Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-04-06
Middleton, March l4th, 1858.



Mr.. EDITOR I have read in some late num-
bers Of your paper, several articles from diff
ferent correspondents, foreshadowing the
duties of Temperance men in the next cleo
tions for the State Legislature. And yield
ing n cheerful assent to the views therein in
culcated, and believing it to be the duty of
every conscientious lover Of Temperance to
act in accordance with the same, will you al
low me to submit a few remarks touching
upon the same subject.
| am one Of those individuals whom some
of the members of the last Legislature char
acterized rs &" fNuntjcs." / am one of those
whose rights have been %trampled upon, and
virtually denied by our own Lac jGaherS.-
Like many others, | have taken hold Of the
subject of Temperance from no evanescent
promptings Of curiosity, norety or Gbstrac-
fi0u, but because | entertain an abiding con-
fdence in its regenerating and intellectually
wholesome effects as Il measure pro bono pub
leo. And thus believing, | shall feel that |
have lone nothing but my duty as a member
of the g social compact" when have used
the simple weapons only, of an independent,
republican citizen of the State, in order tt
urge this measure of reform upon the peO
pie and the Legislature. But some gentle
men who occasionally put on the white col
lar, will sing out where's your POthicS2-
Are you going to break down your PARTY 2
Well! that's II fact perhaps [ didn't thinl
Of that. However, let me tell you, my deal
sir, that l scorn to be a partisan, in your &C
ceptationof the term. Dcmagoguesh have gira
. ted, and politicians gerrym&ndered, unit
a almost every thing that was decent and re
I spectacle in politics has been driven out
h And now, sir, in reply to your interrogatory
d will you allow me to makeafew plainandsim
pie inquiries: And first, what has IViiqer
and Democracy to do with the North Carolin
n Legislature? Aud what has the North Car
# Dina Legislature to do with them? ct
i elect a United States Senator" Any thin
n else? Nothing that you can think off,
o Will you be 80 good as to tell me the differ
/ euce between Whiqs and Democrats? All
you say, "one is for the good Of the count
and the othera amt" Very we'll then pleas
explain to me how you come to be a Wing {
Democrat? "Whv, you see, bccause-b
cause Grand Par and Daddy and uncle Bo
" and cousin Simon and Bro. Joe were Whis
or Democrats, and they said twas right, an
=" | believe it's right, and so Pm going to site
up to the party any how"
Is it not worse than humiliating, Mr.. E
itor, when we reflect that such, and SUE
le only, are the influences which SWAY and a
tuate most men in their rancorous zeal Fl
y paytyiSm; and then, too, when we witne
i'd the contumacious blindness with which the
y hurl from them every question of reforr
r. however beneficial to themselves or the Stat
$. that tire mere whisper of the demagogue m;
~ ~stigmatizo as being against the interest
ths party! Why, sir, just think of it tw
n. thirds of the men who WELD the right of ST
Y. frage in this country, have gotten themselv
on entangled in the meshes of party from
", better reasons than those just stated, vi
'e. the example and influence of their parer
ell, and friends-commencing in childhood al
cr- going up to manhood-from hat pronene
a., of the young mind to initiate these persc
ages, and to believe whatever they said a
m. did wa, right-and thus NC have entailed
9'lo9lIary race OF nlGs ana Do"hoel"'S
Surely We can cxclaim with q vengeance