Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-10-21

The Star Minstrel benefit to Charley f.
Miller, last Friday evening, was success in
every particular. The FIRST part was in oil
respects one Of the cleanest, brightest things
of the kind we have ever seen. The arrange
ment of music was excellent, the fun was new
and bright, everything was in good taste, and
the variety was all that could be asked for
The musical novelty, up the Narrow Gauge"
with which this part closed, was very happy
in conception and exceedingly pretty in its
movement Tho olio was full of fun OF the
best sort, with some az pleasing music as we
often hear thrown in-this including the Arion
Quartette performance, Mr. Rankin's Scotch
song in costume, and Mr.. Bryant's xylophone
solo. NIiller's "loca issues" brought down
the house, and doubtless woke responsive
chord in the hearts Of those fellows who have
recently been skipping across forty.acre lots
at two bounds, with Herrick, Starkey or John
Wood in dangerous proximity. Kelley's clog
dance was the perfection of ease and grace,
John Clarkson's "Moriarty" was happy hit
and Colbys Dundreary letter was well done.
Preserved for Fish Culture" the farce with
which the evening closed, was a good bur
lesque, well put on and carried through. Mr.
Henry, to whom the company are indebted
for this piece as well as up the Narrow
Gauge" is evidently n young man of no little
talent. from whom our Brattleboro people
will be glad to hear again. Mr.. Miller never
appeared to better advantage in his variety
parts than on this occasion, and his friends
will be glad to know that he realized q snug
little sum upward Of 500, probably from
the entertainment. We should add that the
evenings overture was written, and the other
musical parts arranged, by Mr.. @. M. Cobb OF
the Brattleboro orchestra.
REV DIR. COW ON TEMPERANCE.
n Il Iaot Guudou
ming on 1.-THE Legal Aspects of the Temper
ance Question" was listened to by large
audience The Doctor did not profess to
have any new ideas to advance upon this we'll
worn topic, but aimed chiefly to impress up
on the minds of his hearers the Importance of
maintaining a more active warfare upon the
great foe intemperance. He remarked that
we, as citizens of republic, have double
obligation resting on us 1t is our duty not
only TO provide laws which are just, benefi-
cent and practical, but to see that these laws
are properly enforced. Laws for the sup
preston or regulation Of the liquor traffic are
made necessary by the magnitude Of the evils
which grow out Of intemporance. This ne
ccssity is recognized nj the present day by all (;
the only point upon which there is a variance
of opinion is as to what the law shall be.
Shall it be a license law, or prohbitory
Things and practices which are wholly evil
like thievng-may be entirely prohibited,
and their prohibition gives rise TO no contro-
versy. But alcoholic liquors have their legit-
innate as well as their iegitimate uses, and it
is this peculiarly which makes the enforce
ment OF laws in regard 10 them 70 difficult.
Total prohibition Of the sale Of liquors is, for
the reason stated out Of the question and
all so-cAlled prohibitory laws are framed in
recognition of this fact. Prohibtory laws
are therefore, to n certain extent, license
laws. But defining prohibition as the sup
preston of the sale Of intoxicating liquors for
illegitimate uses and license as permitting
such sale to certain extent the Doctor was
unqualifedly in favor Of prohibition. He re-
garded it not unlikely that the prohibtory
statute Of Vermont is imperfect in some par
ticulars he had not become familiar enough
with it to judge in regard to that but such
as it is ii should be vigorously and conscien-
tiously enforced, and then its imperfeciions
will become manifest and may be remedied.
Laws which depend upon the people for their
enforcement should not be in advance of
public sentiment. We have laws in this
state for the suppression Of atheism and pro-
fame swearing, and prohibiting ordinary trav-
el upon Sunday tut these laws are now un-
supported by public sentiment and hence
should be removed from our statute books !;
but our prohibitory law, as a whole, voices
the public sentiment Of the present day, and
the necessity Of its enforcement is apparent.
The Doctor thought that the civil damage
clause was proper and just that dramshops
were an unmtigated evil and should be total
ly suppressed that there should be more in
ebriate asylums for the benefit Of persons in
capable of self-control, and that greater effort
should be made to inculcate the principles Of
temperance in our public schools. In clos
ing, he dwelt upon the individual responsible
ity Of all good citizens for the maintenance
of the laws for the suppression of intern
perance and the magnitude of the work to be
done