The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-06-10

who in his beautiful delineations in cou-
plet and verse, has seemed to have caught
inspiration from the heavens. How many
such, with reeling brain, have stumbled
into an early tomb. Many Of you un-
doubtedly recollect, that lofty poetical
genius that penned that imitable poetic
effusion, entitled the "Raven' in yondor
neighhoring Monumental City," who
fell and was too early crowded into too
soon opening grave, What fiend to de-
SPOIL and blot from existence such gen.
ius. 1t has found easy and unobstructed
access into the halls of legislation, both
state and national and has made fools of
many Of its members. 1t has ruined
many physician that has attempted TO
be an allevator Of sickencd and suffering
humanity. 1t has reduced prncely mer.
chants to destitution and want, and has
consigned them to the almshouse. 1t has
palsied the inventive genius of skilled ar.
tisans; and has ovcrtaken and ruined
many mechanics, and tillers Of the soil,
the bone and sinew of every country, and
thousands of daily laborers annually are
destroyed, and in many instances, the
scanty pittance, received for their daily
toll is expended for hellish poison, instead
Of bread for their wives and little ones.
And how often does the grave open to re-
ceive the reeling besotted drunkard. In
short, how many bright intelects have
been toppled, and reason dethroned, and
the poor and inebriate led away, to finl
an apology for Sweet Home" in Cor
rection or Insane Asylum. How many
jails and penitentiaries are filled with
drinkers Of alcohol? How many have
stepped on the treachcrous trap beneath
q hangman's gallows, and had the coile1
moose placed about his neck, that could
have as pertinently, and as appropriately
said, as did the late culprit at Rochester,
while standing on the fatal trap, with the
dreadful moose already adjusted, as he
turned his dying eye toward that rope
and exclaimed with pointed finger, and
quivering and waning breath that means
ga glass Of rum" Sir, the pathos that is
embraced in that short utterance Of that
dying mans, is enough to touch the heart
Of any one, not calloused and steeled.
Such sentence Of pathetic and touching
elequencc, never fell from either the lips
of Demosthenes or Cicero, as that just
quoted as having been enunciated by
the now silent tongue Of the poor culprit,
just as he had taken the last step on the
thrHshoH 3 us f,tsrons, and an nown,apd
an untricd eternity just before him. Cruel
monster rum what have you not done,
that has not tended to change and convert
this fair heritage of man, into great
charnel house of misery distress, and per-
manent death Tears, sighs, and wide
spread and cruel orphanage, constitute n
part of the sad inheritance, you are daily
bequeathing to the fair sons and daugh.
ters of men. This dark catalogue might
be extended, and its ramifcatious nigh
oc traced into every line and fibre Of civ.
ilization. throughout christendom, ant
through the murky and darkencd abodes o
barbarism. These assertions or dictl o
mine are not imaginary neither the liz
ment Of dsordered fancy but arr
provable by statistics, and data, and ex
perencc, and are patent and known b.
all the enlightened, and dispassionatc.
Now sir, the question arises, where
the remedy for all this? | answer tn
ballot. 1t is the leading and most poten
means of rectifying the great and over
shadowing evil. | grant that moral sua
sion and public sentiment, are not to b
} treated lightly, nor ignored ; but are va
liable adjuncts, in carrying on the wal
fare against the great sin; but the stron
, arm Of the law, is the only terror to ev
, doers. Put stern legal enactments in tn
, foreground and cause them to be sane
r toned and sustaiced by an enightene
l and decided public opinion, and the wor
is done.
Although younger than now, | we'll r.
} member the time, the prohibitory law WI
first enacted in Maine, generally calle
= the Maine Liquor Law; chiefly throug
n the instrumentality of that honored an
= stern champion of prohibition, the Ho
: Neal Dow, of Portland. About YET
:. and half since, l had the pleasure
hearing him narrate, the incipient al
subsequent abors of himself and othe
X. associated with him iD the great cause,
. DR.. Willets church in West Arch Stree
in your city He graphically describe
d the SO, ,ial condition of Portland, and OF
n er localities in the State previous to Il
}. enactment of the law; and then institu
is ed comparison with the condition
d things after the enactment. The decrea
in numbers of arrests and trials for crir
v inal offences. The marked and astoun
E ing decrease of pauperism. The near
n, empty condition OF station houses, ia
ID and their States prison, or Penitentiar.
m the increasing thrifiiness of many that h
,e formerly yielded to the seductve inf
!. euce of Bacchus, but then were husban
st ing their daily earnings, for the suppC
a. of themselves and families. If the pl
Us hibitionists Of this city, could witness
|v great change in their midst as n
t Dow described, as having transpired
,e Portland, it would gladden. their hear
lis and inspire them with courage, and hi
i. hopes for the future. New England v
al the grea. pioneer in the temperance
n form, and to her must be accorded
at honor Of the front rank, and the posit
as of vanguard. Her puritanic and inte
it gent foresight, long since saw and concl'
its ed that legal aggression against king
IN. cohol, must be the watchword. Her P
Its pit entered the field; her philanthropy
no stepped into the arena ; the better port
Il of the masses, who are proverblal
he their good common school education,
~. general Intelligence, gave in their ad
OF. sion to the legal reform, and helped c
ct. ry it. Maine first unfurled the banne
81. prohibition. Massachusetts,, that ST
IN. that has and still does embrace within
on limits, so many men OF transcendent
of ents and high toned craftsmanship n