Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-08-27
For the Waterman.
what Have They Done p


Messrs. Editors Allow nc to apologize
for asking a place in your columns with the
Of referring briefly to the editorial
that appeared in last weeks issue Of the Ar
aus and Patriot. | am well aware that such
production carries with it the refutation Of its
own statements, and that the spirit that prompt
ed IL is so manifest as to dlvcst it Of any inju
rious effect its Misrepresentation might have,
were a little more skill used in conccaling the
anigus of tho writer.
The editor first indicates bis position Of pas
siye Indifference as to the result Of March meet
ing. when he says "hcy icerc permitted to
take the rcns Of government into their own
hands /" and we arc astonishcd at the philan-
thropy which prompted the editor Of the Argus
and Patriot, (and here speak Of him as the
representative Of the party opposed to the tenn
porance REFORM to pass over into the hands Of
the small minority composing the temperance
party, the roins Of government ondwe are
amused, too. when we think Of the outward
forms in which his bcncvolence manifested it
self Of his appearance at a village meeting
when the iea question Of giving the ladies the
use Of the Hall came up, and cudcayoring in a
prepared speech Of BALI an bour, pregnant with
sound logic and ds'icoie illustration, to deny
the ladies the privilege the majority Of those
present were willing to and did grant them
Of the influence he oxcrted ON various primary
meetings of the rum party; Of the forms Of
personal abuse and Islander by which he en-
deavored to weed out the tares from the wheat,
and make the temperance party a moral sue
cess, Of his perfect acquicscncc in the proha-
bic and actual result Of March meeting, as in
dictated by various editorials and locals from
week to week when we think Of aN this, we
are amused.
Then, too, it rcquJtd more than an ordinu-
ry share Of Christian grace AMI humility to
acccde to the demands Of these rciormers-
boastlul pulled up in their own conceit, con
cealing their weakness in ga grand flourish
of trumpcts, ard making such yaingorious
promises and. 1--WE will frankly admit il
came from a source we should least expect.
From here on the writer stuluGcs himself
and makes two points, either one Of which be-
ing Uuci inc utNVI l7 'Ai9c' Nv "aN0' " "''
good have you done2' What drunkrds
saved ?" What young man have they taken
By the hand and by checking him in bis down
ward career, made his friends rejoice ~ e Or
what liquor saloons have they closed and pre-
vented their dealing out the % ardent TO an
thirsty travellers etc. rus rel'rmeF-' ne
insinuntcs is the end oi ail your "o'slIns n''n'
ing notwithstanding done you have mere
ly miked-tlnt's all
But the editor iorse's 'he ineN'"u'o ueluc'
ton from THIS part OF hts article Tor a niue
farther on he says, IN their ,'d' TO Dfoi"''y
chef6 ne safe oil thi7 soul'ue''roy'hs 'n'Iu-
ment " they have even INVADED the house OF
sickness etc. ANA yet aglln' lac says- ana
now in spite of all their jealous endeavors'
etc. We'll, the writer has accomplished me
rare feat Of blowing bot and cold with the
same breath. lie hrstdeDies then afterwards
admits chastises temperance people for their
idIeness, then whips them for their zeal, and
performs throughout as fine an act Of intel
lectual CD lofty tumliing as we have ever seen.
And then, too, the story about the pooryoHg
man, who was not ireaihy, and never bad beer
elected Speaker Of the House, and was Obliged
to cork for his living, instead Of rolling in
wealth Ne went toa temperance meeting, and
he was not asked 70 speak, nor DID he " receive
the glance OF Christian recognition Their
he went away sorrowlul, and revealed the
wounds bis taqdr g9u,hfi heart had received
70 the sympathi1ing editor OF the Argils ana
| Patriot, who makes little story Of 10 and put.
it 10 the paper and the poor young man never
goes to temperance meeting again because H0n
franklin Fairbanks spoke, and he didn't receive
an invitation
But word in regard 70 a statement intend
ed to simulate the truth The editor say,
90 the Cat has gone forth that 70 day the num-
Der Of places where intoxicating liquors can be
procured in M1ntnelier - greater ihna er0
b9ore y Logic would call this " statement
without regard to fact, and the facts brand
il as statement intended TO deceive. What j..
the editor source of information whichauthor-
ICES hun to make such bareiaced assertions
1t can hardly be his own PERSONAL haowlrdg'
OF such places Tor we all know he is a temper
aaoe man, only differing with the rest OF US ~
formers 10 regard to themsaHs' Then, too, he
gives occasional temperance lectures. lie car
not be consistent and 6nog this is 50. MOI
does he get bis information from the reform
ers themselves, Tor they would not stuluij
their jealous endeayors By stating this e
be true Does he get it from the enemies Of
| the reiOrmers-the rumsellers themselves