The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-04-20

down rebelhon and rs melting causr.
That work done, it waits iis next worthy
cause, and il ready foras determined and
effective action. "Reforms never 90 back.
ward" and true ones never fail. The re-
formatory energies Of this nation are now
to turn themselves to.the overthrow of in.
temperance
Every great moral evil, like disease,
has its eliminating point, is crisis when
it must yield and perish, or kill its subject.
Slavery came tothis crisis and when VIC
were in doubt whether il was to destroy
the nation or perish itself, il committed
suicide and we have an end of it. War
among the nations, has about reached its
crisis. II seems ready to perish by it's
own arts, which make the instruments of
death so terrible thut nobody will think of
standing before them. So intempcrance
seems destined to perish by lis arts of i'm
itation and admixture Let then be fully
exposed and who will dare the danger of
their use
The question now arises: What shall
be done If we approach this inquiry
with the determination to meet the evil,
as it practically exists, and to take counsel
Of Four better judgment, rather than of our
pride and our fears, we shall have harmo-
ny of opinion and of action. Our meas
ures will be stern enough for efficiency,
where decisive action is advisable and
flexible enough to adapt themselves to the
condition of things in every community.
We have,
l. The method of laic. This is effectual.
and acquesced in. wherever public senti
ment bears out its enforcement. In some
towns it is a practical prohibition of the
liquor traffic. In Others, where popular
opinion is more moderate, it operates sim
ply as a restraint. And in others still has
no practical results whatever, simply be-
cause drinking is common and respectable.
temperance principles covered, and no.
body will take the responsibility of prose
cution- This law pronounces the popular
verdict against rum-selling. 1t places this
business in the attitude of moral nuisance.
that the people may abate, by their con
demnation, remonstrance, and (when such
measures faiD by Legal proceedings. No
statute gives it its sanctions, or virtuous
public sentiment its approval. 1t is Just
what it is designed to be- an instrumental
ity dependent on public sentiment for lis
efficiency, and to be used for the enforce
ment of the popular verdict To attempt
more than this is to irritate and madden
our enemies, and stir up sympati v for
them las prosecuted and effect no perma-
neDt reform. Let the law stand ms il 10
look for no modification or amendment /;
they will serve no purpose for good. But
let US turn our attention to other agencies
which mast come in to meet the exigen
cies of the case, and which arc calculated
to secure popular favor.
2. We stouM fdce m1,ai,M gefoga.
Personal enlightenment on the laws of
health, and competence to obey them. is
the basis of the temperance structure. The
conclusive arguments of our fathers, ON
the uselessness and destructiveness of
alcoholic drinks, all require to be presented
again for the benefit Of this generation.
And with those arguments, the terrible
lessons to be drawn from tie douJu dis,
titled pois0ns now vended for drinks. There
must be light. and there must be decision.
to every individual for and of himself.
Else all resolutions made, and pledges Civ.
en-, will be of no avail.
8. We require social oya,0saitons. We
know that eloquent lectures have stirred
up the people, and secured thousands of
signatures to the temperance pledge; and
that individual effort has frequently ac-
compfished much by the same means.
But unless those thus pledged are gathered
into some temperance fold they cannot be
made very serviceable to the cause, or
protected against apostacy. There are in
this State, now, l02 Lodges Of the "Or-
der of Good Templars, with 1000 citizen
members, and of the Sons of Temper
ance," and "Templars Of Honor" many
more. These are valuble auxliaries in
our work. They connect social and edu-
cational interests with those oftemperance
and their exercises have great interest, es
peclally to the young. Let them he en-
couraged But do they, or can they, af-
ford all necessary facilities for combined
actionY They have other objects, and they
are ''secret societies." and, thel efore dis
tasteful to many, Not to urge this our
selves. we would ask Is not some crgsn-
ization on broader, and all comprehen.
ding basis, desirable and necessary,
A. We need combinations a method of ac-
ton embracing not only all organizations,
but all friends of the cause, who can
unite oD some general measures, and in n
common purpose; like our town temperance
societies OF yore, all auxiliary 10 the Yer
mont State Temperance Sciety, sharing in
its deliberations, and contributing 10 ;ts
support. IT should be organized on a broad
and liberal basis; and, in its own oanae;tv
aim simply at voluntary reform, with
the purpose of forming, combining and ex.
pressing such temperance sentiment as will
dissuade offenders from an unlawful traffic.
'r give force, in the extremity. to legal
process. In short. with what we now have
we require the system of moral suasi;on
which accomplished so much in the early
days OF the temperance reform. To this
the public mind now turns, as no expert
ment, but tried and successful method.
A new generation has cume on to the
stage, and this plan win have the same
attractions aud novelty as of yore. We
must depend, not upon some cunning
scheme, but upon practical and well.