Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-02-04

"The earliest culture of mankind began with the
grapes and fruits from whose juices cxhilarating
beverages are made so until tn" end OF the world
he vine will continue to yield It's clusters and men
will use them unwisely as they use or misuse aii
he other gifts of the Creator"
We do not know of 80 early a record OF
the poppy, but suppose its cultivation for
the next ten or twenty years should be
largely increased, and the manuf,ctul
md importation, sale and use of opium
should come in the same time to assume
one tenth tho magnitude of alcoholic
liquors, would no legislation be employed
for the uprootal of the plant-the extermin-
alton of the Drug Suppose again the
consumers to be almost wholly women
how long before their lustreless eyes and
death-hued compilations and deader. brains
would extort from the ''lords Of creation y
cry, louder than ever reformer has dared
to utter for prohibition9
And suppose, still further, that within
this decade, changes occur that shall bring
women to the "open bar rs frequently
as men (and why not? we are told that in
temperance is on frightful increase
among the higher and middle classes OF
the women of England, and what pesti-
lence travels so fast as the pest of bad
fashion?) would any constabulary force
be stigmatized as legalized brigands or be
considered nuisance? Could prohibition
in these changed circumstances, become
distasteful?
THE needs of chemistry, cookery, medicines
and sacramental rites forbid the entire punishment
OF alcoholic liquors"
Chemistry, cookery and medicine are
indeed, costly sciences if because of their
needs we must lay in drunkards' graves
sixty thousand of our countryman, annual
ly. But what a misconception of the spirit
of Christ, who sacrificed his life for us
which does not see that in sacrificing
whatever causeth our brother to stumble
we do best appreciate and commemorate
his own gift.
lit would require bold man to say it would
be well 10 do lt-get rid OF alcoholic liquors."
And vet need it be said that thousands
of timid Wonen are pouring into the very
ear of God their cries for the humiliation
of this traffic which has wrought for then
only misery. Mothers, wives and daugh
tiers who have none other to whom they
can 90 for help in their great agony, ant
is their cry never to be answered. No
God is already answering their prayer
through the awakened, and awakening
moral sense" of large part of mankind
which demands the law, which did demand
it. else it had never been enacted. De
mands it for those who have not the men
tai and moral cultivation of home influ
ences-the wise counsels of instructors
the pure teachings Of eligion-demands i
for those who have all these and are We
unable to resist the terrible cravings fo
stimulants either acquired or transmitted
like Il blighting curse from the generation
of the past
The " arraignment," of the prohibtory
law and its agencies as vast instrumen
tally for the increase of drtlnkards, ant
for adding to this evil habit " the contagioI
of kindred vices is fearful charge, al
though somewhat strongly modified by tn,
admission Immediately fol owing, that i
comes of the best and purest motives.
If. according to the -4drertiscr, tn,
churches of Boston both orthodox and he
terodoX, are so fairly committed to the law
that it is Numbered from their pulpits, ant
changed from their steeples, God be praise,
and may He forbid the joyous melody
shall even sink into the doleful, hopeless.
toll of repeal, repeal, repeal. And if t
use another of its figures. these blinde,
refornlcrs. with their prohibitory brooms
could be allowed to sweep clean of run
not only Massachusetts,, but Vermont an
every other state in the union and the
could be thus kept clean through two o
three generations, who can say what MOI
al, mental and physical improvement
might not ensue Who can say wha
America and her people might not become