Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-07-06
MAC ProhibitorY law.

AASANC VI bnt NUN IAulcSlY /
was never before so busy-so indefatigable
IN its exertions against the Prohibitory Law
sentiment now rapidly gaining popularity
with tho masses. The reason of this is at
once plain. Wherever the Law comes into
active operation the great poison of p%artizan
corruption isremoved forever. Demagogues
arc shorn Of their Samson locks. The cleo
tive franchise is cleaused of its ~ulcerate in
lection md becomes a greater boon to an in
dependent people. And this tits that causes
tho Political press, as a general thing, to stab
the sentiment in the dark, or to oppose it
boldly and openly.
The complicated interest Of tho Rum traf-
fc lows through every avenue of society-its
dark shrcds are interviewer with every liga-
ment of the populace. It has opened its rus
ty Golfers, and from its reeking treasury of
=" blood money it has created an immense
capital to sustain its black banners and crush
into dust all that is good and desirable in our
moral, social and political blessings and priv
ileges. A host is marshalled to shout the
triumph ofthe hoary Conqueror. But against
this formidable array, the masses-the free
thinkers Of the community-push forward in
tho conflict for a prohibitory law.
The bloated subalterns in the stencil pits
Of the Rum power swear they see no sign Of
their overthrow. The expoundors of their
schemes with s%lavering defamation urge the
host on with promises of victory and Rum.
Whiskoy reasoning shuts its fiery eyes and
will not see the shadows Of coming events.
But those who stand on the towers, and with
uncloudcd eyes watch the movements in the
plain, see clearly the gathering and combi-
ming elements Of the storm that is to sweep
from the earth the most iniquitous crusade
that ever scourged a wailing humanity.
The debris of q shattered humanity groans
in the dust Of every shore, and in the anguish
Of her down-trodden sufferings pleads trump
ct tongued for Il protective law Mt least until
her ranking wounds are healed. The inc
brintc's wife, bound to a corpse ~ofstaggcring
death the orphan who roams the highway
n moaning beggar the mother who wears
her soul away weeping over q reckless son
the sister who prays at midnight for the re-
turn Of lost and erring brother the gray
prisons holding within the stony jaws Of n
living tomb those once pure and respected
the alms-houscs with their diseased and pow
crty cursed t%cnantry the blackencd gibbets
with their cords, shrouds, clamorous rabbIe
and writing victims ; the Asylums with their
frightful inmates d~rooling in the filth of q
prostituted genius and ehattering in tho mid
night gloom Of ~ intellectual chaos the
blasted rotinuc Of Rum maddoncd murlerers
rushing with a icndish yell from their work
of death, and the drippings Of their whetted
shetland guilty hands making the green earth
Incarnadinc with the smoking life-tide of their
wcltcring victims; the crowded gravc-yard8-
the neglected wounds, where nm innumcrable
host are sleeping the long night Of premature
decay all, in thunder tones, plead elo-
quently for Il Prohibitory Law. And the IN
obriate in Calling manacles prays for it. by
ing in the Anaconda coils Of a gilded serpent
that n]cstles in his own hot bosom, he drinks
and wccps, and curses his own life blood
and pleads like a penitont for the delivcrance
Legislatures, and a North Carolina Legisla
tire, refuses the succor plead for Ivy men
women, humanity and religion But
tempest of prayer from crushed and river
hearts, and from the shattered base Of
thousand homo affairs, and from thous
ands of desolatc hearth-stones, goes u
night and day to the Throne whose God hear
prayer from the %lowlicSt, and its carnes
pleadings are Tor the triumph Of Right ain
Justice in the momentous and storm crusad
now waging in all the plain.
The cause advances like q swift eagle, an
the blessings of thousands on earth and I'll
brightness of Heaven cheers It's onward swcel
The people, not the Sons, arc about to tt
umph. The timid carper who pirates abol
defeat and the deathless existcneeof the Ru.
Power, is behind the times and asleep. n,
districts, but Statcs-membcrs of the Gre
Confoderacy-can now be counted whic
declared for the Right.
Maine, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island al
Vermont. Let North Carolina thank Heav,
and take courage in tho strife. God is wi
us, brethren. y
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