Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-12-14
The Weldon Patriot.

gument against prohibition, in his last num-
Der, and from the many Misrepresentation
the paper contains, we must believe him Uery
ignorant of the subject which he pretends to
discuss. We will point out a few of his blum
ders:
~Intemperance is a great evil" says the
Patriot-"but it is not the only evil which
besets our land" and asks, if one may be re-
moved I" because it is an evil, ought not the
Legislature, for the same reason, to enter up
on the removal of all 2" He then instances
g%luttony as being as strongly denounced by
the Bible as drunkenness, and says from the
best information he has been able to obtain,
g two persons die from eating, to one from
drinking" and then goes on to talk about
dyspeptics, &c.
We should like to see the document upon
which this latter declaration is promised
the data upon which the assumption is made
1t is a rara aUis that the Patriot man might
make his fortune by going about to exhibit,
provided it be such as reasonable, observing
men could credit. But it is a phantasy of the
Editors brain, and we let that pass, and turn
to his first " argument )" and answer his
questions by propounding others: 1st. Has
not the Legislature " entered upon the work
o fremoving all other evils ?" The evil of
gambling, the evilofforgery, of counterfeiting,
of seduction, of sabbath dissertations by ira
ding on the Lords day, of usury, selling i'm
proper and licentious books. &c. &C., have all
hoon JomicIo to5 oro;nck on1 4bot FOO c1Dop1u
on the ground that each is AN evil in the
: land, and destructive ofthe interests and we'll
{ being Of community. Indeed, if the Editor
of the Patriot can point US to a single evil
that is common in the land, that has not been
o legislated against, except the sale of intoxi-
eating drinks, he will tell US of something we
have not known before. And as to g~luttony
being as strongly denounced in the Bible as
e drunkenness, when he can point to as strong
N passages as the following in defence of his
If position, then he may have scripture to sus-
ID tain him: Look not upon the wine, &c
for it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like
an adder" "Wo unto him that givcth his
neighbor strong drink" &c. Let him shcw
US where it is written, Look not upon the
~ bread, because it stingeth aud biteth; Or
Wo unto him that giyeth his neighbor meat
ID or else forever hold his peace on this sub
81 jcct.
eff the Legislature should undertake to
al say what Il man shall not drink, why may it
oil not with equal propriety say what a man shall
" not eat e." says the Editor, who must be hope,
,c- lessly obtuse, if he pretends to say that the
friends of prohibition contemplate legislating
.go as to what a man shall drink or eat. But he
h is not so Ignorant as all that amounts to he
knotos legislation is sought against the sale
and not the use of intoxicating drink and he
Es- must be very dull if he cannot distinguish be
at tween a man being allowed by law to do hi
&C. neighbOr 10i!fuI and dtroci0uS harm, and oil
The one doing acrOng to himself. If a man com
for NIT suicide, it is the prerogativc of God only
Ids to punish the offence ; but if his neighbol
zes knowingly provide him with means for self
hat destruction, the laws ofman hold him respon
lso sible for the self-murder Of his neighbor AM
itv will punish him accordingly.
I'M All that IS very fine about the "dissemina
BOD ton of TRUTH" and Gods own ligltnin
M flashing on the mind" but until it can b
avs proved they preventmen from selling the mul
ter doring beverage, it is all "sound and fury
we signifying nothing" We feel and know tn
be- full force and power of " moral suasion" wit
will the unfortunate drunkard, and hope alway
to see it exercised in all it's redeeming fore
the and efficacy but after benevolent and kind
let efforts have instilled into his mind a desir
for reformation, we want to have remove
the from his path that strong temptation to " ia
lers again into sin" by which he is always su
rounded during the existence of the liqu.
e to traffic. The law, to a great extent, has place
lsly it there; and it is the duty of the law to +
ON move it.