Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1853-10-05

timony of unpreudiced men and newspapers to the
fact that the Maine liquor law, instead Of suppress
ing the evil Of intemperance, has actually added to
it. Ardent spirits have been banished from the re-
failing houses and the old habit of side-board drink
ing has been restored-for the Maine law be it re-
membered, does not prohibit the citizen from keep
ing the ardent in his own house. The hotels and
public houses tits also stated still furnish the article
at their tables and charge for it, not specifically, it
is true but really in their bills These are the facts
as given by John Neal Esq.-by the Boston Tran
script the New York Express, and other papers pub
ished in Maine. The Editor of the Age, as an offset
to this state of facts publishes letter which he has
received from the Mayor of Portland but this let
ter, though evidently from the pen of one favorable
to the law does not sustain the Editor in his position
The Mayor says his impression" is that the guam
tty liquor consumed is very much less than for
merly, though there is, undoubtedly, mach drink
eng IN prscate." The Mayor adds, the temperance
cause is onward, and will yet triumph; aehether 1t
IS to be accomplished BY legal get to be
Determined but think 1t ,eiU be necessary to use
both legal and moral suasion."
last paper, under the head of "our poltics-our
principles" He says heis for prohibitory law, but
that he is opposed to the formation of party or
association under the temperance banner to control
the party politics of the State country" These
professions sound very well, but we leave it to the
public to observe the practice and judge for them
selves. We know the Maine liquor law has been
made an issue in most if not all the Northern States;
we know that Horace Greely has recently profcssed
to abandon Whiggery with the view of planting him.
self more fully on the Maine law PLATFORM and that
Horace is not less Whig now than he has been
heretofore we know that in every case interference
in politics through the agency of this question: has
been uniformly preceded by declarations similar to
those put forth by Mr.. German. We have deemed
it our duty to keep our readers fully informed on
these points, and shall continue to do So whatever
it may please the Editor of the Age to say of in
his protessedly temperance sheet
We take this occasion to say that no enc deplores
more than do the evils resulting from the immod
crate of ardent spirits and would 60 furth
cr by the use of just and proper means, to remedy
these evils. We believe the surcst and best way to
make men sober is to reason with them-to assist
them when in distress-to encourage and support
them in their efforts to reform and to better their
dtion, and to set them good example not merely
of sobriety but of benevolencc liberation and char
ity. We believe the principle of love is stronger
than that of fear-that kindly treatment will effect
much more for the poor inebriate than abuse and
harsh denunciation; and that, in word, if men
determined to ardent spirits to excess no law in
a country like this, prevent them from so doing.
This undertake to say, is the position occupied
by the Editor of the Age twelve months ago but,
he has changed in this respect and now goes for a
prohibtory law, he must excuse us if decline to
put much faith in his present professions given in
his paper of the 2Sth instant Indeed it is to be
greted that the Editor of that paper should pursue
a course calculated to inure the very cause he
pouses If he had remained true to his original
pledgcs-if he had relied on moral suasion and had
shown himself temperate in his expressions, as he
processes to be in his habits, and if he had kept out
of the political arena the of temperance would
have grown and hourished in his hands, and he
would in this way, have entitled himself to general
respect and to the thanks of all good men as the
advocate and champion of an important moral ref.
ormation.
We take occasion also to say, that the reformed
drunkard has our respect and our sympathies We
wish him well, and would do nothing to tempt him,
to embarrass him. in his efforts to escape from the
evil which aforetme degraded and threatened to des
troy him, both soul and body; but it does strike
and we trust we shall be pardoned for saying it
that if were reformed inebrate, and owed
reformation to the example and encouragement kind
ly afforded by sober men, should at least not
be forward and mpertinent in lecturing and denoun
cling those who had been sober all their lives But
this is, perhaps only matter of taste, and VIC shall
not dwell upon it.
The Editor of the Age intimatcs that we publish
articles against but never in favor of temperance
This is not true, and we appeal to our readers to
bear us out in the assertion The Age also charges
that we are desrous of becoming of wine
bibbing and liquor drinking men," This is in keep
ing with the unchartabe of most of the Maine
law men. If one thinks proper to disagree with
them he is forthwith denounced as either "rum-
my or the friend of drunkards and "wne-bibbers."
This has no effect on us and we equally
moved by the mputation to us, by the Age, of dis
ingenious" conduct or unworthy motives" The
Editor is evidently roused-he is "spirited" on the
OCCASION though we will do him the justice to say
that we believe he does not imbbe spirits of any
sort. We have not sought this controversy 1t has
been forced upon us by the Age; and though we are
rather reluctant to contnuet still may be our duty
to do until certain "Scfbes, Pharsees and hypo-
critics" are thoroughly exposed.
krThe amount in the Treasury Of the general