Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-02-09
WHO rs NV FRIEND?

Is that man my friend, whose councils and
advice lead me to avoid every thing that the
better promptings of my heart teach me is
right, and just, and good? Is he my friend,
that would lead me- to neglect my family, In
iure, my character, degrade my children, and
ruin my soul? Is it he that robs my suffer
ing wife and babes of their rights, that he
may enrich himself, and then asks me to join
him in his curses against those who would
save me from the communicating and d%estruc-
tive influences of such selfish duplicity? Is
he my FRIEND?
Or rather, is it not he that, with no designs
of personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, voluntarily steps
forward and warns me of the danger of my
course and of the ruinous associations by
which | am surrounded? Is he not my friend
who, prompted only by a desire for the welfare
of myself and family, throws himself between
me and the impending, inevitable fate that
awates me, if l persist in a course of folly and
error, and struggles to rescue me? Hepleads,
persuades, beseeches-all his eloquence and
influence is brought into requisition for my
redemption, when, personally, he can have no
) peculiar interest in the matter-is not such
t an one my friend? Surely, he must be-he
{ ist
III Well, poor misguided, infatuated slave of
the bottle, this is thy case. 1t is policy, it
/ is to the interest of the liquor-seller, that he
should retain you as his 6ond-man, his ment-
: al! While thou art such, he knows the dimes
. that would otherwise go to enhance the COM
e fort and happiness ofthy loved ones at home,
J are dropped into his drawer. He knows that
: while you frequent his establishment and lis
S ten to his inyectives against those who would
befriend you, and anon phys the fatal glass,
he knows that he is but riyeting the chains
of slavery the faster upon thy manacled limbs
~ and forging new letters that will bind yon tt
it. still deeper degradation. Hence it is hi
DC business to arouse all the prejudices of you
nature against those who would interior
withsyou in your ~ruinous pursuit, and vaun
tingly discourses on the glorious liberty of al
| American freeman. Freeman, indeed! Al
swer for thyself, deluded Tnebriate-art tho
" a FREEMAN? Canst thou spurn from thy liz
= the tyrant that is grinding thee into the cart
= with the iron heel of despotism? Canst tho
. pass the vile lazar-house where thou hast in
= bibed the fatal disease, without enterin
- again and inhaling anew the foul %infectic
- that has FRUSTRATED every energy, physical, s
Y cial and moral, with which you were on,
T' possessed, and where thy master stands al
-oJ- -, A. Voc o-o of Iaofh onI w
81 dare not refuse, but drink it to the bitt
. dregs. You a freeman! Thou art a lib
= upon the name, and ye know it and feel
and here comes one that endeavors to g
you to acknowledge it and resolve to aba
don the cup forever.
= He is a Son Of Temperance! All but Y
= detest him-the very name is abhorrent
your car: Why so? Thine enemy, the
ark, quor-seller, has poisoned thy mind with Ii
g re- that he might live upon your earnings. II
rip thou not tried him long enough to know Il
TN" he speaks evil of all goed-that he sland,
AND maliggn Ra G SgfHy PHfPG9gae Atty tf fST
found him to be a liar, and art thou
fully convinced he is a bad man ? Why c,
fde any longer in his falsehoods, and h
the viper that has stung thee to the heart a
e of infused his poison through thy whole syste
ers Spurn him, and listen to the voice of reas
our What advantage or interest can that m
the have In thy reformation, other than thy O
vie. good. lie is free, his family are comforta
and happy-the breath of the destroyer con
not into his cheerful home-but he looks O
at his neighbor and he sees its influence q
effects there Prompted by the voice of
mainly and benevolence stirred up in his 0
heart, he comes and appeals to you by
the love you bear your wife and offspring
cut loose from your slavery and be a MAJ
freeman indeed. Say, is not he thy FRIEa
~ Or is it he that would sink you into a dru
ards grave, and sharpen the finger of Sc
to point in derision at the drunkard's wild
and children he had left penniless upon
charities of an unfeeling world. Answer
'laU question for thyself.
ldis- -@ 49,