Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-11-30
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST

Brethren, we verify believe the good old
North State is awakened to proper sense
OF her duty In regard to the temperance
reform. Soon will the cold water army
which has extended its happy influences
throughout her length and breadth, release
her from the fetters which have so long
bound her to earth, and stayed her progress
in the moral, physical and intellectual
world, and then like the Gagged eagle when
set at liberty to float joyfully in the air
which nature gave it, will she bid defiance
to the arm of the demon and bask in the
i sunshine of glorious triumph. Already
we see her approaching destination whose
atmosphere is uncontaminated by the foul
exhalations from the still, from the drunk
ards lungs, and from the ensnaring odor
Of the wine cup. Already the rum-sclcr
begins to wear the marks Of shame upon
his hitherto unblushing countenance, and
to reflect upon the ruined souls, the bloat-
ed, shattered and staggering forms, the
blighted hopes, the disconsolate widow and
starving orphans which he is forced to ac-
knowledge as the workmanship of his own
hand. Already the dark cloud of vile in
temperance, which has lowered over and
shed upon US its awful influences, is fast
dispensing and while the gentle breeze, to
which is unfurled the Banner of Love, Pu-
rity and Fidelity, is bearing it from our
!, sky, the refulgent Sun of Temperance is
bursting forth to shed his brilliant rays up
on every nook and corner Of our State.
, Public sentiment, which has been swayed
, by the powerful seeptre of King Alcohol,
!. has now reversed its course, and instead of
! rolling stream of liquid fire through our
land, and blighting the prospects of our
: moral, social and religious enjoyments, it
is rolling stream of natures own pure
, and limpid element, which, swelling daily by
its numerous tributaries must soon quench
0 the remaining sparks of intempprance
which yet linger to mar the peace and com
, fort of many neglected freside We
t trust the day is not far distant when Alco-
Y hol shall be deprived Of his privilege of
It making wives widows, children orphans,
It fathers fends, and all of them paupers and
It beggars; when he shall no longer cover our
land with poverty, idleness, disease, ruin
u and death; contemn our laws, fill our jails
If and penitentiaries, multiply our lunatic asy-
d lums, crowd our alms-houses and furnish
| the victims for the scaffold Brethren, it
I it is useless that I occupy time in speaking
d badge which adorms your person even more
d than "ermine robe or kingly diadem,"
n speaks in terms more explicit than tongue
4 can utter, your enmity against the demon /;
a and in this enlightened age, am inclined
,r to the opinion that he who is unwilling to
er acknowledge that intemperance is the
le greatest scourge that ever visited our land
n. must have his conscience protected by a
shell of prejudice upon which sixty poun.
IN der cannon ball of argument could not
I make the. slightest impression. To the
l. remedy then let us direct our attention
re The nature of this malady which traver
ch ses our land and sweeps annually its thou
as sands from our midst, is well understood
be by all intelligent enquirers. Who ther
should stop to ask whether the remedy
Id should be administered when we know W,
as have specific that will meet the indication
IRE Common sense as we'll as experience tell!
" us that judicious compound of moral sua
ry sion and legal coercion is remedy know
be to be infallible. To stay the progress 0
Id this dire calamity, we have welded tn
ell weapon of moral suasion, and with it wha
ny have we accomplished? We have drie
me up many streams of liquid fire, restore
ISL many an inebriate husband and father to
ed quiet and peaceful freside, checked man
a blossoming youth in the very threshol
sly of ruin and destruction brought the pee
ZEN pie to think seriously upon the subject, di
r if sipated from the public mind many old an
nd long cherished prejudices, and swelled th
ow great tide of reform, until the cold watt
as influence has gained the ascendancy. Tn
do then is the stimulus which has given ten
porary impetus to the declining conditic
ary of our moral, social and religious interes
ong but which without a more permanent su
ays port will not suffice to produce the desire
1in end; and in our opinion nothing less tn;
removal of the cause can accomplish th
leir end. So long as the seeds of intemperan
rom are sown upon our soil so long as the fo
Y in fumes of distilled damnation CONTAINING
our atmosphere, must we ever submit to t
ents evils which we have at present to deplol
n Remove the cause then, and we cure t
still disease. Let US have law prohibiting c
tirely the traffic in alcoholic liquors. Su
ave o law Is our crave, Slice we KNOW IL Is
best dispensable to the accomplishment of {
n object. 1t is for the people of North c
ence olina, and not the members of our
ours Legislature, to say whether we have sucl
pect law; it is also their privilege to make
look quor sellers at the low and pitiful rates
0 be ten dollars apiece, and invest them with
not authority of numbering as many of tn
fellow men as may be enticed into their
quor puddles of perdition by the icen;
nth: glass. Were this all, brethren, the ey
tell of the liquor traffic would be diminished
the tenfold proportion, when compared W
the the deplorable condition to which those
e. brought who never touch the intoxicati
life, cup. Yes, if the drunkard was the OF
thy one to reap the bitter ills of his own n
r by doings, the magnitude of the subject wo'
wing dwindle into insignifcance, when we ref
thou upon the crime, the misery, the wretch
ness which the legislator heeds not, and
which the rum seller never pauses to
i put auire The liquor seller, invested with
oane- onas thority from the law makers, deals out
,den. % poison until he has drained his victim
his last farthing, broke down his phys