Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-10-04
woMAN's TEMPERANCE UNION.


Eonfth Annual NOhNehtiOh. Z
Concluded from last week.
"WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
The convention reassembled at , p. IN
when the delegates were greeted by Mrs.
Q. Cole. of this city, in the following
ADDRESS Ct WELCOME.
Mrs. President and dthegGtos IN oonrenLo
assembled:
In my official capacity it becomes m
duty, and it could scarce be other than m
pleasure, to welcome yOu rs guests OF th
Woman's Temperance Union of Burlington
We extend to each individual of your mum
Der a cordial welcome to our city, to ou
homes. our sympathies and TO our hearts
We welcome you as citizens OF the sam
commonwealth, and believe that you hay
at heart the best interest Of every portion o
our State. But when We welcome Won a
temperance women OF Vermont. We ieei tina
a deeper chord is struck, a tenderer symps
thy Isawakened. Weknow that while with
us you feel a personsl pride in everything
noble, brave and honorable in Vermont, yor
too are panied when truth and justice com
pei US TO acknowledge that the trail OF the
serpent is here also on every side, yea
at our very doors We see the desolatlng el-
| ltCiS VI " SbI IL IA ba4S &c
| graded manhood, reeling through our
streets, in the debased intelloets. in the
| poverty, want and privat!on which reign in
the homes whose inmates are addicted to
| this terrible vice. We sec il IN the thinly-
clad and shiyerins forms Of the wives and
| children of the inebriate, but most OF all
we see it in the utter despair written upon
the forms aHd faces out of which all hope
| has departed, lives made altogether DESC
late, because husband. father, brother or
son is hopeless drunkard Women are
Justly noted Tor their fortituGe under mis-
fortunes. but the drunka:d's wife in the Bit
terness of her sorrow, lamonts fifty in the
language OF the Prophet, AS it nothing TO
YOU, all ye that pass by Behold, and see
if there be any sorrow like urto my sorrow."
Sorrows 50 unnecessary, SO unjust, so hope
less, her very life is crushed out by the COM
plete extinction of every ray of hope, for the
present or the future. And vet with this
fearful page Of suffering and wrong con-
stantY before u, We have those among US
linen and women t0O-who tell Us that
they have no interest in, or sympathy with
any effort fer the extermIIatIon of this ter
riblc vice, Ut the rtf.I. I.nalInn Ut It's uahap-
py victims. They sanction the u-c Of Int0x-
lcatIng drinks, and uIll btmOGn the de-
geperacy OF the age, btCaG.c our liquors
are not as pure as they were ti;r ycars sgo
Some even 60 so far as TO aim the dagger at
the heart OF the guest by Offering Lospi-
tality in the wine cap Alas my sisters the
very blood Of some Of our sons cries out fer
Vengeance upon the heads OF those who have
led them into temptation - When shall
we learn and accept the truth, that alcohol
is deadly poison, and as such should be
wholly avoided, Whether it be ID the form
OF brandy. wine. beer. or cider, the only
difference being, Got in kind but In degree.
Since women are the creates; sufferers from
the vice OF lnttmperaLce, they have the
right 10 plead their own cause, and We are
here to-day to enter Our ctt-repeated protest
against the lqour traffic in every form. We
protest against its manufacture. its impOr-
tation and lis sale. We earnestly protest
against its use a. beverage, by old or
young We protest against its use as an in
gredient in cur medical prescriptions, and
We protest against its use IN the celebration
Of the Lords Supper. We believe that in
toxicating liquors are Tad and only bad, ex
cept for mechanical purposes. and VIC long
to recognize an enIig ightened public senti
ment which shall cOnsign 1t to its truo
place among the deadly enemies OF the race.
to be guarded against by every brce. legal,
social, moral and religious. We long to see
the women of Vermont thoroughly alive 10
their own interest, to the interest OF their
homes, and the interest Of humanity in this
matter, and pledged to each other that in
no way Will they tolerate Irtaxlcants or
those who use them save to extend q helping
hand to their victims, in an ttiort to rescue
them from periShlns. In Gll our delIbera-
tlOns We desire to keep this end steadily in
view. lnitmp,rance is not cur only State
Il 1,
for vengeance upon those who practice them. |
But intemperance is the fruitful soil from |
" hieh spring so many Others that what
ever We Go to promote total abstinence |
will deal an effective blow ut
many vices
But, thank God. Vermont is not wholly |
given over to this MolCch of strong drink. |
She has sons whose trumpet tones uttered |
against the liquor traffic, have the ring of
the true metal in them. We reverence the |
men who score OF years ago saw the |
danger. and gave Us a Prohibitory law, a
law which, if 1t had been enforced with the |
fidelity its trainers contemplated, would
largely free our State rom paupers. our
taxes TOR the punishment Of crime would be
less erieyous, our orphan ard insane asy-
lums would be less crowded. cur communi
ties would have fewer imbecios, tie lives
and virtue of our daughters would be more |
secure. cur cemeteries would have fewer
graves, our homes fewer broken |
hearted wives, mothers. sisters and daugh-
ters. and the coming generation would pos
sess the fibre out OF which wOuld develop
q stuIdier patriotism to crrich the future Of
our State.
But why arc We 50 destitute Of the beDc-
Cts claimed tor our PrchihitoIy law? Sim
ply because a united public sentiment docs
not enforce it. IL is because Christian men,
and men OF right temperance principles too,
are indifferent, and do not see to it that
good men and true are placed N Cfhces OF
trust and responsibility, men who will fear
essly execute the laws Neitner is the
auit wholly with officials The staff officers
II q regiment can do bat little without a
1rave soldiery to obey orders Some one
lRs said that nothing Is accomplished
without will at the back OF it, and
nothing well accomplished, save brains
help the will. 1t Is futile to attempt to re-
pei the liquor power withoat organization.
money and seli-sacrliicing persis,ency. But
he rum power shows no such ind ifference
IL works through all the machinery Of the
government to get the law it needs to de-
eat temperance principles and temperance
practices Its leaders are not idl emcn On
ated, every jury, every Judge, every iegls-
ator is tried in the balances before nOmina-
ion. and ii found wanting in the liquor IL
ere-t is discarded These men have large
business interests, but they have time for
politics, time to visit legislative assemblies
,nC Congress We would not have tenn
perance men initiate their example in any
thing but their diligence. We would not
have them "do evil that good may come
W hat we need Is men who have the moral
courage to unite, irrespective OF party dis
tinctlOn as one. IN a persistent effort for the
OF the liquor traffic. Ia short,
We want the JOshuas who dare 70 forward.
md leave the victory 20 our Leader Docs
Any one doubt Tor moment that the end
would be accomplished? That every saloon
would he closed, and every saloon keeper
compelled to resort to some legitimate occu-
patton to earn his bread
l. it not strange that Christian men
-hOuld be 50 Indifferent in this matter? We
naturally look To good men to see to is,
hat our laws are enforced TOR the suppress
'iOn Of the liquor traffic, that our husbands
md sens may not be tempted to drink, and
yet but few Of these good moa feel any re-
'pOnslbIllty IN the msittr. Bat because
hey relieve thcmsclyes Of rcspons lbility. Is
/ certain that God will 50 relieve them?
We have been slow to learn, If we have
not felt the necessity OF exercising large
charity in this great work. Charity for
zach others short comines and Offering
views charity for those who snccrat to.al
abstinence, forgotful OF God prohibltory law
\ hicn says. Look not upon the wine Shcn
{ IL red. when it gIveth it@ color in the
up At the last 1t bIteth like serpent
md stingcth like an adder Charity tor
he rum-sellor. who for selfish greed d, ie-
iOd. who has said, Woe TO him that
Siyeth his neighbOr drink >! Rnd charity
OF the poor drunkard. who ha. - debas.d d
lis G0d-given faculties that be does not
'eallze the fearful ruth that "No drunkard
'hall inherit the kingdom OF Heaven! but
'ells his soul for rum. Alas my sisters.
lere IL room for charity in its br0adest
ense, the charity which bearcth all things
ind hopeth all things Here IL case
where we may "hato the sin, but love the
sinner"
Let us in this spirit Of love to our fellows
abor on, untorTIiied by opposition or dis
appointments, sustained 10y the assurance
hat TEMPERANCE principles will prevail in |