Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-01-19
FOR THE SPIRIT OF II AGE.
Testimony Of Great lien.

1t is gratifying to know that the public
mind is awake to the propriety Of reforming
the practice Of drinking ardent spirits" as
a beverage. And certainly the friends Of
manity, and lovers of good order and sober
ness ought to take advantage Ct the auspi-
cious turn which the public sentiment is about
taking, and do all within human power to
further the cause of Total Abstinence, which
has been SO successfully set in motion.
We have to regret that there is a class of
our c0untrymen whose great influence, COM
paratiyely speaking, is but fccbly felt in be-
half OF this mighty work Of reformation. |
mean the distinguished Statesmen of the ma
ton. But let it not be supposed that these
patriotic souls, because they have been called
10 other fields Of labor, are not with US heart
and hand. They have seen with regret the
calamity which has beftllen the country they
so much love and have spoken against the
shameful vice, in language which should new
er die.
Hear what the patriotic CHARLES CARROLL,
Of CarrolIton, said in old age, after the use Of
ardent spirits for the space of twelve months,
as suggested hy his friends for his health.
Gentlemen, the experience Of many years
has taught me that can do without brandy,
and the trial of its use for q single year has
convinced me that if | continue it, | can by
no means foresee what it will do with me-"
Said Thomas Jefferson, "The habit of
using ardent spirits by men in public Office
has occasioned more injury TO the public
service and more trouble to me, than any
other circumstance which has occurred in the
international concerns of the country, during
my administration and were | to commence
my administration again with the knowledge
which from experience, | have acquired, the
first question which l would ask, with regard
to every candidate forpublic Office, should be
Is he addicted to Tie ase Of ardent spirits
The Hon. Felix Grundy, United States
Senator from Tennessee, gives 1t as his opin
5 ion that four fifths Of the crimes committed
: in the United States, can he traced to intern
porance.
/ Says the Hon. Edward Everitt, :" | believ,
!, the poverty, out Of the alms-house, produced
4 by intemperancc, is greater, i'll the amour
4 Of suffering which it occasions, than the pov
erty in the alins-house."
s Said the Hon. Daniel Webster, "Nothin.
s less, certainly, can be said Of it than that i
is a great vice and, in an extraordinary de
e gree the parent and concomitant Of othe
great vices. Doubtless more than other vices
n this units the mind for the growth or cult
Walton of any plant Of virtue. It strikes
blow, a deadly blow, atonce, on al it's capac
ltlCS, dlL III IT'S SCileiDllIlltS. 1t ICllueiS
c alike incapable of pinus feelings, of social re
gard, and Of domestic affection. One of it
G earliest visible consequences is D lessening {
d selfrespect, a consciousness Of personal deg
radiation, an humbling conviction, felt by it
victim, that he has sunk, or is sinking, fror
his proper rank as an intellectual, and mora
d being"
d Says the Hon. Lewis Cass, 81 have neyo
d tasted any ardent spirits, nor have |, at an
time during life been in the habit of drink
n ing wine. 1t is of course, almost useless I
1t add that | know nothing Of the effects {
s. stimulating liquors upon the constitution, e,
cept by them in others. | have perhaps, dl
ring q portion of my life, been as much e!
II posed as most men. Having lived, sine
boyhood, in a new country; having serve
in the army during war, and having been lie
by official duties, to traverse almost all til
4 western region north of the Ohio, and east
the Mississippi
The Hon. William Writ. late Attorne
General of the United States, said: 1t is 4
exageration to say, as it has often been sai'
that this single cause, (intemperance,) h;
produced more vice, crime, poverty, an
Indebtedness, in every form, domestic az
social, than all the other ills that scourge u
combined
SiIICI ooS(lCC 1SttiCN III d III pun III "a
cision, says: every State may regulate i
&c own internal traffic, according to its ow
s Judgment, and upon its own views of the i
IS terest and well-being of its citizens. If ar
State deems the retail and internal traffic
N ardent spirits injurious to its citizens, ar
a. calculated TO produce, vice and debaucher
IN [ see nothing in the constitution of the Tn
to ted States to prevent it from regulating al
le restraining the traffic or from prohibitir
N it altogether. if it thinks proper Many OF
a ers might be mentioned, who have give
their testimony against the use of spirits, al
ID publicly recommended total abstinence. |
deed we shall find by looking over the
er ography Of the great men of every age, tn
be those who possessed the %clearest, and me
ne powerful minds, were those who did not u
:, spirits. Sir Isaac Newton, John Lacke, |
lg Franklin, John Wesley, and Lord Bacon fl
&c nish striking illustrations of this truth.
G. w. B.
Emory & Henry College, Va, Jan. Sd !
washington, Jan. 1.-THE Sen;