The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-10-06
THE TRANSCRIPT.
The Temperance Question.


pure water for domestic use and other :
purposes We now propose to offer
few remarks upon very different
subject, intending to present what we
have to say within narrow compass,
and with such frankncss that our
meaning and purpose will be distinct
ly understood The former article
was local in its nature. Our present
remarks will be of comprehensive
character and have % general appica
ton.
Now that the war is over, There is
great occasion that public attention
should be directed to another greater
evil than war which seems to over
shadow everything like a cloud and to
fill the air with darkness We mean
the portentous sin of intemperance
which is said to be the greatest evil
which aflicts our country A vigor-
Gus writer on this subject claims that
the means by which incorporate
drinking is to be suppressed are just
as much mystery as ten years ago,
the means by which slavery was to be
destroyed were
We stand in the presence Of this 81
gantic evil, baflled porpexed, despair
ing. We cry, 90. Lord, how long .?
and we feel, in the depths Of our con-
viction, that only the lord can tel
how long. Indeed, we are beginning
to feel that only the Lord can lead the
nation, by some such violent means as
He is now employing to eXterminote
slavery, out Of its beastly dcbaucherics
1t seems as if there must come n visit
alton of cholera, or plague, or some
other agency Of destruction, to wipe
out of existence the scottish herd that
now give themselves mp TO drink, and
scare the still untaiutcd from the
drunkards doom.
One after another the agencies relied
upon for the maintenance Of temper
ance and the institution OF reform are
failing, and proving themselves to be
wholly inadequate to the end contcm
plated in their institution
1t has been said that we have lost
more men by rum than by war during
the last ten years. We have welcomed
the peace by which our armies have
been brought home. We look forward
with foreboding and alarm to a fresh
harvest of death from drunkenness il
consequence of the peace which ha.
been so gloriously achieved On ON,
side of the dead line are arrayed mon
ey, the love Of money-making and th'
appettes and the passions Of men; OF
the other, Christian principle. 1t wa
so with human slavery with all its at
tendants of mischief and misery.
took several years Of war and immens
suffering to pave the way for the OK
tiipaton Of this national evil If an
one can see how incompetence can b
destroyed by anything less than
providontial CONFUSION he can see Gu
ther into the future than we.
1t is an admitted fact that intempe
ance is increasing with fearful rapidii
every day 1t is apparent not only
our midst but throughout the lcngt
and breadth Of the country. Wheth
the popular mind has become indiilc
ent to the sublect whether the Mail
law has failed to accomplish the pa
poses of its enactmont--w whether n j
dicious License system would not
more effective than existing laws a
questions Of great importance al
weight. We do not now intend
discuss any of them, even briefly, b
pass to the simple announcement of
great enemy to reform which for t
want of a better term may be call
the politics OF temperance.
Adopting the reasoning as well
language of an exchange, we renal
Alcoholic liquors Of all sorts are r.
ognized by the general government
legitimate articles Of import, exp
manufacture and sale, lay ,he citizC
of the country, aud are taxed acco
ingly, with the aim TO derive a Ian
revenue from them. Ii has practica
been so ever since the Maine law u
passed in the state Men have alw;
been able to get foreign liquors
original packages and this fact ale
has arrayed the general goyernm'
against the temperance policy of
state, and neutralized the influence
state legislation. 1t viii always be
The Maine law must be q dead let
IN every state in the Union SO long
the general government recognizes
traffic in liquor as legitimate and
lies upon il for material portion
its revenues II viii always do {
so long as liquors are used medicil
ly and IN the arts, SO long will
government recognize them as les
mate articles Of manufacture
trade, without undertaking 10 me,
with the matter Of Temperance;
the people must adapt Themselves
tins state of things 1t will be fo
impossible for any state 10 oyerc
Il