Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-08-01

The certainty Of protracted struggle
is manifest from our experience in snoih-
er direction. For some years now, the
intelligent Temperance force has felt it,
sell impelleG 10 enter more and more
into direct conflict with the Legslized
Traffic. The necessity was obvious.
Here lies the strength OF the enemy.
! The authorized Traffic has the power
and the will 10 counterwork all our NOR.
al activities. five really intend 10 car
~ this enterprise, and not merely TO
wage an interminable warfare, our work
must of necessity, turn more and moro
in this direction. Too long we were
content TO stand by and mourn over The
desolation, and lament the crimes, and
pity the miseries, and bury the sIafn,r
and pay the bills, and console ourselves
| with demonstrating now and then, in
set speeches, how distressing and now
wrong it all vas. The mischief wrought
right on, and left us TO testify our truths
and patter our psthos al leisure. ~
; But how varied have been the fortunes
I Of that strife which we have waged with
the Traffic as by Law established and sas.s
I tainedl We have not wrought in vaing
; far from that. The tone Of legislation
is at higher level throughout the coun-s
; try. Through many changes. with MAJ
: ny revolution Of parties. through rever.1
: ses and successes, we are studying this
y great problem, what TO do, and how to-
i do it, in the matter Of legislation. Our
: experience Is already very rich; but Il
h shows as nothing more clearly than the
i need OF patience and perseverance,. II
S will yet try these virtues in us but ia
!, due time Law. will become in this matter
d nothing less than the voice OF God. E
s These are doubtless veiy prosaic views
o oi-better not uttered, il may be thought,
IS even if they are true. Better retsinth
s. zeal and energy inspired by the coh6dent
Is anticipation Of a triumphant issue near
II at hand, even if that hope be iIIusory--
r better this enthusiastic impulse that
i'd guides the heart by IFS noble wishes, than
rs the dry and spiriiIess toll that rests on
IN COOL calculationl So ii mayb
thought, and not few may feel that We
,n cannh safely exchange the afdor Of
he hopes outrunning re ason, for sober work
OF day views. We have too much evidence
tic that not little that has been done in
he our cause has been done impuisiveiy,z
ty with an unhealthy fervor, grasping ea<
re. gerly at results. and confident Of putting
ms in the sickle at the very heels OF the
iii sower. Small comfort that we may only
cir prepare triumphs from afar, and plant
he causes from which the fruit shall fall
lie. chiefly in the lap of our children And
re. no doubt the Temperance enterprise
lat stands at the advanced stage it has
es reached. in no small part by efforts that
ost came OF the fond tfast long before this
lre time it would have reached a universal
en-. triumph. Can we spare the impelliRg
red force Of this illusion, over-eager style Of
OF hopes
rer My dear young Reformerl we wish
the you good speed, and glorious success, and
an Irumphs even more rapid and conclusive
nus than you ever dared to hope. Lift-lift,
ole all hands, a this unwieIdy mass Of vi
the cious opinion and practice-lifi, ir seems
art good to you, with the hope that Just this
ed. one lift will heave il past the verge and
ex- down the slope, and glad farewell to it
hill for everi And we too will lift till ii
ap- does go orer-not confident when it Will
5 Of go. We adjust ourselves for long pull,
And with courage and sober hope II you
nay can contrive to hope that next year. OF
ous thereabout will witness the utter down
his fall OF lntemPerance, strike bravely IN
wn that belief and may it be truer than we
we think. Such hope does honor 10 any
liant mans heart: noble wish lather Of it
old, But is it quite safe to lest this cause
all on mistaken anticipations? VIII hope.
,hil. so eager brook the delay that is vita
and BILE? Counting on victory, even nov
hen at the door, will they endure trial. ant
iion tolls long continued, and weary chas.
ions Of this changing and ever-retreaiing foe
hole Or, will not these long deferred hope
own sicken the impatient heart, and lead Z,
hole revhlsIons oil disappointment WIl
seep they not lead TO the abandonment OF III
and work as one doomed 70 defeat, and I
i've The distrust and final rejection of Princi
will plies, than are of course visionary in th
n all view Of those who measure their soHnd
npe- ness by their rapidity3
de- Just consider. too, If il be not yer
'ruch this that now ais the Temperance
Of no enterprise. The era OF rapid advanc
: en- and signal conquest has passed by. an
lance that of lUcrk has come. And with ID
hold change has come an abatement oftt
urc enthusiastic ardoT which once breathe
roots along TIE whole line of attack Mo
d liv- than that-defecton has thinned o.
cited ranks Of many once arden. iriend--d
1verv fection from many causes, bat all Il
ished and pushed into action bv the slow pro
cted ress. the sober toll, he failure Of for
and dreams of speedy triumph. They wou
ice OF have the matter carried wiki rus
'ast il But il would not be carried so. Al
and little by little the reliable force Of Il
fused Reform has been reduced, like Gideor
social troop to the number who coasent. sin