Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-20
The Drink Bondage.

"What a pitiable sight Look Glare |"
was the exclamation as | walked across the |
veranda to speak to a friend. Turning my
gaze in the direction indicated, saw that |
man had fallen by the way and was lying in
drunken stupor with bottle by his side
poor fellow | am afraid of a suustroke,"
was said in the same gentle tone Truly it
was ptiable sight, for, as We stood there
questioning what must be done and who was
10 do it, the poor inebriate turned a little in
helpless way, revealing for an instant
broad, high brow and features that under
other circumstances would have been pleas |
ant to look upon. There he was, some
mothers son, somebody's brother, some
body's husband and somebody's father. A
man created in the image of God, endowed
with intellect and all the prerogatives of
manhood, lying there in dead stupor, his
coat torn and covered with the filth of the
street, his bloated, purple face pressed down
to the earth. Shame covered him as
mantle, but he was unconscious; boys jeered
him, it mattered not men passed him with
out extending ahelpng hand. A man lying
there with less intelligence than the brute
that turned 10 look at the black, uusightly
heap as he passed "He must not lie there
No; he must be put out of sight" 1t was
woman's voice. A woman's heart was
touched with compassion, a woman's hand
was outstretohed TO save him from abuse and
| added discomfort. But what amount of
compassion can touch the hearts of law
makers and legislators, and cause them to
rise up in the strength of their malliuess
and proclaim TO the world that, as for us and
our nation, the traffic in alcoholic drinks
has come to an end What a glorious
proclamation What servitude can equal
the servitude of strong drink I What slave
30 AFFECT as the man who is powerless to
combat the monster intemperance Before
the dreaded tyrant judgment is overcome,
affection is Turned to gall, intellect is pros
trate. African slavery was termed blot
upon our nations honor, The proclamation
OF our martyred president giving freedom TO
millions stamped him as a moral hero a
grateful nation sung his praises. Shall we
stop here2 What was the slave-mart in
comparison TO the place where drink is sold
to men, and slaves they become to tyrant
whose whip OF scorpions falls upon the torn,
palpitating flesh, while all over our land the
cry goes up from tortured hearts To have
pity. And there is none. How long, q
God how longp Thou who hast heart to
pity, stay this evil, we pray thee. Have
mercy upon this army OF mothers, wives
and children, and snatch these victims Of
ntemperance from the jaws Of the destroyer.
Cleanse us as a nation from this great sin.
Give liberty TO thy children. May our treas
ury no longer be enriched by the traffic in
strong drink may the vendors of the poi
son be led to look upon it as a crime; and
hasten on the day when our young men shall
not be in peril aud the cup no longer be
held to the lips of the children. Aud grant
that the day may not be far distant when
we can look upon the stars and stripes as
they float above us, and feel that we are
people who In word and In deed honor God
and keep his mandments.--Selecied.