Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-08-31

luting the atmosphere with its eontagion, e
there will be foxnd the concourso OF those !
whiskey s~centing individuals called Iopers. =
1t therefore requires laws to close ana sea- i
up these fountains of intemperanee ana there r
by procure a temperate state of pubic NOR I
ais.
Our lawmakers should not allow men to
cater for a deprayed appetite. 70 entrap the
unwary and furnish that solvent which so
greedily absorbs the wages IF he poor la
borer and the hard earned pIttatee winch a
starving family need. we say that every
consideration of humanity, of national pros
perity and of the best good of the governed.
requires Legislative restriction on this sub
jcct. If the price of the life's blood, and of
the bodies and souls of men is to be received
into the Golfers of our government, to be dis
bursed in erecting prisons and aims houses,
we think it would be an act of sheer justice,
at least, that the tax be so levied as to ohlige
those who pursue the business of making
paupers, themselves to sustain them. But
some there may be at this point, who are
ready to raise the cry of ultraism. To such
we care not to offer any additional arguments
other than we have already given.
In conclusion, upon this point. we willstate
one proposition, in interrOgatory form, which
we request every candid Individual to answer
IOf nlL1SelI, DeIOre u6 ufIOunCpS tie dFSu"
ment: We ask, who of all the twenty mill
ions of our population WOULD receive any
harm or suffer any w~rongErom the suppress
sion and restriction of intoxicating drink,
even though alcohol in all It's forms and com
binations were driven into the custody of the
apothecary wherei it properly belongs? We
think the danger lies on the Sdeof having
too plenty, rather than too likl Of the arti-'
Gle. Who will undertake to Show any I'M
t constitutionality in temperance legislation?
The expressions that have been made on this
subject by legislative bodies, in different
: States of the Union, are at least strong pre-
4 Sumptiye evidence in favor Of its c%onstitu-
: t~ionality. And while, therefore, we rely on
+ moral suasion as the means proper to be
used in disseminating truth and enlighten-
ing the understanding and convincing the
| judgment of men, our lawmakers, who feel
the high responsibility of their station, and
are conscientious in discharging their duty
: to their country and to their fellow men,
d should not forget that legislative suaslon is
:. the most e~fectual means of Subduing and
s. banishing from our country this potent evil
l. and restoring to society uniform habits O
e temperance.
# But the temperance cause being q moral enter.
l. prise requires renewed effort and united action a
, mong the friends of the cause. The most strln
y gent laws prohibiting the license and sale Of in
L. toxicating liquors would only be q tenpoFar
u, remedy for the evil, unless public sentiment, an
1T especially the habits of the rising generation, wer
&C formed for the adoption and practice of total absf
nence. The youth of our country are to be instruC
nf ted in the principles of temperance. The first les
:. son that should be taught a child is, telet alone tn
dangerous beverage. He must be convinced of tn
truth that there is poison in the cup, and that /
n must shun with adherence the place where it
lg either made or sold. Let these principles be earl
to inculcated, and the child will be safe and becon
n a faithful ally to the cause. An eminent Englis
- Statesman once said" Give me the training
- the youth of our kingdom, and | care not who NAL
III the laws" Politicians of every age have turn
5h their attention to the youth, whenever they Wou
&c influence or control the opinions of a nation. A!
Yn VIC belive, as DR.. Beecher has said, that if suficie
act instruction were given to the youth OF our count
nm on the subject of temperance, that the whole yOut
:. full generation would rise up as a rampant agar
70 which the fiery waves of intemperance might da
Vi in vain, saying hither shalt thou come but no Il
po- Their, and here let thy proud waves be stayed.
Nv, The same vigorous efforts that have raised I
IL cause to it its present high position, must still
rd- employed to retain its influence and secure its fl
~ Their progress. The generation that has seen a
4 suffered the evils of universal intemperance, as
so many of those noble champions that have be
his most active in the service of the temperance eau
OF are either gone or passing off the stage while
n a IonaDle drinking, there are in training a corps
non youth and reckless individuals, whose habits a
- example will counteract much of the good that
= DeCn COlleQ IOf ana gained Dy The untTlnE CX
VI tons of benevolencc and philanthropy, # the Y
} Is lance and activity Of our temperance order sho
zeG now be relaxed, the flood gates of intempera1
Of would be thrown open, and the destructive elem
,orr would again blast and bury the precious fruits &
,oc cheering prospects of the temperance reform W
the scourge and ruin of former years. The pc
liarity of mans moral constitution affords a sire
So and impelling reason why the temperance ca
should never lose its influence, mol. want the fai
full support of all classes in carrying out its pl
ciOleS and its meaSureS. The iDlnerfectioOS of
t;la man nature render man, to some degree at leas
- creature of circumstances, possessing the higI
"' capacities for being virtuous, but generally inca
bic of any real moral excellence, unless he be
t liz tered and nurtured by a temperate and heal
moral atmosphere. And We believe that the
pro- claiming of the Incorporate is atthis day the w
of philanthropy that can only be accomplished
~ the persevering efforts of that benevolent organ
ton, the temperance society. For the inebri
~ unaided by the advantages of the temperance
'fD' ciety, has not sufficient moral pqwer end deciS
of character to withstand and resist the impu
re- of those deprayed and pampered appetites,
AN have maintained the mastery over his imbccile
no. and made him the plant slave of,his passion
And not only is the temperance society instrun
tai in retaining and saving the drnnkard. but
.ye' continual and onward progress Of the cause is
ION dlspen SADLY necessary to prevent the falling a
out of those who have yet remained free from the
des- Turing influence of strong drink. Spenser,
English Poet of two centuries ago, remarke ="
do temperance cause will never prosper without
49, dld oIO dOopCIoH VI d SoCldI pI6USe. HaleV
our his work on mental philosophy, has thus interpr
,ooo the success of the temperance pledge, a century
eek fore it eame into being liam" he says, " a fri
2 as to the laying down of strict rules and strictly
ex- ding them. Indefinite resolutions of abstemi
,;b;t ness are apt to yield to extraordinary occax
which pcrpctually occur. Whereas the stricter
hce; rule, the more tenacious we become of it, and II
DTS! a man will abstain rather than break his rule.
the could not be brought to exercise the same self
at it NAL from higher motives; and furthermore, "
nan our rule is once known, we are provided with a
eurity against every importantly and an answe
every solicitation"
And who is there of any acquaintance at all
&c vi the history of the temperance reformation, that
punt not discrimination enough to see theeporfcct flu
: to ment of this principle in the development and
au- gress of the temperance society. The temper
con- cause, as society, has at different periods exi
IN under notifications somewhat different yet
-" know that the noble object to which all their eff
my have been directed, is tho reformation of SOC
W Is and the redemption of the world from the viz
clar- intemperance. Each of these forms of the SOC
i be has been created and modelled by the chief circ
is. stances under which it originated. Some of
nro- earlier forms of the society have fallen into di.
W. when they were succeeded by other mod;tcat
W of thn Socjetv beliaUad To no off oiant IN