Spirit of the age., 1853-05-04
Weldon Patriot.

He pokes the Editor of the Warrenton News b
gently under the ribs, about his parentheti- t.
cal remark of remedying the evils (if any k
that exist" &C., and charges him with doubt h
ing" that there be any ; and INDUCES in a h
little fun at the " debating club" style in t
which the News proposes his query for dis il
cussion, and then expresses desire to see 7
the day when alcoholic beverages shall be t
entirely discontinued, but thinks legislative |
enactment is not the way to bring it about I
but the proper education Of youth, and the
law of kindness exercised towards the unfor-
tunate drunkard will better effect it-saying $
tc him-we sympathize with you, and with I
beneyolence and love would win you from
the error Of your way-instead of saying to
him, you shan't drink !''-for our people
may "be led but forced, NEyERw
Without intending to take the controversy
off the hands of the Editor of the News, who
is better able to conduct it than US, yet we
beg permission to remark that, the Patriot
has departed from the issue, and assumed an
hypothesis not admitted by the friends of
legislative interference. They do not ask
for legislation to prereat t16iaking, but the
traffic in an article that is destroying the lives
of our citizens, engendering strife and discord |
in the community, and entailing heavy taxa
tion upon the sober, industrious, thrifty por-
tions Of society. If men will drink, let not
the law provide depots and facilities fer en-
gaging in sprees, debauchery and crime but
let them betake themselves to some unfre-
quented place, where they will not disturb
the public peace nor expose the public to the
liability to expense for the maintainance of
themselves or their families, for the ex
pense Of restraining or furnishing the ofen-
ses they are liable and often induced to COM
nit against the rights of their fellow citi-
zens or the laws of the land under the inf1u
ence of the excitement of intoxication. 1t is
! the province of the moralist, the philanthro-
l pist, the preacher, to take up and reform
such cases. Here is scope and latitude enough
for that love and benevolence" which the
Patriot so strongly recemmends-here are
subjects suitable for its enterprise and worthy
e ofits Jealous endeavors But when the drunk
) ard leaves his filthy den, and staggers out in
e to open daylight, nuisance to all beholders,
G disturbing, disgusting and ready to quarrel
l. with every peaceable and Industrious man
who comes in his way, and terrifying dis
s. tressing and insulting every decent woman
h whom he meets-it is time for the law to lay
is it's restraining hand upon him, and it is time
for it to reach little further, and take into
it's iron grasp the manufacturer and dealer
IN in such nuisances, the man who, with taste
oe little less shocking than that of the ghouls OF
er fiction who feed upon carcasses, draws his
IL living out Of such disgusting objects.
es As to the position that our men may be
us led but not forced, it will not hold good ir
On the experience of all legislation Our laws
ST. are all made to restrain and punish those
ne - IL -svt 4rtvvtUv,I by ruifu ana Klnc
W measures. If a man was to set up store
'c- near the residence of our friend of the Pa
lS' triOt, for the sale Of obscene and incendiarv
~ books and prints, and was in the habit 0
10 dispensing them to his children and servants
~ Il. would he calmly walk in and admonish tn
y vender to desist, and urge him by kind an,
III benevolent words to give over his destruc
tive business? Suppose he were, and tn
seller should say to him" Well, sir, obscen
an and incendiary books and prints will be pub
on lished and sold, and it is useless to try an
rn prevent it, why not, therefore, let it be Greg
er- ulated"-be made a respectable, legal bus
ness, and put the price Of prostitution an
4 b1oOdShn5 in4o tho l;o Il
er- he continue to reason dispassionately abou
rSV the improperly of such monstrous propos
~ ton? No. verify! But with all the yirt1
Or Gus indignation Of an upright citizen he woul
ge, seize the villain and visit upon him the S,
Der verest penalties of zaw-if, indeed, his il
%3 IF censed feelings did not impeI him to admini
ter more summary punishment. Now, is M
,r this parallel case? Prostitution, blooC
If shed, degradation and every other evil
rer which flesh is heir, legitimately flow frol
Tho the liquor trafic-and yet men talk of reasol
, ,, and lore and beneUoZence in restraining thos
90 whose consciences are so hardened as to |
- engaged in it at this hour of enlightened DR.
ID gress and knowledge! Monstrous inconsi
tency!
o;n But, the Patriot gives as it's opinion, tn,
nd Z" the Legislature has no right TO say to Il
citizens of North Carolina they shall not maj
-on utacture, of their own property, and for the
1.r own use, whatever they may think proper
70 carry out the parallel above-If ma
!, were to erect printing Office in Weldon fl
= printing those obscene and abolition bool
20 and prints referred to, on his own paper an
-; with his own type, though he did not sell
,,,+ copy, but gaze them away to his visitor
- would he be left unmolested in his nefarior
- business? By no means So our frien
- will see where that argument leads him.
The Patriot finally winds up by admittin
- that the Legislature has the constitution
- right to prohibit tie sale Of Intoxicating
- quors whenever it becomes nuisance to Il
:. public, but contends great caution" shoul
be exercised in the use of this right, and th,
entire prohibition should not be attempte
- during the lifetime of the present generation.
Il