Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-09-27
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC,
As CONNECTED WITH THE vIo-
LATION OF THE DECALOGUE,
BY 4 MrrHop1sr M1N1srER.
IcoNcLUDED.1
CHAPTER XII.
THE TRNTH COMMANDMENT.

OAA@AA KIN Al
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
"TAou skdH not couet 6by neighbor's house,
thou skah not coret ty neighbors tCife, nor his |
maa ssreGnt, nor his maid servant, nor his or,
nor his ass, nor ANYTHING THAT Is rHT NEIGH
BoRs."
That man may last, but never lices,
Who much receives, but nothing gives,
Whom none can love, whom none can thank,
Creations blot, creations blank"
The Supreme Legislator, closes the
decalogue with q command, which has
reference solely to the desires and dis
positions Of the mind. "Thou shalt not
covst." Consciousness consists in an in
ordinate desire Of earthly objects and
enioyments. That the liquor dealer lives
covetously in violation Of this precept, I
hope no one will undertake to DENY
He cannot possibly be ignorant Of the
host Of dire evils, produced by his daily
business; he must certainly know, that
be Is dealing in an article. which has
wasted property, ruined character, hros
ken the heart OF woman. beggaEed chill.
dren and murdered and damned thou
sands Of human beings. He cannot be
ignorant Of the fact, that his daily en-
ployment has caused family and neigh
borhood broils, fixed multitude Of deep
rooted preiudices, destroyed the peace
and corrupted the morals Of whole COM
muniiies. Sunken into deeper degrade
tion the slave, and fastened more firmly
their chains, (for on account Of the mis-
cradle trafic the master cannot allow his
slaves the privileges and the liberties be
would desire.) A deeper veil Of igno-
rance Is drawn over the uncultivaied
mind. aad host ofother evils. He can
not, | say, be ignorant Of these things.
Why then does he continue in such a
habit Of life! Why does he lend him
self the willing prcgenitor Of so many
woesS The only reason which he can
assign is, that it enhances his pecuniary
interest. He becomes willingly the au.
thor Of intense suffering indiscribabIs
woe, and the most heart rending,. soul
disgusting scenes by an inordinate anc
selfish regard for money Can he dare
deny but he values the Eve cents Of the
ruined drunkard, more highly than hi,
well being, and that Of his family Sucl
are his covetous desies, which we be
lieve he cannot in honesty deny, that hi
is willing that the earth should be ours
ed, if he may but accumulate thereby
1t may be denied that ii follows Of ne
cessity that because men are engaged i
the traffic, they are to be considered a
violators Of this precept. The onl
prospect Of release from condemnatio
in view Of any part of this law. is thi,
he may not covet his neighbors wife, b
il man for the sake Of dollars an
cents, will engage in, and prosecute /
vigorously, business by which ther
is dispersed abroad, so many burnin
curses. who can deny but he would co,
ct his neighbor's wife, If j. was at all prv
bable that bis pecuniary interest woul
bs advanced thereby. Why does be e.
hitit before the maa Of strong appetit
and dissipated habits, the fascinating be
.erage! Is it not that men may drink
drunkenness whereby they become
debtors Therefore he coyets his neig
bors house, bis man servant, and
maid servant, and his ass. But som
tunes we hear liquor dealers say, th
thew do not desire to see men drunk, til
they wish to see men live soberly; a
that they are sorry that men will becor
intoxicated. Where will you find a m
Of common sense who viii believe a
such thing. What is his object in pt
chasing spiritnous liquorss Is It to
stored away 10 some dark corner, or
cluded part ofhis shop, never TO be Sc
by mortal eyeS No, not SO. For il
placed in conspicuous position, to
seen BY those whose weakness can
withstand the attraction. Does he
buy for the cypress purpose Of selling
gainl And does he not putchase for
specific purpose Of making profit the
BYE Who can deny this ! Then b.
influenced by covetous desires. His
iect is to get the drunkard's money
he would never traficin in ardent spiE
The Vender is unwilling TO be consi.
ed a covetous man, but let me say
notwithstanding be may have been {
suspected Of coUetoHsness, before he
gagged IN the traffic, since his connec
with the business in which he trade