Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-10-01
Gbf STANDARD,
-.7o1 sATURDAY. OCT. /. 1883.
1775r 4spIRIT OF THE AGE. !"

1,,o Editor of this paper called upon US soni0
ooL since to copy some remarks OF MS IN io~''-o-
" tho Worlds Temperance Convention, "llVn w
,;d and we followed this up with statement IN our
go Of the 14th instant, bottomed upon facts gam
,od from New York papers, OF the character OF thls
Conrention. We distinctly stated, at the tme that
had seen no account of the final proceedings; Out
20 .bowed that Snodgrass, the Maryland Freesoller'
ond Wendell Phillips, the notorious Boston Aoon-
t;oniss had been ruling spirits in that body up 70
tho latest dates In paper of the 18th, however,
20 onied an article from the Washington Star stat
;no that the Convention had finally purged itself
&c these disorderly spirits and had proceeded to
tho despatch of business Yet the Editor of the Age
IN his issue of tn 21st mputes to us disposition to
do Injustice to the Convention and charges gross
Recommendations and falsehoods upon us, and
+bis too with our paper of the 18th before him, con-
taining the final statement just referred to. He also
calls upon US, in the same article, to copy state
mert on the subject from the New York Times,
which as matter of course, under the circumstan-
ces we declined to do. Experience had taught US
that we might crowd our paper with extracts at the
request of this Editor and that instead OF dong us
the insce to admit that we disposed to repre-
sent the matter fairly he would make 1t the occasion
for renewed attacks upon our course and our mo-
tives.
The Age says ave are not the apologists or de-
tenders of the proceedings of that Convention and
vet in the next breath the Editor calls upon the
Greensborough Patriot and the Standard to do JUS
tice to the patriotic gentlemen composing this Con-
vention y! The truth is, these "patrlOtac gentle
meh," with few honorable exceptions, were Eng
fish Abolitionists and Northern Freesoers; and no
one has had better opportunities to gather this fact
from the papers than the Editor of the Age.
The Spirit of the Age, if we are not much mis-
taken was opposed twelve months ago. to the Maine
liquor law or to any prohibitory law, and relied on
moral suason for pushing forward the temperance
reform. Is not this SO? We call, then, upon the
Editor for few extracts from his own files for the
purpose of indicating his consistency in this
matter But the Editor goes now for the strong arm
of the law, though he substantially admits, in his
issue of the 21st that present laws on the sub
ject mild as they are are not enforced. Hear what
he says
"Warrenton and Warren County, are not the only
sufferers by this evil. Raleigh, Wake County, and
every Town and County in the State, suffer the same
lawless proceedings. 1t seems to be impossible to
reach these characters. We have them here. who
have no licenses but their back rooms constant
ly filled with negroes drinking, and yet they pass
Observation-Disclosures and people making no effort to
bring them to punishment! These things ought not
to exist and if the Press of the State would take
the same bold stand the Warrenton News has done,
we would soon see the evil remedied As faithful
guardians of the peace and safety of the State it is
their duty to expose these things, and aid in their
suppression and removal. If the SherifS, Consta-
bles and Policemen of our Towns and our Counties
were faithful to their oaths, should not such
fragrant violations of law in broad DAY light as we'll
as at night pass unnotced. The evil should be look
ed to at once, and not wait till instruction and
bloodshed start US from our insecure apathy"
Here is precious confession for one occupying
the position which this Editor does We have had,
for some time past, prohibtory law in this City
that is the Commissioners-Mr. German being one
of them-have refused licenses to retailers The
result Of this policy as giren a6oce By N7. German
himself. He admits that the law is violated-that
"back rooms of unlicensed houses are constant
ly filed with negroes drinking and that it seems
to be impossible to reach these characters who are
thus corrupting slave population and vending
liquor generally without license from the town au-
thorities. 1t seems to be impossible" Why what
is Mr.. German doing? Where is his temperance
Board of Commissioners? Is this the upshot of
their boosted reforms? Why are the laws thus VIC
lated and trampled under foot? Mr.. German talks !
about Sherifs, Constables and Policemen" and
their oaths of ofice-where is has oath of office as
City Commissioner? Such men as John Kane are
refused icense-vengeance is wreaked upon them, |
while Others who less scrupulous than they con-
tlnue to sell and make profits, in the face of the
Commissioners and in defiance of the law. We have
here miniature picture of what the State would be
In case the prohibitory law contended for by the
Age should be enacted.
Look, too to the State of Maine. We have the tes-
tmony of unprecedented and newspapers to the |
TACT that the Maine liquor law instead of suppress
ing the evil Of intemperance has actually added to
It. Ardent spirits have been banished from the re-
failing houses and the old habit of side-board drink
ing has been restored-for the Maine law, be it re-
membered, does not prohibit the citizen from keep
ing the ardent" in his own house The hotels and
public houses tits also stated still furnish the article
at their tables, and charge for it. not specifically it
Is true but really in their bills These are the facts
DIS gwen oy John Neal, Esq.-by the Boston Tran
script, the New York Express and other naners nub
hshed IN Maine The Editor of the Age, as an offset
10 tins state OF facts publishes letter which he has
received from the Mayor of Portland: but this let
TER though evidently from the pen of one favorable
10 the Law" does not sustain the Editor in his position
Inc Mayor says his impression" is that the man.
ny OF liquor consumed s>.. very much less than for
merly," though there is, undoubtedly. mach drink
ing Z" priOote." The Mayor adds, the temperance
cause is onward and will yet triumph; aohether it
Is 10 De accomplished 6y legal measures is net to be
determined but think it soiU be psecessaru to NEE
10th legal and moral suasioa."
Inc Editor of the Age defines his position in his
last paper under the haod of