St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-07-08

conformation of crime that makes crime
easy; and we have condoned the
crime of rum selling until men can
commit, without fear of punishment,
other crimes.
On first coming to your town L took
a careful survey of this question. L
saw the subserviency of the people and
of your tribunals of justice to the rum
traffic. Yes, saw it entrenched be-
hind quite a moneyed interest, and be-
hind position and respectability, so re-
garded. | saw, also, that the arm of
the executive and judicial department
of law was weak, that prosecuting Of
ficers were timid and compromising ];
that .juries were demoralized that your
court is weak and lenient. And this
has come from the federation of this
black curse, the rum traffic. But, what
can we do? Well, there are some
things we ought not to do. We should
not retaliate, and should do nothing
in the spirit of retaliation. Any act of
retaliation will only make matters
worse in the end. Retaliation never
essentially forwards the cause of right.
We shall do we'll to remember this. We
should not even make use of law as a
means of retaliation for offences suf-
fered. Such action should be taken
and in such way as will commend it
self to the sober common sense and
mature judgment of the law abiding
citizens of the community. This mat
ter will require in management, mode
ration yet firmness. We should leave
passion to itself. Make no distinction
in criminals; serve high and low alike
according to the number and magni-
tude of their crimes, except let the
highest be the first apprehended, as
these stand first in responsibility for
the existence of the traffic. But let
rum selling stop it's work, if it closes
to the public every hotel for the next
six years. You can better do without
hotels than without morals, religion,
virtue and your liberties-and the lat
ter are fast disappearing. Again, do
what you do, if possible, not as party
but as citizens If it is party against
party, or ring against a ring, there is
danger that evil and not good will
come of it. But for the common good !;
for peace, and order and safety, strike,
and strike at once. 1t is no time for
party strife when interests as high as
heaven and deep as the pit are at stake.
| wonder if it is possible for this COM
munity to open it's eyes to the enOrmi-
ty of the evil that threatens the over
throw of everything that we hold dear.
/ wonder if in full view of the malig
nant character of this traffic, of the
vileness and brutality it stamps upon
its vendors in full view of crimes
made possible by the federation of the
evil of the poison it carries with its
endurance, and distills into the pub
lie conscience; in full view of public
opinion already demOralized, of prin-
ciple and law, of position and justice
prOstituted, of Sabbath desecrated, of
virtue covering and servile, of liberty
threatened wonder if anything will
be done? | ask if, in this day, in full
view of the enOrmity of the crime COM
mitted in our midst and the danger
that menaces our peace and safety and
by the absolute need of prompt action,
by the right of self preservation, here
in the house of God, in this day of re-
spOnsibility and opportunity, [ ask if
you will not devise some means for the
overthrow of this evil. In the name
of wives who mourn and pine in the
squalOr and misery of the drunkards'
novels in the name of weary, watch
ing, desOlate mothers, whose sons are
fastening to ruin in the name of some
young men here tonight who may
wreck all manhood for time and all
hope for eternity in the name Ofhope
full maidens, who may have beauty
wrecked and heart broken by this
curse i'll the name of 'earth drenched
in blood and tears, and heaven lost
forever, and in the name of Almighty
God, in whose presence we are and
before whose judgment bar we must
shortly appear, L call upon you to
maintain the law and put down this
awful business at any and all cost. In
answer to these appeals, under these
awful conditions and responsibilities,
let us cry everlasting war on this I'M
holy traffic.