Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-02-12
Our Gutstrru Correspondence.
For the Waterman
L1CKS AT THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS, Jan. 81, 1864.
Mr.. Wdtchmdn You said in late number
that the Boston Journal called loudly for the
repeal Of the prohbitory liquor law and the
substitution Of license law. The reason
assigned was, the prohibitory law can not be
enforced in Boston. Allowing the journal
to be correct, il the present law is repealed
and the license law substituted, would not
the same result ensue, by the popular will.
as now ensues, by disregard Of that will
Rum is sold now contrary to law it is pro-
posed to bring the popular will to that prac-
tice, and enact it into law, and thus make
the people responsible for the sale. Is it
statesmanliko to adopt the practice of peo-
pie for the basis of laws The law requires
the sacred observance of the Sabbath. The
practice of thousands is, a disregard Of that
day. Shall the State therefore repeal it's
Sabbath law and enact license for its viola
ton Profaneness in certain circumstances
is forbidden. Great numbers disregard the
law shall the State repeal il and enact a
permit to profanity There are stringent
laws against theft, but very many steal Shall
those laws be repealed and permit granted
to pilfers
But have the people right to license in
such cases : Have they the right TO license
rum selling They once supposed they had,
and the times of that ignorance God winked
at, but now, commandeth He every rum
selling State in this Union to repent The
business is immoral. 1t takes pay, bat gives
no equivalent 1t promotes drinking, and
drinking poverty, cruelty, disease, murder
and premature death Of the drinker. Shall
the State take the responsibility of this p
Shall engagedness in this business by wicked
men, be the rule for the people OF the state
The rum makers and sellers want such law /;
would it be advisable to bring the morality
of the people to their standard, and make all
participate in their guilt
! The Journal claims to be respectable, but
what should we think Of the jurst who
should plead for the adjustment of laws
against murder, or adultery, because bad men
would break them, If the laws were re-
moved, would the crimes be less in number,
orless in heinousness If there were no stat
ute against these crimes or any others, would
bad men be more apt to refrain from them
Do not let therefore the person or the paper
which pleads for license to make and vend in
toxicating drinks solace itself with the idea
that iii mitigating crime; the plea is for
multiplying and perpetuating crime. 1t sets
at nsught the conscientious judgment of a
/
England and Of almost all true virtue in the
world. Go to the police court in Chicago on
any Monday morning and see the culprits
there, who have been made such by whisky
and beer sold under license. OF the TWEEN
ty-four hundred cases before that tribunal,
the last year, eighteen hundred were made
culprits by strong drink or the misery
occasioned by their drinking. You may i'm.
agine, cannot describe it, Shall the Yer
mont public become subsidiary to this plan
for making criminals
! This, Mr.. Waterman, is the real question.
Have the people the right to make criminals
Shall they tell the unprincpled whose mouths
ought to be held in by bit and dlr,-You
may intoxieate all whose vicious appetite
Graves alcoholic drinks, by paying certain
sum into the State Treasury Let any man
become cognizant of the misery made here
among men. women and children by dealing
out whisky, according to law, to drunken
parents, and if his heart is not adamant.
he would blush ever to plead again for
license law. Let the wicked who will do SO
vile thing clandestiney, do it on their own
responsibility, and with the consciousness OF
public odium resting upon them.
Yours as ever.