The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-02-16
ADDISON COUNTY TEMPERANCE
sOCIErY.


SOCIETY.
The annual meeting of the Addison
County Temperance Society will be
held in this place tomorrow. and the
recurrence of this annual meeting calls
attention to an almost forgotten sub
ject. Will the attendance upon these
meetings gauge the measure of interest
in the temperance cause among the
good people of Addison County? Per-
haps not entirely 50, as multitude of
circumstances may interfere to prevent
or induce attendance. But the attend
ance and interest manifested on this
occasion, will, of necessity, be accepted
as an indication of the feeling of the
people upon this subject. Since the
September election and its overwhelm
ing defeats to the temperance party in
the important issues then decided, there
has seemed to be feeling of discour-
agement and Discrimination TO perform
active work in the cause of this reform.
And so nearly six months have passed
away with almost nothing of temper
ance labor to show for 1t. And what is
the condition of the work of temper
anoe in this county at this time? Ger
tainly the spectacle is not an encour-
aging one.
Was there anything in the result of
the election which warranted such dis
enlargement and inaction ? Have the
friends of reform lost their self-respect
and their pluck, as well as the legal
machinery for the enforcement of the
law? 1t is to be hoped not. But
where are the wise men," where is
the SCRIBE" who shall tell us what is to
be done? Use moral suasion? Oh I!
yes, that is it. Form societies for the
agitation Of the subject. Convince the
reason of the folly, wickedness and
danger OF the terrible slavery of rum
drinking and the crime of rumselling."
Certainly, that is just the thing to be
done.
Form societies, and when formed
place them in the hands of the loudest
prohibitionists this side of purgaiory,
and then see if there Will not be agita-
ton" too powerful for resistance. What
If these leaders do fail us in the pinch
of a mortal conflict and throw the
weight of their powerful influence
against us when it comes to the real is
sue between the enforcement or non
enforcement of the law. Mustn't they
be appeased, petted, flattered, quoted
with place and bought with honors
Such has been the theory we have
sometimes proceeded upon. The fact
~, there is defect somewhere in our
temperance work. Is it the want OF
heart, or moral courage? The earnest,
persistent, efficient worker in this cause
can never have the post mortuary eulo-
gy pronounced upon him." that he had
not an enemy in the world" of course.
Neither can he hope to have n surfeit
ofante-mortem honors and high sound
ing titles. But is this the worst calam-
ity which can befall man in this life
The object of this reference to the
subject of temperance and the annual
meeting of the Addison County Tenn
perance Society Is not for the purpose
of moralizing, but rather TO suggest
that this occasion presents the only OPP
I'll, . L. L..
presented this winter, or this year, to
manifest our interest in this great work
of moral reform. Shall not our good
people leave their farms and their
shops and their pleasures, for one day,
at least, to consult together as to means
and measures which can and ought to
be used for carrying on the great work
OF saving our fellow-men from the slav-
cry and miseries of drunkenness, and
it's attendant evils?
Let those who have thoughts and
are prepared TO make useful suggestions
us to the work to be done, and the best
method Of doing it, be present by all
means. Let those who wish to learn
Of the necessities of the case, and what
can be done to remedy the evils, be
sure that they do not fail to attend.
Let the ladies lend the influence of
their presence for the cause which
more than others seeks to promote the
happiness and welfare of the more I'M
fortunate of their sex. If there is need
Of reform, If the welfare of the human
race would be promoted by the sup
preston of this monster evil, let every
philanthropist, every friend of good or
der, every Christian join in counsel and
In action, by every influence at COM
mand, to wage an effectual warfare
against this fruitful source and sum of
all villainies.