Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-01-19
raair5' Rrpartmrut.
OrT IFgTrmpEaaNcE.
TO NORTH CAROLINA LADiES-No.

0 THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE

OGS 4&S NIX &s@s.&<Sbs
TO NORTH CAROLINA LADIES-No. 2.
Lrdies The proposition which l have un-
t!ertaken to prove, at least to press, and
which cannot be too often or too solemnly
rung in YOUR. ears is, that Woman must be
tie real Temperance R1iormcr, in order fully
TO succeed! In pursuing this view Of the
subject, we got through with our third rule
Tor the preservation of the natural temper
lnce of children. Our fourth is, to Keen
your children from the haunts of dissipation.
from the card table, the billiard table. the
drunkery, from all and seyeralIy, the places
where spirits are sold or swilled. The in
portance Ut this rule appears, if we reflect
upon the initiative and gregarious nature Of
man, so initiative and gregarious that they
nave been likened to u flock ofsheep, which,
II they take the stampede, and their patri-
1rchal leader leap over a gate, and the gate
should be suddenly thrown open, ali Will
make the saltationin the empty air Just where
the sire cleared the shut-gate! If this be
true OF men, that they are, by the force Of
sympathy or contagious influence, ir~resisti-
ply lmpalled " to g with the multitude to do
evil" (and that they are, let the monomania
or one sided mains IS Of the ~tul;n-Nania in
Holland, the Mississippi and Sea schemes in
D'5'H'Hf NHA III 4AJa dS N1ullICdQtlS SfttuIu-
ton in the United States, bear witness how
much more true is it of children, who by the
very law Of their tender years, must live and
learn by imitation. or not ut all : How
unspeakably important then is it that they
should have before them examples worthy
~ imitation, without which their TEMPORAL
salvation is impossible. The mutual infu-
ence OF the members Of a company in bene-
lifting AMI i~njuring each other, is the founda-
ton OF such sayings as che is known hy the
company he keeps" Evil communication
corrupts good Manners which, in every
language, are regarded as fixed facts in NOR
ais. But bad examples are not all, or the
worst, that children see ut the haunts and
bells of dissipation. It is said that the
wretch who lays his finger upon a woman,
save in the way Of kindness. deserves to be.
Iashel with u whip Of scorpions around the
world. The sentiment is Il lust one, and its
meaning and justification arise from the 9th
crwise helplessness Of woman-frcm that
sort OF protection to which ueuhnes3 is cnti-
tied from strength. Bat what shall VIC say
OF men who leal into temptation, the y02ag
VINO are as Innocent rs, and more helpless
than, woman? Yes, there arc men who take
u h4ndlsh pleasure in degrading, by intoxica-
ton, Gods image in the person Of children,
thah III whom 1t no whore appears more pa
tent ana pleasing-to see them convert their
innocent prattlo into horril oaths, and their
naturally graceful gait into the d~runkard's
struttin9, swelling, staggering step! ellis
affections are as dark as Erebus, let no sncd
man be trusted"
Ladies, thus far we have been your yindi-
Gator, but we have somewhat against YOU
We Deliaye that the most Of YOU feel and
discharge your c~oniugal, maternal and social
duties; that you" love, honor andobcv YOUR
husband Is, AMI cieaye to them in sickness and
~ health that you are careful 10 attend to
the physical wants of your children, and to
require from them the ordinary decencies Of
b9nlylour, ana that you receive with a smile
ana q welcome your friends at the social
board and fire-slde but we suspect that YOU
seldoih Ieei that you are, or may be, nursing
mothers OF the State, that you may exercise
y controlling influence, in shaping the civil
d~3stlnles OF your sons, in preparing them to
guide the neln of State, to rule tho fierce
democracy Of the United States. and q the
applause of listening Senates to commando y
10 prove to you the influence tina you NAV
exercise In preparing your sons for future
usefulness and greatness, | declare to YOU
that IN all my reading, from youth to the
present time, in ancient and modern works.
from the Republic Of Plato, nav, from the
prophet Samuel to the record of thedeaths Of
W ellington and Webster, nothing has aston
lSAed me 50 much rs the influence Of woaaaa
IN "1Ht@J gFeat men. So potent is this intlu-
ehce that we don't know but that you are the
better halves " in more cases than one, and
thlt You could be more independent without
nun, than men could lie without YOU: at
least never read Of a nation of old baclle-
i lars (Thn X ln1npS 4~i, ~ - nn.o l,4 I.l.l
llbacy SO little that they stole a whole nation
OF tribe OF w@ives.) Bat I have rca OF 4
natlon Of old maids, or Amazons. who took
up " arms to rep4l the men who dared in
va la them, and nothing less than the might
81 Il 'rculos could make them Surrender their
IN tep2nlence. We have sometimes surtais-
e. that the earliest inventors Of Mythology,
Who Delighted to adumbrate moral and po-
iitic@i lessons through the veil Of Allcg1rics
anu Myths, designed to teach the powers OF
woman, particularly IN forninga State. bv
this story OF the nation If the AmazonS.
W, hope now, Lliios, that vau have been
convinced by the Ancient's Fable and onr
reasoning, feeble though it be, that you have
power anl influence enough, without any
" W3men's Rights Convention" or any
" strike : for higher wages, or any thing
else, and that You are prepared to enter into
the spirit Of the following conception. We
have conceived that the JUDGES, Governors
and other authorities of our land. in view Of
the rly9geS OF intemPeralco, might address
You IN language something like this: Mo
Tiers Of the State, for why should We not
say mothers Of the State, as well as fathers
of the Stata? you are one half of the popula-
Luton, happiness AMI rlary of our country :
your interests III it are identified with ours,
we are embarked upon the sans ship and
We must reach harlpr, or 60 down together.
Therefore in this hour of a nations scourec.
gloom and calamity, we do not feel it unman-
y or useless 70 cail upon the partners Of our
Toys an SORROWS for help. Intomparance. 4
Worse foe than we have ever yet encountered.
worse tlla our ancient enemies, the Indians
ana the British, worse than the Mexicans.
IS stalking through the land, aud peace, pop
%ntatl3n, prosperity ana virtue wither beneath
It's influence. In vain we have cssaved all
Intiaences but time to arrest it. The Pul-
PIT has Numbered the judgments of God E.
5etnst 1t. Oar Legislatures have sought to
stay Its progress by increasing the difficulty
81 getting license TO sell it. and in some in
stances by prohibi;ory laws. The faithful
Press has sounded tho alarm to the com
naaity, by expeditions of fits appalling rava-
g2S. Eloquent lecturers have narvcIo1 ~