Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-07-21
PASSING STRANGER

tits truly strange to witness the workings
OF the human heart against that which is only
rood, humane and wise. Legislators may pass
laws, the effect of which may be seen and felt
TO work great evil, and that continually such,
for instance, as the License laws for the sale
and use of intoxic ating drinks-and yet not a
word of complaint is utteredl Families have
come under these direful tendencies-neigh-
borhoods have been broken up-the happiness
and well-being Of communities kestroyed-the
property and lives of thousands lost,-but yet
the protection Of Law must not be invoked for
the suppression Of the evil The pious and
thoughtful may feel it to be their duty to bring
the siHte public view, in all its bearings, may
point to the prisons, work and poor-houses
which il keeps constantly flled-may show
the people how they are groauing under heavy
taxes to support this system, may tell of the
many victims for the gallows which it supplies
may tell of the ffy thousand who die annu-
ally in the United States, from drunkenness,
and of double that number who are in proper
training for the same dreadful end;-indeed,
they may talk until the people are aroused as
TO the enormity ofthe evil, causing the masses
to investigate the subject thoroughly, until they
hold public meetings, collect statistics and ex-
pose the system and traffic in all their enormity
and all this is very well, until a remedy is
talked Of being applied Legislative interfer
ence is asked for-then the storm is excited
popular rights and individual privileges are
declared to be invaded, and the people are ap
pealed to, to protect their liberties!
II matters not that the will of the mdjoritl
is declared to be the criterion by which thu
remedy is to be applied-it is of no avail tina
those favoring the reform desire the concur
renee of the people, yea, declare their inten
ton to ask for it only on the ground that tn
major portion Of the community ask for it
the hue and cry is not abated, but is rung o.
ten thousand changes the peoples rights ar
in dangerp And the same policy has bee.
pursued where two-thirds of the people hay
asked for such Legislative interference, an
where four.ffths have ratified the law after
had been passed and tested for a year. I'll
truth is, the opposition are unwilling the M
jority should govern, a. least so far as this que
ton is concerned!
Another remarkable feature in the charact
of this opposition, is to be found in the fac
that notwithstanding the cries, tears and wo,
Of thousands Of mothers and children, viii,
go up yearly, monthly and daily to God, for r
dress, some pious men, ministers of the &c
pei, too, who have such great care for the sou
of their congregations, are found acting again
their cries and tears, stabbing the cause of
form in secret places, and prating as thou
they, %forsooth, were the only guardians
morals, piety and good government, and t
sole protectors of liberty, philanthropy a
just and equal laws I'VE would ask the
pseudo s~ayiours what would the world suf
ifall nations, kindred and people were volt
tarily to discard the manufacture and use
intoxicating beverages? Truly the world wol
suffer the loss of much-but it would be
loss of shame. infamy, degradation, sin a
most Of the evils which aflict the human fal
ly. Well, ne want to get the people,
whole people, if We can, and if not, at lie
n mqj0ri,y of the citizens Of North Carol
to agree to this abandonment. Have Il
not the right to do it? And should not
majority govern? This is all we seek
We want!