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

For the Register.
An Address Delivered Before eden
Division" fssSons of Temperance"
in the city of Philadelphia, on the
Evening OF May 2Ist 1873, by G.. w.
Purmelep.
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE DIVISION.

Parmeiec.
Ladies and Gentlemen TO apologize
for that which could have been avoided,
might appear like affected difidcnce
yet, might with propricty plead inabil-
ity, and incxperience, in addressing
public assembly, on any topic whatever.
But waiving such considerations, and
avoiding the hackneyed phrases, that are
no: unirequeutly paraded by experienced
and competent public speakers, in the
manner of an apology. proceed at once
to address briefly, but fear disjointedly,
this Association Of ladies and gentlemen,
known under the cognomcn, Of "Eden
Division Of the Sons Of Temperance"
whose names caused the minds to intui.
lively revert to the dawn of creation"
or perhaps more pertinently to the epoch
and locality, or time and place, at which
the creation of our fist parents is said to
have transpired. Its name also implies
primcval purity, peace, quietude, and se-
renity. And inay this division, ever be
accounted worthy both in name and ac-
tiou of its ancient prototype know
full well, it is alleged in Holy Writ, that
woman tempted man to cat. If so, it is
equally true, she did not FIRST tempt
him to drink, that vile compound, that
ever has been, and still is, the most po-
tent engine Of misery, woe and ruin, that
has ever de6lod this broad and green
earth. No. it is one of those deplorable
inventions, that man has sought out for
! himself
Sir, the subjects of both temperance
and intemperance, have been discussed
and analyzed, for the last forty years SO
continuously, that it would seem the
ground must have been gone over and
over again and that no stone could have
been left unturned, that had legitimate
bearing on those two vitally important
subjects or topics But as long as phil.
authropy, patriotism, and christianity
have voice on earth, it should be raised
trumpet tongued, aud with no uncertain
sound against that monster iniquity which
now that slavery has been abolished, may
in the language Of Wesley, be fully char
acterized, as the sum of all vllainies or
at least, the proximate cause of nearly all
the vllainous conduct, and excuse, for
Treating the matter negatively, let us
briefly consider what rum has no. done,o or
accomplished, 1t has not been pioneer
of civilization, by hewing down forests,
and making desert places blossom as the
rose it has not providentially built ham
lets nor cities, nor provided comfortable
and pleasant homes on the far off prairles.
1t has not Quilt ships whose sails whiten
!, every sea it has not brought into exist.
ence, and fostercd commerce. that has
linked this, the new world with Europe,
Asia, and the farther Indias 1t has not
taught the science of navigation, neither
did it invent the quadrant. 1t did not
project or lay the submarine telegraph
whose wires hourly pulsatc, with the fric'
tion Of the electric spark, and which has
tied two great continents together. Nei'
thcr has it sharpened the intellect,o or help.
, ed the grasping mind Of the astronomer tt
/ compass, and demonstrate, the wondrous
D revolutions Of our planetary system mol
| has it aided, in peering into the grea
dome of the heavens and measuring thu
stars, their distance from us, and from
!, each other and learning their evolution
f as they whirl their circuits, throug hou
the great immcnsity above us. 1t ha
). not promoted, nor helped spread tru
@ civilization, neither has it contributed t.
a the introduction of moral ethics, or tn
IS promgation Of the christian religion. No
c has it conduced to permeate society wit
c integrity, or helped develope a truer man
,e hood in the social circle ; neither has
t ever brought peace joy or affection, int
lie the sanctuary of home, where lisping in
r fancy is ever ready to catch an inspira
,r tion of good, and unfortunately seems o
ID the alert, to receive and retain, unhol
e impressions, Yes, here at the hearth
in stone where the hand and heart of a
10 fection, should clasp and interlace, an
If steady the ark Of confidence, aud the a
r. tar of love, here, where in this sanctu
IN airy should be eushrined the, best and tt
10 holiest affections Of the human hear, ,alas
as it is 100 often converted, or PROSTATE
ID into pandemonium The nucleus frol
IS. whence light aud JOY should both EN-
on nate and radiatc, lowering darkness,
vs. apt to enshroud, and when love shou
ie. predominate, rum too often inturiates.
all need not attempt TO depic. or portri
be the sorrow o. the trusting and toiling viii
at who labors assidiously from early NOR
till set OF sun, in trying by economy al
lot diligence to keep the home circle fro
in the depths of poverty; and to preser
ly intact the rising family, which often co
est sists of helpless infancy, and those ju
IN budding into manhood and womauhoo
Of aud not frequently those whose shado'
w. are rapidly growing less, aud are alreaC
'on leaning on the last crutch Of suppo
this side the tomb All this, while Il
en-, iuhuman husband is fast spending
iv- substance, and iisgraciug his rising fan
ore ly in midnight orgies, at the inierr
lager beer saloon, or with spirits in
whiskey prison. Now aifirmatively,wl
~ has rum and whiskey done! 1t
' pe' caused the earth to groau in travail, as
axe axe were, longing to be delivered from
u; thraldom and has sapped the very 70,
'ou datious Of society and social order.
he poisonous breath has blasted everythi
an. . lovely and OF good report, with which
no' has come in contact as effectually as
stu, withcr.ng gales of the Sirocco of the ]
oi bian deserts turns to blackness, the sho
' 10 ing vegetable and the beautiful flower
rom 1t has entered the sacred desk, and
'aIs rs fenced many watchman, that has 81
!" posed he had been commissioned from
N N a high to stand on the watch towers
.""' Zion, aud preach repentance to man.
- has boldly sialked among the legal pro
sion and caused the tongue of many b
,een liant advocate 10 s'alhner' MS i'orary
haaan,a 10 ano1aI booE hta m,