Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-23
Deacons and Deac0ns.


of Maine, az well as OF Massachusetts, pro-
vided that in the month of May annually
the aldermen of cities and selectmen OF
towns might license as liquorsellers as
many persons of good moral character as
the public good seemed to require. And
good moral character in fact, was required
in most cases in order to obtain license.
The other sort of people did not care for
license they sold liquors without one.
knew many most respectable men In the
old rum time, and some deacons among
them, who sold liquors.
The story of which | was speaking, Of a
rnm-selling deacon, was this On the Sat
urday night the good old deacon was shut
ting up his shop and about to go home to
prepare for the Sabbath, when neighbor
came in for his usual supply of liquor for
Sunday. This neighbor was a notorious
drunkard, and on this occasion was in the
first stages of "the iims"-deirium ire
mems. The deacon took the drunkard's
Jug and candle and went to the rum-barrel
at the far end of the shop to draw the
liquor. While he was doing this the poor
wretch was in high glee, laughing bolster
ously. As the deacon handed to him the
jug he asked:
" What were you laughing at Z"
al was laughing TO see the devil, while
you were STOPPING down to draw the rum,
slap you on the back and cry out "Ah,
you're the deacon for me-"
And so he was in fact.
That story had good deal to do with the
change in public opinion as to rumselling
deacons in connection with another story
told of a rumselling deacon, who made the
communion wine of New England rum and
water, coored and sweetened with molasses.
This story l know to be true. The deacon
told me that he was not aware OF doing an
improper thing. Was he How much
more of the fruit of the vine" have mod
ern wines than the deacon's had
But am reminded of the story of these
rumselling deacons by another story that
comes to me from Bangor through the press.
The story is this The Maine law is not ex-
ecuted there at all, and liquors are sold
freely, as everybody knows, if not openly.
This is said to be the result of bargain, or
at least an understanding, between the rum
sellers and the lowest class of the people of
the first part, and the churches, politicians,
officials of the law on the second part, that
if the parties of the first part shall well and
truly vote the republican ticket without any
conscientious scruples, either real or pre-
tended, then the parties of the second part
will assure them against prosecution for vio-
lation of law. This bargain or compact has
led to frightful Generalization in Bangor,
and has stimulated the few good people who
live there to do what they can to cure the
dreadful evil.
On the 18th of March the Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union presented petition
to the Board of Aldermen in the following
terms "The undersigned, members of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, re-
spectfully pray that you will promptly and
faithfully execute, through your police force,
the prohibitory liquor law of this state,
which says 1T shall be the duty of
the mayor and aldermen in every city
to make complaint and prosecute any
violations of the said provisions of this
chapter and to promptly enforce the laws
against drinking. houses. '-Revised Statutes,
chapter q, section 3d."
Now the mayor and aldermen are under
oath to execute this law. They have delib-
erately sworn to do it as part, and an i'm
portant part, of their official duty They
are set apart from their fellow citzsns to
perform certain official duties in relation to
municipal affairs, and to maintain law and
order, and in many ways to provide for and
promote the general good As to many OF
| these duties their relation is incidental and
| inferential, but as to this particular duty OF
protecting the community against the liquor
traffic it is specific and positive, prescribed
| by the law in express terms, and to which
| they are sworn.
Miss Crosby, on the part Of the Woman s
| Christian Temperance Union, in a short but
pithy speech, pointed all this out clearly,
and put the city government, especially the
mayor, into a position that must have
troubled an honest and honorable man, but
it did not seem to touch him. The Rev
Joseph Smith also made an admirable
speech, in the course of which he said the
mayor had observed to him "the democrats
would get into power if the law were en-
| forced.
On the part of the government only one
speech was made, and that by deacon who
was called on by the mayor to do so.
give you the deacon's speech in full as it
comes to me in print from Bangor 81
hardly dare to trust myself to speak on
this occasion without preparation, but for
| forty-eight years | have been strongly in
favor OF temperance, and would be very
sorry to he convicted of having done any
thing detrimental to it. CThe trouble would
come with the 'conviction.O | think our
good women might form very large and
strong citizens party in favor of enforcing
the law, but it was no use to try TO array
the two political parties against each Other
on this question, as has been attempted in
this petition. 1t cannot be done; the city
government cannot stand on temperance
basis. Should be glad if the city govern
ment could see their way clear to bring q
pressure to bear upon the open traffic in THU
city, but there are too many drinking mel
in both parties. | think the present cit,
government would be glad to do it if the.
could only see their way clear.
Temperance work belongs to the church
but the church never NEEDLES with mani
politics, and temperance shouldn't. No on,
can accuse me of ever touching liquor, bu
when you get out on this matter POLITICAL,
| have never seen my way clear. Drunken
in both parties are influenced by their wishes
and the republican party cannot be expected
as a party to execute this law. Too man.
influential men want it Qiquor). | will
never consent to have this made an issu
between the parties"
| decline to repeat the name OF this Ban
gor deacon. / am sorry to say there ar
other deacons like him.-Nedl DOO.