Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-04-27
PLYMOUTH, n. c., April u, 1853.

The good cause of Temperance is moving
on slowly in this portion of the State-the
public mind and conscience not being so full
ly enlightened as is necessary, to lead to a
decided action on the subject of Legislative
reform. The cause is greatly retarded by
the present system Of the License law, nor
can any permanent impression be made upon
the public, while the traffic in Intoxicating
liquor is allowed.
Nothing short of the entire prohibition of
the traffic, will secure a general reformation.
This is the chief cause OF all the drunken
ness of our land, and must Consequently
operate very efficiently against the Temper
ance cause. This being so, it follows, that
the friends Of the cause must either press
Legislative action, or give up the enterprise.
The latter ought not, cannot be done. Why
should not Legislation be hadupon this sub
iect? Is the traffic in itself so innocent and
necessary that it would be r~uinous to the
community to prohibit it? Does it subserve
any interest to the community, so that it's
abolition would leopard any thing that could
be beneficial to society? If the traffic is the
chief cause of all the drunkenness of our
country then is it also, the grand cause of
all the evils that directly or indirectly grow
out of drunkenness consequently, the traf-
fc is the greatest evil in itself that can af1ict
JIG community C1u CLlCiC lO1G, iluoG NC =
cognized as a system (although legalized) the
most productive of injury to society, Of any
thing known among men and must conse-
quently be regarded as wrong in every as
pect in which it may be viewed. TIL traffic
and intemperance, together with all the evils
t flowing from the latter, are inseparably con-
nected, as cause and effect. While, there
, fore, the cause is allowed to remain, the eff
feet must follow. It is idle to talk Of remov-
= ing drunkenness from our land, while we al
G low, indeed, protect by law, the cause pro-
$ ducing it. Strike down this prolific cause,
! and the effect will necessarily cease.
i. That a community of men protesting to be
governed by the laws Of the Bible, SO far as
these are connected with civil government,
and yet allow, aye, authorize the traffic in in
i. toxicating liquors, is to my mind exceeding
ly p~aradoxical. These inspired laws prohib-
F it entirely the use Of Intoxicating drinks,
and consequently, by this fact, prove de.
monstratively, that their use is a SIN. If,
therefore, in the divine mind it is wicked fol
! a man to use, it must be equally so to sell
them. Their use and consequent drunken,
h ness, being an effect flowing from the traffic
4 as the cause, demonstrates, that as the effect
drunkenness, &C., &c. is In itself s~infully
criminal, consequently, the traffic must be sc
n too otherwise We have here, an effect with
4 out q producing cause.
h Every principle of the Bible as the foun
l. dation upon which civil government is foun
/ ded, stands opposed to the traffic, and there
d fore, every principle of a just and christian
a. civil government must be equally opposed tt
it: consequently, legislative prohibition o
re this traffic is, not only proper and christian
l. in itself, but imperatively demanded. Leg
a. %islation therefore, is not only proper as it i
d indispensably necessary to protect the com
of munity against the encroachnents of thi
al vice, SO far as the political economy of tn
as commonwealth is involved: but, it is equal
ct so, so far as mans moral and eternal interest
Id are concerned. No christian government car
therefore, consistently authorize by legis
it. lative sanction, the traffic in Intoxicating |
or quors. As, therefore, this traffic is ant
ST. christian, and consequently wicked, it 70
he lows, that as civil government is based upo1
Is, and as it grows out of the principles revea
Is. ed in the Bible, and can only be a prope
as christian civil government in so far as il
CHI legislation is conformed to its principles: S
it follows, that every civil government whic
is processes to have derived its principles fro
to the Bible and sanctioned by It's authority,
We bound, in this respect, to conform its legisl
ton to these authoritative Instructions bu
ire as the Bible 1.-THE foundation and source
civil government prohibits drunkenness al
1t the use Of intoxicating drinks, it thereof
p follows, not only that legislative prohibitic
DIV would be proper and right in this case, b
nv especially, that such legislation is demands
us as will utterly abolish the liquor traffic fro
our land. All christian governments a
hts therefore, under the highest civil and MOI
lct obligations to conform their legislative a
he tons to the principles of Divine Law in ii
ids matter, and consequently, by this authorit
re- are empowered with the right of utterly e
ew terminating the unreasonable and anti-chr
cal tan practice oat of our land.
the | am aware, that it may be objected
lld this view, that such prohibitory legislati
Ia would deprive man of his rights, and int
in fere with his liberties" To this however
would reply:
of l. That in the very nature and constir
the ton of government, man can have no re
sed to indulge in, and pursue a course of Ii