Spirit of the age., 1853-05-04
Oriqiual pnptrs.
ADDRESS BY S. W. Whiting, ESQ.

Deferred the occasion OF the Dedication Of Wake
Forest Dirision Hal, April 2, 1858.
The occasion which calls us together this
day, is connected with subject of most mo-
mentous interest. The temperance reforma-
ton is assuming an earnestness and impor-
tance, which entitle it to the serious and can
did consideration of ALL 1t is not the work
of yesterday, nor, if fsuccessful, can the pres
ent generation expect to witness the full and
final fruition of the high hopes to which it
has given birth. 1t is due then, to this cause
itself, it Is due alike to its enemies and to its
friends, that we should fully understand the
end proposed and the means by which that
4 end is to be accomplished. 1t is no purpose
i OF mine, to detain you with any attempts 60
prove that the use ofintoxicating liquors is
now, and has been for centuries, the fruitful
source of untold crime and misery. We're
you called to sit asjudges upon this question
of fact, the most preiudiced mind would star
tie at the appalling array of witnesses which
would rise up on every side-your own ex-
perience, and the experience of genera.
tlons gone before you, would furnish concu-
sive and unlmpeachable testim0ny-the laws
upon your statute book the records Of your
Courts of justice, nay, even the living epi-
taphs that crowdyour grave-yards, would give
mute but fearful evidence of the truth. The
traces Of the destroyer have been too deep to
lie hidden the track Of his devastation too
wide and universal to be forgotten Spar
ing neither age, nor sex, nor condition, it has
found It's victims alike IN the palace of the
Prince and the cottage of the Peasant Tt has
} palsied the arm of the Patriot that was raised
} IN defence of his country-it has slenced the
voice OF the messenger, who was commission
ed to preach the everlasting Gospel-it has
extinguished the fire Of genius and squander-
ed the rewards Of honest industry-it has in
vaded the domestic anctuary-separated be-
tween husband and Wife-destroyed filial and
parental affectiOn-clothed the widow in the
r hablllments Of mourning, and embittered the
| tears ofthe orphan. 1t has corrupted pub
! llc morals, enslaved public opinion, and null
! tlpiled public taxes. It has DELAYED public
Justlce-trampled upon private rights
: ded your aims houses and prisons, and fur
nished victims for the dungeon and the scaf-
fold. 1t has reduced man to level with the
a brute-dethroned reason, stifed conscience,
5 shut out hope, and opening wide the avenues
: to death, temporal and eternal, has shrouded
/ the future in all the blackness of darkness
l forever.
; Have I colored this picture too highly p
q Judge ye for yourselves. Personally or re
b latiyely, in one form or the other-nearer O.
| more remotely-have you not felt it and re
n allied its truth
! The great the single object of the friend
. OF Temperance, is to Danish intemperanc
: forever from the land but however desira
II bic such consummati0n, it is not to be dis
n obviaCed or overcome. Not tie least obsta
u Gle to success, is found in the influence 0
4 long established habits and customs. Fo
:. centuries, the use Of intoxicating drinks ha
= been practised, approved, defended, nay ever
: declared to be necessary, by large portion
ef Of our population. 1t has found advocate
among all classes and conditions of men.
OF has ministered to the hospitalitesof Of the rich
~ and mitigated the suferings of the poor.
: has tempered the transports of pleasure i
- the gay, and cheered the detection Of th
30 " . weary and the oppressed. Poets have sun
o. its praises, and grave and learned Physician
ne have eulogized its virtues, and if a fractio
Of the testimony of its devotees be true, it ha
% been found the universal panacea for g a
ba the ills that flesh is heir to-" The motht
bo has administered it to the infant just wakin
into life, instead of thenectar from that gusl
he ing fountain which heaven has opened for
1al in her own bosom. The youth has felt
nit strange fire kindling in the blood that cou
It sed through his veins, as he quenched tt
pa unholy thirst which was sanctioned by pa
,vn entail precept, if not wakcned by parental e
~
theyerge Of life, has rested upon It's deceitf
Sc strength as staff that might stay the totte
ing step, and tighten the gloom that gathe
round the entrance to the dark valley of t
shadow of death. The bridal feast wou
nd have been cold andjoyless, where health al
- happiness were not pledged in ruby wine
pel aanon saha ta taa wv ;t rEnb l aar
ses, to earth, dust to dust, and ashes to a;
sc. es would have been deemed, in many pa
rt, of our country, wanting In a proper respt
her for the living and the dead, had they not be
,tila closed with a general invitation to the W
49, ship Of Bacchus. Such a wide spread a
fearful delusion cannot be arrested in d
Olo'i Rooted III the darkest recesses Of the hum
sFKS heart, and fostered by fashion, ayarice q
lust, it clings with tenacity that can O
rent be broken by slow and painful degrees. E,
and here, however, the friends Of Tempera
ther have not labored without reward. The att
49, tive observer cannot fail to see, that in
'e respect, society is undergoing gradual,
ol decided and healthy change. Already
one' coils of the serpent are loosing, and the
ture tured limbs Of the victim, beginning to rec
eem er strength and vitality. There are
had many houses in the land, where the hospi
the tiles of life and dispensed, and the pleasr
ollo Of social intercourse enjoyed, without the
ventitious aid of the Intoxicating cup.
'Seh- Another difficulty in the way, is to be fo
no in selfinterest, or avarice. Two hume
and thousand citizens of the United States
e to engaged liz the manufacture and sale Of s
ituous liquors wohundred thousand
whose. interest it is to waste the prop
and destroy the lives of their fellow MT
under every name that can please the e
lory, with every color thatcan attract the eye,
sc in every flavor that can stimulate the cor
inter and jaded appetite-poisoned with drugs
,ring. drugged with poisons-in rivers from the
tillery and rills from the groggery-the
wife pouring forth, day and night, stream
part quid fire, carrying death and destructi
con yer the fairest land the sun shines upC
: Ia Sanctioned by custom, protected By law,
De- +reotr The toars of tho widow are mn
ed, the prayers of the orphan cannot
them, and even the whisperings of &c
rance conscience are silenced by the question
aeon guilty Cain, /" Am my brothers keep
you They reck not of the widespread ruin '
nts- surrounds them, while t-ey gather the S
hone dust, every grain of which is stained
- ~ the blood of the victim.
F' But s'they stand in slippery plac