Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-08
Magnitude Of the Temperance Work.

We have undertaken to renovate the en- |
tire social body, TO eradiate the strange pref |
udiccs aud customs which have come down
to ms from the old days Of drink to en-.
tighten and purify and elevate all classes of
men-in a word, TO re.educate society and
carry it over bodily to rational views andl
right practice.
Look now at two pictures of society; In
the one, we see the whole community utterly
blind and stupid under the dominion of in
temperance There is little sense of evil,
and no conscience touching it. An drink,
shame and misery abound in it, vice reigns, a
horrld desolation is spreading a strange
blindness is over all. The cause and the
remedy of all this are unthought of. To
drink and provide drink-to sell and to use
these are among the chief ends of lite's
things necessary, with no character Of moral
ity about them.
Society is stepped in strong drink Born,
living, dying, no man can do without it.
Such a state Of things is possible-it has
been-and forty-six years ago it existed
among MS. 1t was in this condition of things
the work of the reformation began.
And now contemplate the other picture,
and it is substantially true of some towns
in-Nermont to-day. 1t presents a commit
I
in favor of intoxicating drinks there is Il
natural and intelligent dread Of them, and
use of them by any man as a beverage is
looked upon as an act of wanton triiling
with his own well-being and that of all
around HIM For man to put himself in
state of intoXication or maze any voluntary
approach toward that state, is regarded as
"a mad and criminal act All see it as it
is--a voluntary abandonment of his own ra-
tional and moral being, an expulsion of
! judgment, conscience and self-control, and
a surrender of himself, for the time into the
| possession of a demon to be used by him as
| he will All see and feel that no human be-
| ing has the right thus to turn himself loose
and infuriated among his fellows, ready
| agent for every shameful and infamous deed.
And with equal cleamess all see that for
another TO aid and abet such an act. and
even tempt to its commission by furnishing
for gain the means for such arrangement,
is an intolerahle wrong to the whole com
munity. That a man should make it his
business to sell what tends directly to mad
den and destroy his fellows, and expose ev-
cry right affection and interest of others
that he should live by making ruthless
havoc all around him. all look upon such an
act as one of superlative guilt. In this con
dition OF society voluntary inebriatiou is
treated as a crime aud he who furnishes
the means of intoxication is deemed guilty
of a higher crime. They have laws to that
end, as clearly seen to be necessary and Just,
and enforced with as ready and unanimous
| approval, as our statutes are against the
thief or the burglar
Alcohol takes its place among the useful
! but dangerous drugs, to be treated az other
| laaiaer.e D'iuh itl Tho man VINO
does drink it is the man to be taken care of
and he who should so triAe with the pub
lie security and peace as to give or sell it for
drink, and should talk of getting his liv-
ing in that way, SHOULD have a living
provided for him, more honest and more
honorable, in the state prison.
| Now, from these two conditions of soci-
ETY., drawn only in outlines, we may learn
the nature of our enterprise Our work is
| to carry over the entire body of the people
| from the one Of these TO the other. We
have found it no brief and easy work. Pa
thence must have a large part in it. No
such work can be done swiftly. Let no
man grow faint in heart or hand. The
work will surely be accomplished In.
| hucheL