Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-11-10
For the Free Pres.


= temperance in the use ofarlent spirits by mean
some Of our wiscst and best men have differed
The attemut has more than once been made, ant
go far has been attended with variable success
so as not to lead to any unanimous conclusion.
There are these who earnestly contend that
the effect Of the enactment of the ".laia,
! Lair'' in this State, has only been to increase
the amount Of drinking. II IS evident, howev-
er, thst this is not the conviction Of many OF
our most earnest ph,lanthropsts and temperance
men, or certainly hey would cease TO advocate
the continuance Of such measure. They can
have uo possible object IN attempting to enforce
it as soon as they are convinced that intemper-
ance is not promoted by il.
There are some who contend that We cannot
make men moral by legislation, and that it is
useless-nay wrong-to attempt to do SO. This
is a very common argument. and to many ap-
pears conclusive, butt an not yet convinced Of
It's truth. Our present laws against profanity,
houses Of ill-iame, gambling, AMI against the
sale or publication of obscene books, are enact
nients Of this character; but do We desire them
repealed ? Evidently they should be il We ean-
not make men moral by Legislation cur Sab
bath observance laws are also Of the same char
acter. Other instances vii easily occur TO the
mind of any one.
We are told, too, hat such laws cannot lc
enforced. The frequent violations Of the pro-
hibisory law in those States that have passed t.
are pointed to as conclusive evidence that the
whole law is failure. We are no, sure but
! people have expected too much from enactmenrs
Of this kind. 1t IS evident that in many locali-
/ ties, much through the Indifference Tor It may
be opPosi;ion) Of the local authorizes, liquor
selling is as openly allowed. as though no such
law existed. To my mind, this Is stronger eyi-
Of the iuefiicency or ineompetency Of those who
should enforce the law, than Of the law itsclt
The fact that it is enforcei'in few localities, and
there is now occasionally a man fined in the
small petty sum Of five or ten dollars. FOR vic-
latin- the law, Is some proof that the blame
rests elsewhere than in the law
Some will say We cannot expect that law Of
this character, calculated, as it IS TO etfec; au
almost entire social revolution, can easily bc en-
forced at once. Time will be required for thepur-
pose. Allow me M Editor to ask how long men
wan; law TO be enacted before it ought to De-
put in force If the occasion requires it, !
think that that i poor argument think
the law is a good one, and the trouble is ia 'he
indifference Of the local authorities, more than
in the Law. Pr,judices must be overcome b,f.r.
we can expect it to work as well as it might De-
desired. Where ordinary vigilance is usel the
public sale can soon be prevented
And the way to 10 it is for every lover Of
temperance and good order 10 unite together
and say that the Law shall be enforced not To
stand back for fear Of offending some that rili
not vote for yoL at the next election. Some
will stand back and say that if you stop the
public sale il will be sold on the sly. thar IS ut
an objection Of much Importance Where liquor
selling is narrowed down to that, the evil is
pretty much checked, and we may safely predict :
its final determination at no distant period.
wish l could say with truth that in the .
town Of Milton liquor selling was narrowed
down to selling on the sly; but judging from
repor, it i far from it. When "a country tavern
s,lls upon the Sabbath sixty dollars worth ofli- F.
quor by glass in one day, il is time to say that
blame rests somewhere.
IL. "a
failure that any law is violatcl7 All experience
tells US not.
The fact that in every county we have .jai.s,
and lvck-ups, and constablGs and other oitcers
for the apprehension aud punishment Of those
who set our laws at defiance, tells Us not.
Do We consider our laws against stealing
failure because they are violated, and that even
with all their penalties, thieves are continually
proWling about, 50 that every man finds it Ne
cessary to use bolts and bars /; ami even then
his goods are not safe unless watched with the
greatest vigilance Are our laws against mur-
der failures because they are violated, Shall
we repeal our laws against brawls and fighting
because they are at times disregarded, and in
some localities with impuuity' Do We expect
that our laws in reference to the liquor traffic
shall be respected by the class Of men who do
not regard law unless they are compelled to ?
We always expect that laws will be violated,
aud It is for this reason, and this only, that we
tax ourselves to build our prisons and jails, and
maintain our police forces.
If our present law is violated through any de-
fects in its provisions let it be amended. Orif
our present system of administering laws is in
efficient let it be improved, but let US not fold
our arms aud cease our efforts to use every
means to put down evil so alarming in its ex-
tent and consequences as intemperance. 1 be
lieye in our present law there is no proyiso
against pocket licenses, which are 80 common
with certain class that call themselves .No5s
! (But deliver me from such.) | say let a man
be man, or a mouse or long tail rat. aud not
be ashamed to show his hand, | am sorry to say
IT but am afraid that such licenses get into
the pockets of men that profess better things.
who ought to be setting better examples, to our
young men. and the church. Mr.. Editor, |
will close by wishing the law every success, ss
well as every temperance man who is not afraid
to come out ard let the public know vherc be
stands. Yours SC Wv
MILTON, Nov. 1, 1865.
/ VIoLsST DEATH HEREDITARY IN FAMILY.
The Rev. Lot Jones, OF this city, who was
4 I'll r.
Church in Philadelphia, while 10 attendance
on the Convention Of the Episcopal Church
belongs 10 a family who have suffered l4uln
| fntni lnsnalfins hernr,l ,,rocodnnt MI