Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-08-15
r FIRFlL FIREiii

shop place licensed by the State to represent
Pandemonium and exhibit all the baser parts Of
poor corrupt humanity. A laufL FIRE is here
established, which may without hindrance, con-
sumo the souls and bodies of men, destroy their
property, empoverish their families, and lay in
waste and ruins all those bright hopes of prom
lse which but yesterday bloomed around their
hearth7stonel How many of these lawful Fires
are at this moment raging in our City-how
many thousands in the old North State land
yet with what l~istless Indifference do men gaze
on the scene, without feeling one spark of pity
or administration for the unfortunate sufferers
In the dead hour of night when all are lock
ed in the fond embrace of sleep, how suddenly
win the dread cry of " Firel" rouse the slum-
bering city from their couch; and when the Iu-
rid glare Of the ascending flame tells that his
neighbours property is in danger, with what a.
iacrity does he speed to the spot to render what
assistance he can in this hour of need and dis.
tress. A grand, noble and sublime spectacle, to
witness their efforts to arrest the fury of the
flames. But here is a tenement on fire, contain
ing a jewel tcorh "GH the rorldP' A score of
nre demons leap and grin and dance around
him the scathing element parches his lips,
sears the brain, paralyzes the manly arm. It is
last taking hold on his heart, and issuing up his
throat and through his mouth, betoken that the
building is on fire within. The poor, unfortu-
nate man is crying Fire 7" with what little
strength remains in him-ten thousand Sons of
Temperance in North Carolina, take ND the
sound, and shout Justify" FIRE. FIREl FIREiM
and yet how few of her citizens give heed to
their halloings, and turn a hand to extinguish
the hame that is consuming this noble specimen
of Gods architectural handiwork.
And now, who hath done thisi It is the
work of an incendiary /! The miserable suffer
er, the ten thousand Sons of Temperance. and
public opinion, all point to the grog-seller as the
man who hath wrought all this destruction, and
to the g~rog-shop as the magazine which has fur
nlshed the brand taat has caused this awful con-
fagration! And yet, tens of thousands of our
Observation-Disclosures humane and kind in
all other matters-look on with apparent indif-
ference and unconcern. Strange infatuation -
criminal apathy !! Ifan appeal were made for our
sympathies and aid, to relieve, pecuniarily, the
sufferings and wants of widowhood and orphan
age, with what alacrity would our hands be o.
pen to their aid-and yet, che fears of blood
and shame, wrung from the hearts of worse
than widowed wives. the rags, and hunger, and
poverty Of more than orphaned children, an
peal to US for aid, for help to remove the source
OF all their woe-they appeal in vain No re-
sponsive echo answers within us-the wells oil
our sympathy are dried up-and we leave this
magazine of he'll" alone, to continue its work
of blood and death ! Unparalleled i~nconsis-
/
VIII this strange, unaccountable hallucination
always continued Shall these fosterschools of
vice. infamy, shame and degradation be toIera-
ad taf"itam7 VIII law, made expressly
for the protection Of the weaker against the
always be made the perpetdator of the
power OF the rum-fend over It's defeneeless VIC
These are questions Of anxious, deeply
thousands of our countrymen and
pleading for themselves, their husbands.
fathers, sons and daughters. What is the an
sWer you give themi Answer, christian man,
IN the fear of God, and in view of the Judgment
day, lest it be said of you've knew your du-
y, but you did it not"
But we believe the doom of the traffic in nre-
water is doomed in the Old North State. It
be that enlightened public sentiment and
outraged private rights will much longer be
at the shrine of Baechus. TIE spirit
If improvement and reform, mental and physi-It
is abroad in our borders, and a high sense of
public morals and virtue must keep pace with
hese. "Let the battle-cry-Down with the
ring along the line mustered in de-
ence of humanity, and its interests, and then
Strike ! tilIthe last fell foe expires;
Strike for your affairs and your fires,
Strike for the green graves of your sires:
Con, and your native land p
Yes, feTlow-citizens, the cry of Fire liquid
ire " is heard in tones of exciting alarm
throughout our State-let each man and woman
ush with buckets of cold water, to extinpuish
he internal fames-and let Water water
water Down with the liquor traffic be the
'attle cry, until every grog-hole shall be deIuged
With the pure element and the fires in every
listillery be e~xtinguished forever.
-~*~~~ /,
N A Correspondent writes us from Chatham
county, that there is aman passing through the .