Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-10-16
The Rnnseller.


WHOSE uUrY Is IT ~ rEosEctrEp
This question is or ought to be, one of vast
Importance ti every man. woman aud child; and
yet how few there are that ever give it passing
thought There are many who admit that with
tst rumscer--the greatest curse TINT ever vi.itcd
this earth, and WIN y daily and hourly dmguinp
DOWN thousands TO the lowest depths ng degu,da-
tion and to dishnnofet graves. bringing want nnd
desoation 20 thousands Of homes ---omething
"ught n he done but the mal1rity will S,y this
even, ina vuce scarcely audible for lear OF giving
Hence. Yes, truly, something ought t1 be done
70 put down this terrible monster, inlempcrenec
! l. peace SD sweet Or quiet So much 10 be dc.
sired, that we III down with folded hands and
allow the rumsellcr o. continue his we'll herun
work OF destruction, ruin and dcith2 But the
question is--whu ought, who iriH. duit? Surely
/ not the merchant. Oh, no, TOR hy sD doing he
might r~e not his good name, not his principles
# right and honor hut possibly few customers,
aud thereby few dollars and cents, and show
u the world that his trust j. not in hi dollars
angels weep TO write down the sad record
Mt the physician, fr how SION would his list
Of patients grow beautifully lcss2 For who that
Is brought o. resort tl medical aiI from an over
dose Of por whiskey or from dclirnm tremens
would employ man who encouraged the prs.
perity ol the community hy prosecuting the rum.
seller or him WHO iS disgucng G cimmuniy by
iiSirdctly conduct and priaue language in nur
~treet~P Not the blacksmith. for does not he h,ve
The goud things Of this life? Surely it must he the
iuty 0l somebody else he cinn0t risk losing his
customers Not the town officers. who desire n
reelection, for does not the nehtiAte's vote
conat2 and are there MT hundreds who. like
tsuu Of old, will sell their brthright, and vote
Tor the man that pays the most whskey? Not
the quiet, pesce-uving citizen tlr II his rights
arc not invaded, hi siumhors unbruken, h- nltcs
well secured, what cares he for the misery caused
by rum selling and rum-drnking2
But we say, shame ON the man or woman who
does not dare % come out boldly for the right,
and fight, II need be, for the cause they would
see prosper lntempcmnce never can and never
will be put down while temperance llyiug men
would be glad to strike. but dare not. for
fear somebody will be offended
Leta clergyman, more GOd-learing than man
fearing, preach on the subject Of temperance in
the pulpit: let him show them the truth rs it s
Sometimes the coat fits 80 well that men wear ia
home and keep it ON for day., declaring they will
never hear him preach again or pay cent Tor the
support OF such preaching. We thiuk that shows
guilt little too plain
At length move j. made tO arrest the evil !;
one OF the guilty ones i brought to ju~tice-and
10, the change Quiet prevails in our streets and
no curses greet the passer by from that direction
But, alas, in the darkness Of night the bjars crum
beaway the sign creak- again On its hinges the
chains Of the demon begin e. chnk feely, and
"hi spo" uiop VH' Iet US ne uouply Vyiltut lest
he appear ameng US again with retOubled power,
10 pursue his works of destruction
II the popular current Of opinion run in the
direction OF prosecution, what grand rush Of in
dictments there would be lsit lack Of courage 10
face the rum party that makes men stand Otek
with their hand in their pockets when there il a
drunken light in tho street, and wonder
whS somsbady don't arrest him ? NphDdy
feels it has duty, but somebody's else Npw
is Il not uunii.takaby the duty OF eccry man
who has honor and patriotism enough 20 care u
see our land freed from the curse ut lntemper-
ance and IT, crimes, and who has courage enough
tn Lace AN unpnpullr opiniln, whom he know he
has right and Justice un his side ? Lot every
tempernce-luyiug man feel it has duty, us well NJ
his rni ishhlr'S 10 do all he can % put down this
great evil and he will soon sec AN abundant har-
vest for hi- labor. d.