level, and g Kanes'' would have it in their
thermometers to guago the frosts of the Polar
winter, the restaurant would still burn it under
the oyster pan; and no small share of commu-
nifty would protest against the increased expense
of light if burning fluid were out of the mar
ket; nor would manufacturing towns and COM
munites, whose very existence hangs on its use,
submit to surrender of their daily bread.
Indeed, the expectation that d majority will
60 for the utter determination of an agent SO
useful in the arts and 50 convenient to the house
hold, and the minority submit, could find a
place only in the brain Of an enthusiast or Wis
ionary. The public will never consent to fore
60 positive and general good-certainly until
it is made at least probable that the evils arts
ing from its abuse would thereby be stayed
Should Vermont legislate alcohol, in all its
forms, out of the State, of which, however,
there is no probability, its only effect would be
to popularize the breach of law, and set back
the Temperance REFORM which may God avert.
i j. B.
Nn,fhEoll