Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-09-08
Republican County nominations.
The Temperance Question.

Letter from Rev. L. W. Brigham.l
Looking from my window the other
morning, upon the street nay eyes fell up
on a scene that brought pain to my heart,
and produced mingled feelings of pity,
shame and indignation. It is not an I'M
common event to see men drunk. A man
bearing the image of his Heavenly Father
SO far forgetting his high birth and des-
tiny, as to dethrone manhood, and yield
to degrading appetite that sinks him
far below his element. Why will men do
this, and go Keeling through our Streets
exhibiting their degradation to the
world.
AS he was taken off to Jail, asked N.Y.
self, why does he drink, and who placed
temptation in his way, has he a home,
wife and children to love, how could he
so far forget his obligation towards them
and his own personal self respect as to be-
come a drunkard
/ could but regard his condition as a
misfortune, demanding my pity, than a
crime calling for punishment. There is
blame somewhere. Somebody is repon-
sible before God and man for this mans
sins.
While I would not loosen mans sense of
accountability and personal obligation,
yet when I consider mans weakness of
moral principle, his often inherited appe-
tite, and the temptations that often sur
rounds him, can but think there is some
times party more guilty than himself.
In this case, why does the curse of low
and public sentiment fall npon the poor
deluded fool of appetite, while he who
knowing of his brothers weakness, and for
the love of gold, so long INDUCED as to
we'll nigh obliterate the last vestige of
manhood and self respect, he should go
free ! Why shut the druukard out of re-
spectacle society, and take the other in !?
Why curse the one aud applaud the
otherY Why not treat both to the smart
of law AS well might you arrest the
murdered man and let the murderer go
free, applaud the thief, while the public
curses his vio'im. Woe unto him that
putteth the bottle to his neiphbor, and
roskatb him arpnkan also
wbv the drunksrd is nrrisbsd and
the drunkard mixer go free, when there
l. 1.r, a.,si,s+ hin, NH =, ,,r,Foss.a1,,
+enrersro, man and women ill fro+s-
ri,a o,d .rado Nth snob was, 80
...,-z.sys...g,, ,,..,,,.r-i .a,-y arc wuaJ rnev
should be. Ihey viii not desist so long
as they make money Ioso no trade, but
gain 1t ra'her' nor lose caste IN the COM
munltY thereoy'
cannot understand why these things
are so, only that the majority are either
in love with their cups themselves or so
chained by lis fur reach1ns- Influence that
they have not the moral courage to utter
single word OF protest.
They will lose influence, caste, political
preferment, or custom in business, or to
be CONSISTENT must torego Inc use CT
glass OF VINE no" an" '"en. Some or all
OF these Ia what oennnos our moral
sense binds orr eyes 10 the crime OF this
trafho' prevents our omoers from doing
their duty seeking by every possible
means TO eVade the spirlt OF the law, well
knowing they would DO deposed from Of
fee, by that public sentiment expressed
through the votes OF protested religious
and temperance men OF Rutland and what
Is true here "a true OF every town IN the
State more or less'
The truth is temperance and morality
are obliged to go begging. Society is in
auenced too much, by a class of men out
wardly respectable and making loud pro-
fessions, but at their homes, or within the
charmed circle of political associates and
scramble for office. are not what they
should be. Like the mans pig, that to
his CONSERVATION was pig at home but
dog abroad. Their secret life gives the
lie more emphetically to their professions
than any words can.
A man who takes decided and con.
sistent stand upon temperance, is not
popular. cannot be elected to Office, will
not be heard, and if preacher, we fear,
dismissed from his charge. Such is the
undisRuised public sentiment upon this
question.
When we consider, that if tie profess
eddy temperance and religious people OF
our State we're to unitedly throw their in
fuence against the traffic. less than one
year would put AN end to it, this all will
admit, and yet ii is not done. Can we
speak any too plainly upon this subject
keeps alive this traffic in the bodies and
souls of men. If all the professors of re-