Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-12-31
STATE TEMpEKANCEs SOCIETY.

We find an official report of the late meet
ing of the State temperance Society held at
Bradford on the 18th, in the Vt. Chron-
icle; also the report of the Executive Com
mittee adopted by the Society. Long as the
latter report is, we give it entire. The
report of the meeting we condense. The
officers elected for the ensuing year are as
| follows:
| President, Rev. S. Chamberlain, of Crafts
bury.
V,ce-Prsside Is. Mr.. n. B. Williston,
Brattlcboro; DR.. J. Brockway, Montpelier :;
DR.. E. d. Warren, New Haven
Recording and Corresponding Secretary
Rev. II. p. Gushing, Montpelier.
Treasurer-Mr. G. W. Storrs.
Aud,tor-Ilon. II. Carpenter
Erccut,re Commiuee-Rcv. c. c. Parker,
Hon. F. F. Merrill, Hon. j. Spaulding. Rev
L. ii. Stone, MIR. j. G. Stimson.
Middebury was designated rs the place
for the next annual meeting.
Committee was appointed to revise the
Constitution consisting of DR.. Powers,
Prof. Rood and Hon. F. F. Merrill.
The following resolutions were adopted
Resoiued.-That itis to becarncsty recommend
ed to all the friends of temperance, in every town.
to unite and concentrate their influence sustain
efectually our prohibitory liquor law.
Rssoiued.-That he who regards the Vermont
Liquor Law as unjust and unconstitutional and
who at tn" saine ti'no accepts an asoney, ~ny
office under the law especially if he does not in
tend to carry out its provisions, but violate them,
is not acting the part of good citizenbut in the
violation of the principle of right, and deserves
the condemnation of every law abiding citizen
Sundry other resolutions were reported by
the committee of ovcrtures, and laid on the
table without any farther action had upon
them. The sentiments of some of them are
embraced in the report Of the executive COM
mttee.
At a very early stage of the meeting, the
following resolution was offered by DR.. Pow
ers
Resolved. That the sale Of Alcohol, in any of
its forms, ought not to be sanctioned by law for
any purpose whatever.
This is the resolution introduced by DR..
Powers at the last annual meeting, held at
Mortified IN January last, and adopted by a
majority ofthose voting on it. At a subse-
quent annual meeting held in West Rutland
on the 7th of July, resolution declaring
that the Powers resolution aforesaid { which
declared that the use of alcohol for any pur-
pose whatever ought not to be sanctioned by
lou ,Iont II tb., Last ,c L. G.
ciety, did not then and does not now repre-
sent the sentiments of the temperance men
Of the State, and that it endangers the per-
manence ofthc present law, ,oas adopted IN
animously
Of course No body who knows DR.. Thomas
E. Powers could suppose he would let the
matter rest SO. Accordingly the Dr. was on
hand early this time, and offered his resolution
anew and according to all accounts, there
was not much else done for the two days of
the meeting, but debating upon it. The re-
marks of the Chronicle on tho subject are as
follows
Comparatively little done at the meeting,
except to discuss the resolution of DR.. Powers 1t
was Tue HTst forenoon, before the Bu-
sness Committee had reported, and early called
up and discussed 10 the afternoon, during the
evening and until at least three o'clock the second
dav, and until n larce part of the members from
distance had left, when it was put over until tho
n 1t meeting. i was advocated by the mover in all
to the amount of more than three hours, by Hon.
II. Carpenter of Mortified, Rev. Mr.. Ballou of
Montpelier, Mr.. Guy Sampson and few others,
and opposed by +. +. Merrill, Esq, of Montpelier,
and tho Congregational and Methodist clergymen
Nv 10 ALL tarth
from the mover the declaration that the clergy
have always been opposed to moral reforms and
had to be dragged along by others
There can be no objection to discussing this
any other proposition relative to tho of tenn
nerance to a proper extent, but in our judgment,
an undue pro ortion of the time OF the meeting
was thus consumed to little purpose, while other
far more important objects neglected. An
earnest effort was made the morning Of the last
day to bring the question to a vote by moving the
previous question which decided by the chair
to be in order. From this decision DR.. p. took an
appeal and discussed II with others until after
portion of the Convention who were for sustaining
the chair had left in the ten and one-half o'clock
cars when the chair was not sustained and the dis
cussion proceeded. 1t is worthy Of note, however,
that the individuals who, at Northfeld, moved and
carried through the previous question for the first
time il ever done since our acquaintance with
it and that against earnest circumstances, now OPP
posed it as out of order, showing that circumstan
ces alter cases. Dne good however results from
the discussion. At Mortified the mover of the
resolution dsclaimed the Interpretation given of
it, that 1t went to the extent of entire prohibition.
Now he acknowledges that that is its import and
that he is for going the whole figure.
1t comes then to this, that the friends OF tho
cause must consider whether they can with any
chance OF success, for law prohibiting the
sale of alcohol all ITS forms and of course in all
quantities. when the United States Court has de-
cded that liquor imported into the country, may
be sold by he importer in the eask in which 1t is
imported, whether he lives in Vermont or Boston,
or any other city and especially whether the
time has come to move for the attainment OF so
distant and uncertain object as the reversal OF
that decision, and cannot move peg to any
purpose in that direction until that is dsne-and
neglect TO enforce or improve our present law