Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-01-05
Vermont state Temperance Society.
REPORT OF TIE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

REPORT OF TIE EXECUTIVE OONNlIIEE'
The year that is now closing has not pass
cd without interest to TIE friends OF lem
perance. At its beginning We felt that we
were living in n trial-pcri1d of the cause
For A long season t ere had been on the
subject great apathy among the people. The
friends of the reform had lost courage.
They had seen one after another Of their
measures prove Intellectual 10 stay the II
coming tide Of woe They had seen @ new
generation arising, not curbed By the NORA
restraints against the use Of the intoxicating
cup which existed quarter of century
before. The enemy bad almost driSen the
Temperance force from the field.
During the year there have been hopeful
indications The trends Of the cause IN
Massachusetts are prosecuting the work
with energy and vigilance. The press
throughout most OF the Northern States has
devoted more space and strength to the de
cussion Of themes connected with the reform
than for many preceding years. The sara
toga Convention, which has resulted IN the
90 nation Of National Temperance Society,
with the prospect of a large fund, and
publishing house. on a well establishe
basis, is a source Of no little encouragement
We see in these events tokens Of a revival IN
this worthy cause.
Our own State has not done herself jus
tice. She is not marching, as she ought to
be, in the van Of this forward movement.
The Committee goes on 10 say what has
been done IN Vermont by them during the
/ year. They have procured the publication
/ Of Temperance articles, in the papers, and
| acknowlege their obligations 10 the editors
/ very successful Mass Meeting was held
at White River Village There was gath
cred an audience OF more than five hundred,
though the travelling and weather
were quite unlayoIablc. The influence Of
the meeting WAS undoubtedly Tor good. Ii
forts were made u sesuIc such gatherings
elsewhere, bus without much success.
Something was done to galyanizc the old,
and too nearly dead organizations OF the
counties.
Ia Orange County, al small cost, d more
successful meeting Vas secured Khan g..
several wears IL Is believed hat tr III ;ni-
several towns gained -uih,irnt imIulsc 90
urganIzu successful SJ,I-tIy-.
The Comm tee We, much ,uharl. s-,l
to find a suitable genrra. agent Four or
five OF the beet men iu llr S,lte were se4rrI-
made at the meeting OF abe y. Methodist
Conference. Rev. ". ". Atwa,er wa.
highly recommended by his brethren. he
WAS at liberty to engage portion % Tie
time IN the Temperance work. He Thought
three-iourths. H. would enter upon u d
be could receive az the rate OF SluU laI
month tor the ume actually employed, pay
ing hl- own expenses. anu being resp u-il.,
4 jed.
ter was engaged He began bis labor %
May,-was soon after interrupted in bis ia
b0ls by i'll health. for nearly FIX weeks 10
August be began active service gain. ll'
made II his first, a. 10 seemed o. him. Oh,
important part of his work. 20 yiullcate tl'
law The organizations which lc llec,c.
were maintained % small bands. pledged {,
] strive for the execution % the law.
, Various obstacles prevented VIDE sue
cess, At least. iu 81 short % time as Bee l4
been permitted 10 engage lt may ia per
. mlttcd 20 u 20 say that he la, done BOT
b little 10 make the law respected 10 Bur.u-
ton. Ncrgeuuc>, ami other iag.s- Far,cl
D. larry gratifying g. Temperance friends W-~
i through his ins.rumCutl.ity. the seizure Do
J the capital Of tie state. That hundreds u
J barrels of liquor should BE- sold and lrlui
almost under the arches u! ;ha, noble eiLIc
Z where our pr0hibit0rv law was enacted. ha
been enough t. make every ylrtl0us citizen
che,k tinele with shame. We believe tia
I events are in tram which Will Danish tll
, I disgrace from our state. And. 10 Do -lal
, rr1ye that the sale oi liquors can Pee IRE
vented in the capital It may be- czIeclc'
that law-abiIIuE citizens Will take clll--.
70 enforce the IrOhilit.ry statute au oNt
the state And, If we see this accIuTlI -lCi
. We can hardly doubt ;ast moral sua-i1n wl
o. he 80 cdectuallY cooperative. that tie ham
OF intempcrauce will be thoroughly cheek
. Cd, # not entirely blui-hyi from oar hlg
, ders.
y very i@I r5tau; means 90, hsiuE.u
before the people facts Do regard O. Oh
amount OF liquor sold, the number Of pros.
, cutilus. amount Of fines, DC, the clmmiy-e
recommend the appointment of Sccre,ar
d 70 gather and publish such information.
The Committee recommend TIE iaIsius ,
L Temperance Fund, and the holding of mas
meetings III different parts Of the State, a
which by speeches and other means. the DO
terost OF the people iu the subject OF Ten
uerAuce may he aroused and kept alive
. Part OF this fund might be prlhJahiy use
c IN introducing an element Of Temperance
/ into the instruction OF our schools.
q The Committee urge thorough Organ.z-
ton Of the SJcie,y, 80 that its influence ma
be FELT throughout all the STATE. In couc.l
d sion they say We regret that neither Oh
2 agencies of the Society nor 81 rts from olhC
sources seem seusibly to diminish tie amour
q Of intemperanec through the State Win
: in % few localities u cheek has been given
the liquor traffic. 1t Is patent 10 every ubser'
% iug man who travels over uur STATE, that Oh
: law Il largely imperative. IcupenuC
men lack the courage and s,lt-ienial TO yr
, Ter heartily into tue suppression Of sllr'
) Moderate drinking Is becoming both MOI
general and mJrv respectable Young me
are sweeping along N tue destroying curreu
SEEDS Oi wIlc-sp cad we are being sJwI
mighty harvest is Preparing. y na.y,'
Oi wretchCdues> Tor our children and 9,
{ multitude, Vel unborn. Lcl j, De- cur al
70 nest inquiry, w uat can We d. o. stay O.
de-olaung tide? tod grant that en-
plans may be here GcSi-cI, WHOSE execute
IN the coming year shall .vA hack TIE %,
G suOylng hJyd