Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-04-06
[For the Free Press.

MEssRs. EDITORS If any still doubt the util
ny and necessity of Prohibitory Liquor Law
like the one we have in Vermont, as one of tbs
means to restrain from the indiscriminate sale o
| intoxicating drinks, and so from drunkenness, ht
should make short visit to the State of New
York. The contrast in sobriety, thrift, manliness
and all the habits, virtues and states that are pro-
motedby temperance, between large classes on this
side of the Champlain, and those opposite to them
in New York, cannot fail to be seen by any one
that has eyes. Here we seldom see a man drunk,
or staggering in the streets from strong drink I
do.not now remember to have seen but one such
sight for five years past Opposite to us, in New
York, few sights more common. Hardly day
passes if you are in the villages or on one of the
public roads, in which you do not see more or less
of these painful sights. At any rate such sights
passed before my eyes almost daily for the or
weeks have just spent in N. Y. The day before
left,a wagon passed in which were three men two
Of whom lay dead drunk in the wagon, and the
other drunk that he could not drive safely,
mercifully. the jaded horse that he was cru
beyond his speed and strength plainly showed.
Such sights as these have largely increased in n.
Y. within few years past. So says every observer
Of the progress and regress of society. The Cham
plain Presbytery at their annual meeting in Jan
uary last, deplore this fact thus: "Intemperance,
that scourge of our country, is evidently on the
increase within our bounds, and making progress
among our youth" Strong drink again, as of old,
degrades and destroys not only many of the poorer
and least informed class in society, but it enters
some of the best families, and throws down their
most promising sons. And how can these things
to law. Their producing causes found in near
ly every village, and at the corners Of many of
the streets, in the form Of licensed grog-shops.
Have not the owners Of these right for which
they have paid their money, to tempt and destroy |
their fellow men.-provided they can increase |
their gains by so doing? Is it not lawful bust
ness defined by statute, and defended by the au-
hority Of the Empire State
The numbers Of these grog-shops now in full
blast surprised me. Several Of the villages Of
Clinton Essex and Franklin Counties have one
20 about each hundred Of their population One
own has now two Of these licensed rum-shops where
here has been none for fifteen years before.
Names and places could be given to verify these
tatements, but are Withheld because the writer
loes not wish TO make unnecessarily odious the
egion that gave him birth, and nourished his
hidhood and youth. Suffice it to say that PIatts-
lurgh Is the centre of this iniqnitous traffic for
arge re ou. There IS here, As there ever has
,een, bat more now than formerly, large and lu-
thinks. Plattsburgh is thus obnoxious to the
Wo unto him that buildeth his house BY IN
izhteousness, and his chambers by wrong This
70 already and for years past rests upon her. The
ire that SO desolated the town a few years since
eCan as it was then confessed, in one Of the low
st Of her rum holes. She has too long had, to
ly the least a very unenviable reputation,-one
bat tends to lower the character Of her young
zen, and degrade tba; Of her old men, in the eyes
her neighbors and the region round about.
The contrast between this part Of New York
nd Vermont opposite, is caused, in 4 great de-
rec. by the presence here, and the absence there,
f an excellent Prohibitory Liquor Law, and pre-
snts strong motive to every one among US, to
iminister and sustain promptly and wisely this
uardian Of our lives our property and our hon
\. D. B.
Wiuiston, March 80, le6o.