Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-24

penalty, and all the branches OF the
liquor traffic are stlgmatized as crime
and heavy fines imposed upon all public
officers who do not do their full duty I'M
der the law. This is well, but we sub
nit that this law will not enforce itself,
and that the moral duty of the citizen is
not abated one jot by this statute. In
all christian communities the rules en-
bodied in the decalogue are early instill-
ed into the growing consciences of the
children, and they never forget the les
son; but as they grow old and come IN
contact with the world, they find certain
other acts are denounced by public stat
utes as crimes, that bear directly on the
well-being of society yet they never APP
pear as sacred as the laws made to sup
plement the sentiments taught them in
their childhood. ..s..
We have carefully noted the effect OF
temperance legislation, and we see good
results from it only where it supple
ments the moral sense of the people. 1t
is begging the whole question to say
''there is nc need of. the law being exc
cuted in this way" or "that the law
must take care of that. We have to
meet and deal with this question as we
find it, and until our people are taught
that to debauch the soul by intoXication,
is a moral crime, they will never be
earnest in its punishment and right
here is where the responsibility of en-
lighteHed temperance men and women
begins, in the education of an enlight-
ened moral sentiment on this subject.
We note that in several parts of the
State, as Burlington and Montpelier, a
renewal of interest is manifested in the
execution of this law We should feel
that the movement would ultimate in
better results if it had been brought
about through a change of public senti-
ment, but we fear it is one of these spas
modic movements that have arisen in
other communities, only to be followed
by reaction more negative and torpid
than before. We however bid them
God speed, and will be as ready to re-
joice over any progress they make, as
though we had the utmost faith in their
persistence. .-.-
A few days ago we gave statement
of how the prohibitory law in this State
is executed and its effect upon the liquor
traffic, creating a monopoly when enforc-
ed the best, for the man who can give
bail on appeals The Free Press criti-
cises our article as having a curious tone
and cites the section forbiding continu-
ances unless the purposes of juctice re-
quires it, as giving officers power to
procure third conviction in less than a
year and half. 1t is fact well known
to every rumseller that the quickest that
a final Judgment can be obtained against
him for first offence is at the next term
of the County Court; second convic-
ton cannot be made final until six
months there after, and that by sell
ing out once year and paying
all fines that cannot be avoided, a
business can be continued indefinitely.
We know that the law is intended to
absolutely shut up such atraffic, but
until the press, the pulpit, and
the people sustain the law and the moral
features of the it will be of no greater
vitality than law against profanity to
the man who without religious and NOR
al training has been educated in a pro-
fame family among vicious associates.