Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-02-03
The Temperance Convention.

The General Temperance Convention in
this city was not as large a body as it might
have been reasonably expected to be, under
the call All but two or three counties were,
however, represented. 1t was respectable in
numbers, and highly SO in the general char
ncter Of It's members. The influence of such
a gathering in rousing interest and effort
throughout the State canDot fail to be great;
and it must be matter for sincere regret that
such wholesome influence should have been
impaired by ill-advisej action on points on
which there is not, and is not likely to be,
general agreement among sincere friends Of
temperance.
The resolutions might have been more nu-
merous and multifarious, and probably would
have been, had there been more time but
the approach of night compelled the exceed
ingly industrious committee on resolutions to
hold up, and they mercifully stopped with
sixteen \ motion to lay upon the table all
after the twelfth, was made by a delegate
who suggested, very sensibly, that there was
such a thing as getting too many even Of
good resolutions that the resolutions were
running things too much into details; and
that it was better to separate, united and in
earnest as to the main work, rather than
divided and disturbed by pressing Of minor
points on which all were not agreed. But
the motion was voted down.
The most spirited discussion of the day
was on the last clause of the ninth resolution.
4 majority of the ministers present were
evidently opposed to this, and defended their
cloth with much spirit The adoption ofthe
resolution by decided vote was clear indi-
cation that the convention considered that
the clergy as a class needed stirring up. How
much of an incentive the application Of the
somewhat pointed pole Of the resolution Will
prove, remains to be seen.
What the action of the convention would
have been, if full, and after full discussion,
on the matter of creating a provisional 20
litical organization, is doubtful 1t was
brought up at the tail of the resolutions,
and after many delegates and members had
left 1t was suggested that, having resoly-
ei that it was inexpedient at present to or
ganize new political party, it was hardly
the thing for the convention TO 20 on and
organize one, even Professionally; and that
all that is needed in that direction Is that
temperance men shall do their duty as cit
liens in the nominating conventions but
there was no extended debate on these
points, and though the few votes on the
adoption Of the clause that some sort Of po-
ltical organization is expedient, were so
equally divided that the chair was appar-
emily in doubt, as were many others, how
the vote stood, it was allowed to pass
carried. On one or two other resolutions
there was by no means general agreement;
but 10 one seemed ready TO debate them,
and they went by default.
The convention, by its political action, I'M
dertook to commit to three men in each
county. nominated at random in thin con-
yention, and selected for counties not repre- I
scented, - including at the time some ofthc /
largest counties of the Stately men Of |
other counties, the extraordinary power Of
deciding whether the nominations Of State 4
and county officers, made by the citizens in
their regular political conventions, are or
are not % cOnseientiOusly approved by tenn
eeBance men, On this action, VIC shall
have something more to say.
We are glad that the delegates from Chit
tsnden county were sensible and independent
enough to refuse to sanction such a pro-
ssed.ng by any nominations for such a
purpose.