Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-28

hall was full. 1t would seem as if there
were men who were afraid to meet the
issue. Questions like this were considered
and canvassed in the political world, and
passed into law. but the law was not
enforced. He said it was reported
by a police officer that there were eighty
places in this village where liquor was
sold. Ii that was the case, were we any
better off, notwithstanding the election OF
men pledged to temperance, as Trustees,
last year. He knew the people were
convinced as be was convinced it is an
evil He had endeavored the past winter
in travelling over the hills and valleys,
speaking to the people, to present this
subject in its true light, and he had be-
come convinced that only by healthy
public sentiment could the law be en-
forced. Ii the law was good support and
enforce it, and bring the people up to its
support Repeal it if it was not effective.
1t is the best law on the subject on the
statute books of any commonwealth, and
yet people laugh because it is not en-
forced. Notwithstanding this law, we are
told there are eighty places for the
saleof liquor in our midst. He
was the enemy of no man.
He was the friend of the rumseller,
but an enemy of his traffic, and yet he
had been assaulted on the streets of Rut-
land because he did not assail the rum
seller with all the powers God had given
him. He loved the rumseler and only
denounced the traffic. He would dash
the decanter from the bar as he would
from the lips of the drinker. We must
do all in our power to bring up law abid-
ing Temperance men and women. Min
lister might come and talk as eloquently
as God has given them ability, but it
would be of no avail, unless backed by
the churches and the people. Minister
could advocate reform from the platform,
but if men outside of the ministry
would come upon that platform and make
thea minute speeches in favor of the
suppression of the traffic, it would drive
it out of Rutland ere the year
rolled around. Just SO long as men
are inactive it will continue. We come
to ask you to do your duty. He never
entered the political arena, and he only
asked men 10 do their duty to the present
and future generations. He appealed to
all classes the rum sellers, the rum
drinkers, the moderate drinkers, who keep
it in their cellars and drink it out of
splendid decanters and beautiful goblets,
while they were the professed friends. He
asked all to do their duty. 1t he drank
at all he would drink it openly. l would
drink it boldly, at my table, before my
children, and Just before he entered the
pulpit to perform the most sacred duties
devolving on any man. He would drink,
if at all, openly and boldly. He asked
them thus to do their duty on this ques-
ton boldly.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Mills remarks,
Rev, Mr.. Brigham begged to be released
from speaking, on account of the lateness
of the hour. Gov. Page said he felt i'm
PEELED to say few things, which he be-.
lieved it his duty to say. He said it had
been asserted that professed temperance
men kept and used liquor. He thought
people should look at the source from
whence such reports come, and they would
find they emanated from the rumsellers
or their advocates, and great care should
be taken to learn the facts before the as
sertion was made. He did not believe
them. He said something had been said
about the efficiency of the Trus ,ees. Sup
pose a board in favor of rumselling should
be elected. They had no control of the
matter. 1t was no more the duty of the
Trustees than of every other citizen The
Board had revoked licenses where the
law had been violated, and every man
had been compelled to give pledge that
he would not sell, before a license was
granted him. The difficulty was with
the prosecuting officers of the law, that
they do not obey the law in recording the
various fines and entering up the second
aud third offences. That they did not en-
force the law was why temperance men
were discouraged. The Trustees had done
their duty, and more than their duty.
They had revoked licenses and commenced
prosecutions, and been the only men who
had dared boldly to prosecute the rum
seller, and he asked where there were any
other seven men in the community that
had entered complaints and prosecuted
under the law during the past year.
Gov Page very properly stated the facts
as they were, and corrected the misrepre-
sensations that had been made.
After singing, the audience were dis
missed with the benediction, by Rev. Mr..
Bailey.