Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-28
temperance. i
Suggestive Facts.

Certainly Senator Wilson's wish goes with
the thought, but he is undoubtedly correct,
when he says there is much less intemperance
among Congressman than formerly. lie says
that about one.fourth Of the Senators are
pledged temperance men, and that there is
not now what may be called hard drinker "
in the Sonatc.-1he following true words from
John Ruskn do but say Amen to the new
Illinois law aud now let all the people say
Amen, by the vigorous enforcement of it
" Drunkenness very slightly encourages theft,
very largely encourages murder, and univer-
sally encourages idleness, which is not crime
apparent IN tabular form. Drunkenness is
not the cause Of crime in every case. 1t is
itself crime IN every case And the encour.
agcncnt Of drunkenness, for the sake Of
the profit on sale Of drink, is certainly
one Of the most criminal methods Of assas-
snation for money hitherto adopted by the
brayos Of any age or country" Will the law
be enlorced2 This is simply a question of
good citzenship as against cowardice or in-
difference to the most appalling curse which
rests upon society.-The State Temperance
Convention recently held at Augusta, Maine,
reported in favor Of similar law, making
the seller Of intoxicating liquors and the
owner Of the building responsible for the
damage done by an intoxicated person. Let
al The States 40 the same Nothing is more
reasonable han the f1stio icrSs Ia a case Ike
this As a general thhk,, those who engage
/ iu dram-sellng eQfe ittrt tdr public opinion,
and ore Er ~ Influenced by moral, than by
pecuniary suason.-If the late Dr. Beman
was ever afraid Of anything it was sin, moth
ing else. The liquor-selling interests which
have cowed so many pulpts into silence, had
no power 10 daunt him A dram-seller
once applying for a pew in his church, was
shown one well forward, the trustee adding
with a significance that was not pleasing
to the poison-yender, This is an eligible
pew-but it's pretty near the muzze ~
4 late number Of the New York Times con.
tains this item " Roswell II. Jerome, son
Of the Alderman, died yesterday from an
overdose Of opium to quiet the nerves. pros
trated by liquor. His mother has become in
sane aud his father is very ill.," But this
case is only typical Of ten thousand others
equally tragic Mothers, make sure Of this,
that your children from the beginning are Sc.
curely nurtured in the sacred principle and
habit Of sef-deuial and temperance in all
things. The other evening there was brill
liant social gathering in New York in honor
of Horace Grcelcy's sixty-6rst birthday, and
very appropriate were these words Of George
+ William Curtis; " Although it may be his
sixty-frst birthday, We must not yet speak Of
his old age for the man whom temperance
and the cardinal virtues betriend will be a
youth at three-score and ten This prince
, of journalists has been among the most earn
est advocates Of emperance.-Gerrit Smith
now venerable with years and usefulness, is a
patriot to the core. Nor is he blind to the
facts when he says with the emphasis Of 4
great soul burdened with pity and grief
" Our country's prospect is dark. The dram
] shop rules her politics, and threatens to work
, her ruin 1t is complained" he says, q" thai
we are calling on Government to espouse
the Temperance Reform We are not. We
j do not believe it is the duty of Government
TO espousc any moral or religious reform
All we ask in this case is the faithful pro.
, lection by Government Of person and prop.
: erty. That it would afford incidental aid to
the cause Of temperance is, surely, not good
argument for Withholding this protection. -
= Ths city editor Of the Des Moines Register
: died from intemperance, and that paper thui
e announces the event " Murdered- the
1 city Of Des Moines, Dec. 5, 1871, by tb,
g agents and under the personal superintend
? enca Of his Satanic Majesty, in the 39th year
Of his age, Mr. j II. Goodson, city editor o.
= the State Register" The oditor-in.chief o
F. the Hgister, in an obituary notice over hi
y own signature, says: 8" We trust that thos
. who traffic in the poison which saps the sou
0 as well as life, and for the infamy of dim,
t play the part of assassin, will see in this
and in the other terrible instances our cit,
S has lately had the real triumph Of thei
{ work of murder. Horace Greeley review
= the " twenty years Of prohibition of wbcl
e Maine has made trial, and figures up thes
] results, in the Independent The use of in
- toxioating beverages has not entirely ceased
s it has, however been greatly restricted. No
: only has the number Of grog-shops been re
# duoed but liquor has lost caste, and 4" roost
= lower than it did. Prohibition operates a
= public testimony to the peril and wrong O
a tipping Maine has fewer paupers, crimi
e mails and yagabonds than she formerly had
= and her people are steadily increasing j
: thrift and wealth