St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-11-07
Enforcement of the Liquor Law.

The question of enforcing our pro
lnhlt"rN law having received an unusual .
degree of attention during the present |
tC'iI at our County Court. the public |
mind L. now turned especially to its /.
consideration. and Il temperate discus /.
sion of the subject seems not only /
proper but desirable. Such discussion |
can now he had without Imculring the
ri>k of undulN adding To the public cN- .
citrment. ~ becoming liable t" the /
chaIE" of attempting to influence the |
action of the Court.
We dO not now consider the wisdom
or Justice of the law itself. That seem
img To have hcc"mc the settled policy
of the State. its merits are taken for
granted. and it is entirely from that
standpoint that we speak. The only
question is how best can the law. in
lis letter and spirit. Ice enforced
The Iaw had 50 long remained pIac-
tically dead letter. or attempts 1T it,
enforcement had been 80 >pH~modic and
inefficient. that its enemies have Ion"
since Come Ia boast. and it> friends To
tacitll admit that its execution. like
other laws to punish crime. WAS i'm
practic; bile. At least. all will admit
that it has never been fairly tested
that none of our communities have even
lrapcd it, legitimate fruits. maturcd in
81 c"ngrmial soil. But the public mind
i NcTN generally hcing aroused To- II
hrrncr appreciation of the terrible rIN-
ares ut intrmpcIancc; to the oppressive
public huIdclI~ and s~till more crushing"
private ag"ulc> which follow in it>
train and the public conscience j.
being uuirk,ncd to search carefully tur
the most speedy and effective means of
it> suppression. And We may add. H.
the. result of ON own observation. that
in the development OF tins enlightened
and advanced public sentiment. the
rouclu~iou l. almost universally reached
that the tat ut InT must necessarily
~urrlcmcut the voice of persuasion and
,utrrltl iu order To- reach both the
fountain and The victim of intcmprr-
aurr. And in This march of public
nplrinu it i hut f:iil tn presume that
nur judicial authnliti,> iEiN, been led
to >rr more clearly thr imperative duty
of cnturriuw = law which wa> framed
r\ut,>>l, ,and pronounced hl those
best uualiricd To- Judge. of wonderful
rc,t,,tn.-.- and admiration to lis pur-
rn>,..l to Dir, up the most fruitful sources
Of crime. nailpcri>m. i"unr:Inr, and
mi~,.rl which cuI~r uur state.
1t Na~ in this state of the public
mind uuirkcIrrd >uurv hat duuhtlc>>.
l., the. di>cu>>iuil~ of the general uuc>
rinu which have taken place in this
town ard in other pants of the county
duiu2 the past lcaI. that our present
cont assembled. The grand iurv was
ruup"~cd. ~ Il whole. of men ofa> high
Standing in respect both L" intelligence
and character ~ we ever ~iW called toI
like rurpo>r> Three or tuuI ot them
ha\,. been iud.t.> of the county count .
TIN, prr~idiuu Jude. i the. peer nt ANY
iui~r in New England for LEGAL learn
in. 81 purity of character. Under his
urirIrd u~tructiur~ and the solemn
uhigaIiou> of their "ath~. we dn not
uu,~tiuu that the grand Jury st them
selves tua conscientious. faithful and
impartial discharge "t their duty. That
mistakes were made. i doubtless true
frr notwithstanding" thrir high rhaI.,r-
ter and responsible trust. they we've
hur mem. But We do not believe it
could fanIy hc said that in amy given
cas-, they exceeded the Instructions of
the CONT. al the letter and >pilIr of the
law lItN were >Nbl u ~ execute. .\ll''
the result lttc>t> the fidelity of thciI
volk. Were bills found against an,
innocent parties Were any wirnr~>c>
,,rhnIurd nr forced into hearing falls,
testimony Rather. IT the mkoIr truth
had come. before them. would NOT MANY
mnI, tine bills and guilty parties hay,