The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-04-20

next worthy cause, and "a ready for A.
determined and effective Aetion Re
forms never 20 baekwsad, aud true
ones never fail Tho reiormatory en-
orgies Of this nation are now 10 turn
themselve 10 the overthrow of intem-
peranee
Every great moral evil hike dis
ease, has lis eliminating point. its eri
ss, when il must yield and perish, or
kin Us subjec. Slavery came to this
crisis, and when we were in doubt
whether II was to destroy the nation or
perish itself, il committed suicide and
We have and end Of il. War, among
the nations. has about reached its cri-
SIS II seems ready 10 perish by its
own arts. which make the instruments
Of death so terrible that nobody viii
think Of standing before them. So in
temperance seems destined to perish by
its arts Of imitation and admi1 ture.
Let them be fully exposed and who will
dare the dangers OF their use :
The question now arises; What shall
be done II we approach this inquiry
with determination to meet the evil,
as ii practically exists, and to take
counsel of our better Judgment, rather
than Of orr pride and our fears, we
shall have harmony Of opinion and Of
action. Our measures will be stern
enough for efficiency; where decisive
action is advisable; and flexible enough
10 adapt themselves to the condition Of
things in every community We have
4 / The method of iap This is effect
nal, and acquiesesd in, wherever public
sentiment bears ont its enforcement
In some towns it is a prdcheal pyohibl-
Ton Of the liquor traffic In others
where popular opinion is more moder-
ate, il operates simply as restraint
And in in others stiA has no practical
results whatever, simply because drink
ing is common and respectable, temper
ance principles covered, and nobody
will take the responsibility Of prosecu
tions. This law pronounees the popu
lar verdict against rum-selling. II tpla-
ces this business IN the attitude Of a
moral nuisance, that the people may
abate, by their condemnation, and,
when such measures fail) by legal pro-
eeedings No statute gives its sane
tioDs, or virtuous pubhc oentimSnt ite
approval II is just what il is designed
to be, an instrumentality dependent on
public sentiment for its efficiency and
to be used for the enforcement of the
popular verdict, Toat empt more than
this is TO irritate and madden our enc
mics, and stir up sympathy for them,
Gas prosecuted, and effect no perma-
nent reform Let the law stand as it
is, look for no modification or amend
ment; they will serve no purpose for
good But let us turn our attention to
other agencies which must COME in to
meet the exigences Of the case, aud
which are calculated to secure popular
favor
2 We should have individual reform
Personal enlightenment on the laws OF
health, and competence to obey them,
is the basis Of the temperance struct-
ure. The conclusive arguments OF our
fathers, on the uselessness and destruc-
tiyeuess Of alcoholic drinks, all require
TO be presented again for the benefit Of
this generation, And with those argu-
ments, the terrible lessons to be drawn
from the doubly distilled poisons now
vended for drinks There must be
hght, and there must be decision, to ey-
cry indidual for himself Else all reso-
lutions made, and pledges given, will
be Of no avail.
3. We require social organizations
We know that eloquent lecturers have
stirred up the people, and secured
thousands OF signatures to the temper
anee pledge; and that individual effort
has accomplished much by the same
means. Bat unless those thus pledged
are gathered into some temperance fold
they cannot be made very seryiceable to
tue cause, or protected against aposta-
ey Thore are, iu tAis State, now, l02
Lodges q the Order Of Good Ten
piars aith 1000 citizen members, and
% Tie "sous II Temperance" and
"Tsniplars ~ Hoaor" many more
These are valuable auziliaries ii cur
work They connect social and edaca-
tioaal Interest," sith those Of temper
anee, and heir exercises have gtea. iu-
tare {, especia.iy % TIE young Let
them be encouraged. Bot % they, or
can ibey aaosd al necessary iaciliies
ior eomhiaei aetiJn2 They h4Ee 9th
q oiieets. IN which tAey are rivals T.
each ether aud tLese are secret socie-
ties. and. therefore, ,distasteiul 10 many.
MOI 70 urge this ourselves. We would
ask l. not some organization o.
broader, aud ali-eompreheading basis,
desirable and necessary
i We need combination method
~ action Afnbraeinv NOT ONLY all oruMn.