The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-12-23
Vermont State Temperance Society.

The executive committee, in making
this brief report for the year 1873, find
much cause for rejoicing and encour-
agement, as well as occasion for regret,
and certainly very much reason for
renewed and more vigorous effort on
the part of the Society and friends of
temperance in our State. Some of the
causes of congratulation are, the knowl-
edge that our work is one which has
the approval of God and all the wisest
and best men in the State that it is
recognized by the public conscience CT
moral sense and sentiment of the peo-
pie as just that the laws of our COM
monwealth which relate to the subject,
are in our favor that for twenty years
the prohibition of the rum traffic has
been the settled policy of the safe
that to-day we are stronger than ever
before, for the accomplishment of any
project which the best judgment of the |
people shall dictate, for the suppression |
of the vice of intoxication, and the !
crime of selling intoxicating liquors
and finally that the agencies of moral
suasion are happily combined with the
effective use of legal enactments, in the
methods now most employed and APP
proved in the endeavor to suppress this
giant evil. And there is another en-
form is progressing, and securing a
firmer hold upon the hearts and con-
sciences of men, to which we will only
refer. If we rightly read the signs of
the times, that powerful agency, the
constabulary or police system, which
has, for several years, been used with
such great success in n sister state, is
growing in favor among our staunch
temperance men, and is likely soon to
become incorporated in our law.
The numerous and in many places
enthusiastic gatherings of earnest tenn
perance men and women, during the
past year, have been of great service in
arousing the public attention and in
bringing the eople into sympathy
with our object and work. Many of
these meetings have been held under
the direction of Good Templars, and
especially in connection with their
county meetings large and enthusiastic
gatherings have been secured by which
II healthy sentiment has always been
promoted, and sometimes, perhaps,
created In some places the temper
ance people have been doing very
effective work through Good Samaritan
and other open town and village or
CARNATIONS. In few places the ladies
have organized distinctively, and there
may be noted some of the best effects
of temperance effort. We only wish
we had more of this form of work to re
port. County societies have, in some
, instances at least, made their power
felt for good, by meetings, resolutions
the action of committees, and in vari
Gus ways. The Templars of Honor
and Sons Of Temperance have also, W,
are informed, done very good work il
some places. The members of all these
. organizations are recognized by oul
constitution as members ofour common
, State society.
In prosecuting the work specially
pertaining to this society, it seemed t,
e your executive committee, proper tina
h an agent should be employed, as ha
!, been the custom in former years,to lee
ture and organize local societies and d'
all the appropriate work of his Office
). provided suitable person could b.
4 found who would be willing to engag
n in the work on such terms as we wer
. able to offer. Accordingly, in Januar.
: last, Rev. u. n. Granger was elected
e and duly commissioned rs genera
e agent for the society for the ensuin:
@ year. Since the time of his acceptanc
~ of the arduous work thus imposed up
on him. he has been laboring with
- zeal and fidelity which must have bee
e born of a high sense of responsibility
l. and clear recognition of great need
d And we desire, at this time, to expires
a our appreciation of the efficient servic
which he has rendered in laboring 70
y the cause of reform, everywhere an
e in all circumstances, even when IN
e noyed and sometimes thwarted by tn
embarrassments arising from the actio
= of a former agent of the Society durin
the past year. His own report wi
:" show the nature and extent OF his Ii
l. bors.
it One of the chief embarrassments /
4 our work has been the want of finaI
= in the treasury and no pledges on whic
~ reliance could be placed for future nee
the agent could have no assurance {
e compensation from any other sourt
=. than out of the collections he shout
4 make for the society-whlch, with an
solicitor of our present agents chara'
u teristic modesty, must be Inadequate
d This, together with the circumstance
e under which he took the field subjecte
n him to annoyances which the societ
should seek to remedy, hereafter, if tn
D form of labor is to he employed.
Q, some financial basis could be devised
we think the efficiency of the societ
Ie would be greatly increased
h Among the agencies for carrying OF
, work of reform, the press, when its il
4 iluence is rightly directed, must be az
j. knowledged as among the most impo
lie tant, and we take this opportunity
!. make this public acknowledgment
the valuable service to the cause of ten
T perance which has been contributed b
L | Of IF A st
re And especially do we commend to Il
10 favorable consideration of the tempe
a ance people of the state, the VERNON
n WITNESS, published at Burlington b
the secretary of the society, whiC
So makes Il speciality of this subject in a
q of its departments and is fearless in a
y vocating all right and opposing q
a. wrong.
), With such means in operation, v
: have reason to thank God and tai
~ courage. The cause is His and He wi
"a bring it to sure and final triumph. W
2, know the cause for which we labor
&c just, and the right must prevail.
m this confidence we appeal to all frien'
= of the great reform to do all in the
., power to aid in the overthrow of Il
lc monster evil. Let us strive by NOR
I'd and Christian influence and legal po'
IN er-nOt Dy pray eFs hlohc-put W INV
90 ey and work and votes The rum d
=. mon will not die easily or willingly. III
VI drinking customs of society can be +
nc formed only by long, patient and ear
pc est effort, and the use of all the age
il. cies at our command. That intolerab
in nuisance that hell-born agency of d
=; - struction, the rum traffic, will yield
III nothing else than the crushing M
no chine of human law, or divine jud
ments. But its day of doom approac
ly es. Let us learn to labor while
ht wait.
~ For the COMMITTEE,
nc LYMAN l.. KNAPP, chm.
Tn w. w. ATWATER. Secretary.
on PERSONAL are informed that o
=. distinguished towusman, Rev. Dr., Nj
,is chahey has been unanimously elect