davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
The Ruins of America.

There may be no such ruins in America as
are found in Europe, Asia or Africa but
other ruins there are of prodigious magni-
tude-the ruins of a mighty people, made so
by strong drink. There may be no places
Of pilgrimage in America, where the deluded
bigot pfods his weary way to Moloch's shrine
but there are thousands who daily and
hourly worship a god which requires the sac
rifcc of health, friends, reputation and life
itself, to appease his i~nsatiate cravings. We
have no groves, sanctifed by song or story,
rendered sacred by a beautiful tradition, or
heroic ~poetry-but we have halls of mirtn
and houses of revelry, where the bacchanal-
ian song and vulgar jest shock the ear and
disgrace the name Of man. There may be
no piles of Barbarian architecture, each a
wilderness of ~turrets, towers and battlements,
ov~ershadowing the high places Of power, in
America,-but we have the glitter and splen-
dor of the highly-furnished grog-palace, with
its rich saloons, with law-authorized powers
to degrade and destroy the brightest hopes
Of the nation. We have no half buried cit
les Of the pillared and sculptured treasures
of art, which cucumber the earth and choke
up the rivers of the old world,-but we have
thousands of human beings buried beneath
the dark sea of intemperance, who appear
ana disappear, day after day, and arc swept
away forever, by the billowy surges Of its
mighty tide. Our cities are not buried by
the volcano or the earthquake, oyerthrown by
the invader, swept over by the sea, or swal
lowed by the sand of the dcsert-yet the
s%calding, desolating lava Of The STILL hath
blasted the fairest portion Of Gods green
earth, and buried the souls and bodies of tens
Of thousands Of American freemen. 1t has
overthrow the brightest intellects Of men
and swept away the last hope of Millions
The widows weeds, the orphans tear, the
maniac's stare, the murderer's club and the
suicidal knife-all, all betoken the ruin i
has wrought and is working in the new worlc
the Gland of the free and the home Of tn,
brave" The old world may boast Of its an
tiquated ruins but we have a living, actin,
. perpetual ruin in our midst, the pet and fos
ter-child Of law-BLUE RUIN!
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
Fanaticism. &c.


Those who speak out boldly, honestly and
severely against liquor selling, are called ia
%natlcs, ultra men, enthusiasts, Missionaries,
DC. Fanatics, says a writer of ability in a
recent paper, are those who are under the
influence of a religious frenzy-ultra men
are those who are disposed to go to extremes,
overleap the boundaries of truth and propri-
ety-enthusiasts are those whose intemper-
ate zeal disqualify them for a calm and dis
passionate view of things-visionaries are
such as deal only in fanciful speculations.-
Addison says, +" the sons of infamy ridicule
everything that comes in competition with
their present interest, and treat those persons
as ~CiSaoRaries who dare to stand up in a cor
rupt age for what has not its immediate re-
ward Joined to it." These terms have al
ways been applied, by those who are behind
the age, to such as are advocating the pro-
gress and advancement of the race. When
Paul was speaking the "words of truth and
soberness," he was denominated a mailman,
by a cold and wicked world. The advocates
Of temperance are not properly obnoxious to
any of these charges. The ablest and most
enthusiastic and imaginative among them
have never been able to delineatc the super
J lative wickedness, the consummat villainyof
the liquortrafic. Strong language has been
employed, but Wa have never yet seen an ex-
? preston so severe, that truth would not war
( rant its employment in a delineation of the
! character Of this accursed business. The
4 English language is wanting in terms to con-
S vey q Just and full idea of its baseness.-
The time is approaching when those who are
t now denominated fanatics, enthusiasts, Wis
ionaries, &C., will be regarded as wise, sober
philosophers. John Wesley was, no doubt,
in his day, thought insane on the subject OF
/ liquor selling, but we, Of this generation, be-
d gin to appreciate the truth Of what he utter
ed. Hear him "The men who traffic in ar
dent spirits, are prisoners general they
a murder his majesty's subjects by wholesale !;
r neither does their eye pity or spare. And
re what is their gain? Is it not the blood Of
these men? Who would envy their large es-
tates and sumptuous palaces? A curse is
in the midst of them. The curse of God is
or Nrdens, their Walks, their graves
u Blood, blood is there the foundation, the
Sc floor, the walls, the roof, are stained with
Is blood. And anst thou hope, 0 man of blood,
y though thou art clothed in scarlet and fine
st linen, and farest sumptuously every day,
40 canst thou hope to deliver down the fields of
IT, blood to the third generation? Notso-there
d. is a God in heaven; therefore thy name shall,
Est be rooted out. Like as those whom thou
''g hast destroyed, both body and soul, thy me.
lat mortal shall perish with thee" Such were
the insane rarings of the great and good
= Wesley. Is there an intelligent, observing
&c man in Christendom who has considered thi
les subject and seen its influence, both upo1
The those engaged in the traffic and the commu
be nifty, that can gainsay the truth of what h
!. published to the world.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
Mr.. Copeland, the Artist.

Mr.. EDITOR Il visited the studio of this
accomplished North Carolina Artist, and
found him engaged in painting the Portrait
of one of our City Editors, while another,
nearly finished, showed that the gentlemen
Of the Press appreciated, and were encoura-
ging Mr.. Copeland's abilities as a Portrait
Painter. | saw also a beautiful and capital
Portrait of Miss P-, of this CITY also
one of the most faithful and life-like, Of Rev.
DIR. Deems, of Greensboro; Mr.. Hartman, of
Fayetteville DIR. Scott, of Raleigh, and
others, all Of them we'll finished and truthful
likenesses.
| was proud to see one of our native Ar
fists thus highly encouraged, and glad to
hear that a number of engagements were on
hand for Portraits-among others, that of
Rt. Rev. Bishop Atkinson.
Mr.. Copeland eminently deserves the pat
rOnage of his fellow-citizens, not because he
is simply a North Carolinian, but on account
Of his skill and excellence in the line of his
profession-and we again express our graft
t%ication that he is receiving it. He will re-
main in Raleigh some weeks longer-and
we hope the large amount of patronage he
receives will keep him among us the entire
year. Call and see his Gallery, over Mr..
ROulhac's Store. AMATEUR.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

ag- Read the elegant article on the out
side of this paper, from the graceful pen Of
ouraccomplishedfair Correspondent "Lora;"
also, the exquisite Story from another lady
friend" Amelia aLcaf from Life ;"-and
of course all will follow "Will: Willowill,"
as he weaves his thrilling yarn of jacques
st. Clair"-in word, take a good look at
this entire number Of the Age--nearly all
original matter, prepared expressly for our
columns by various Contributors, and then
tell us if it can be beat? Answer approving
ly by sending US a lot of new subscribers, il
you can or one or two any how-which we
know you can.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
GnpGm.-9 Temperance ann famag ddletkg ge6s paper.

EEA In q few weeks now, the bleak and
inclement winter season will have passed a
way. and opportunities be afforded laborers
in the Temperance field to go out and do eff
fective service with the people. 1t is desira-
BILE, therefore, that contributions for the en-
ployment of Lecturers be sent in as quick as
possible, 70 enable the Committees to pro-
cure their3e eeS and start them out into
the work. Tie Committee cannot get men,
unless they have the funds in hand to pay
them-and although we have been calling
for contributions for near three months, only
$3.50 has been forwarded, and only thirteen
Divisions responded to the call, and three in
dividuals ! Friends, if we expect to get Lee
turers, we must show more liberality and
if we haye them la the time ofneed, there must
be more promptness in forwarding the means
to employ them with.
Every body friendly to the cause appears
anxious With regard to the matter, and some
appear restless and impatient, because Lee
turers are not now at work-and yet these
very persons and Divisions have never for
warded adollar to secure the end. All W,
have to say is-Give the Committee themeans
and the Lecturers shall be in the field forth
with.
BA The Committee have received letter
recommending two gentlemen for Lecturers
They will correspond with them soon. w
should liketo have commentators for som
three or four others. We want at least 81
Lecturers for the months of May, June an
July; and three or four from the lst Of Marc
to the meeting of the Legislature. Friend
Of the cause, arouse to the Importance of th
crisis. There are at least 100 Divisions thu
ought to give Is, 90, or IS dollars, to this Of
Iceland the others can give SO or IS, at a
events-thus raising a fund Of some $1,000
There are many individuals who would gla,
ly contribute to this fund if applied to, an
by this means it could be increased to five
six thousand dollars. Let every man inte
ested in the cause feel himself appointed
Committeeman to make collections and fo
ward to the Committee without delay. The
is no time to lose.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
Contributions Received.

The G.. S. acknowledges the receipt Of SIS,
fog the employment Of Lecturers, sent by
Flat River Division, in Granville county
This is a small contribution, but it is doing
well for this Division, which is small in num-
bers, and besides, has just finished a new
Temperance Hall, the building Of which has
been quite onerous on the Division and its
members. If every other Division will dc
as well in proportion to its means, a suffcien.
sum will be raised to employ half-a-dozer
Lecturers. Roll on the ball, and let the G
S. hear from you as soon as possible. .
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

Ragn We commenced the new year by
printing a considerable number of papers O.
yer enough to supply our subscribers at that
time, hoping to have enough to furnish all
who desired to commence with the first No.
containing the commencement of our Origi-
nal Story. But the large number of extra
copies is already exhausted, and we are there
fore unable to send them the back Nos. con-
tanning it. We would be glad to do SO, but
large as were our calculations, we did not
anticipate 50 great an increase to our list as
We have received in the last two weeks
Room left, though, for q few more, to whom
we will send the forthcoming issues, with
great pleasure. The AGE is fourishing Who
says SO? Every body does-the best paper
in the country-and we cannot disbelieve
such a strong current oftestimony. AlforSl
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

CoNGRESs.-In the Senate on the 9th, Mr..
Badger offered a Resolution giving limited
credit to the duties on railroad iron. Sena-
ator Benjamin offered a resolution calling for
the diplomatic correspondence on the Te-
hauntepec right of way, which was adopted.
The House is not in session, being engaged
in celebrating the anniversary of the Battle
of New Orleans.
In the Senate on the 10th, Mr.. Cass moved
a -postponement Of the Central American
subject until tomorrow.
The death Of the Hon. Mr.. Muhlenburg,
of Pennsylvania, was announced, and Mr..
B~rOadhead pronounced a eulogy on deceased
Mr.. Bright introduced a bill, granting two
millions of acres of land to various Western
Railroad Companies, for the construction of
a continuous line of railway from Erie to
New Orleans.
In the House, the death of Mr.. Mullen
burg was announced, and after eulogies and
the usual resolutions, it adjourned.
In the Senate on the 18th, the entire ses-
sion was consumed by Gen. Cass in a speech
on the motion to refer the correspondence re-
lating to the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty.
The House spent the morning in discussing
the resolution rendering the thanks of Con.
gress and q medal to Capt. Ingraham in the
Kotsa affair. Mr.. Clingman finally called fol
the previous question and the resolution wal
adopted, yeas ia, nays9. Mr.. Puryear be
ing the only representative from this Stat
voting in the negative.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
The Power with the People.

"Let the consuls see that the republic re-
ceivc no HARM" are the memorable words of
the heralds proclaiming to old Rome that
the sovereign power had been granted to the
c%onsnls. Sovereign power has long since
been granted to our people. Let them "see
that the republic receive no HARM" If there
be unjust and unrighteous laws, let them be
stricken dead with the b~ludgcon of popular
will. Look to your license laws, ye %consuls
of Carolina, and resolve to abolish them that
the " republic receive no HARM"
They have fostered vice and made us a re
public of drunkards.
They have brutalized and degraded oul
citizens.
They have built bulwarks before the Cos
pei of Christ, produced moral and physical
degradation and sown the prolific seeds Of dis
ease and death among our people.
What is everybody's business is nobody
business" croaks out the lazy phantom il
the human heart. Let false be written upor
it: what is everybody's business should b
I1OuIS tilO III VIC hOlp AOAh OhO AOpNE
lie. Do we not actually make the laws ?
Then, it is your business TO "see that the r,
public receive no harm" The page on whic
is written the authority for men to traffic i
" the dark beverage Of help is damp wit
the chrystalizing tears Of thousands of mott
ers, wives and sisters whose hearts nave Ion
since gone to dust in the graves, and til
groans Of the living press upon it as an VI
holy, accurscd thing. Freemenof old Mort
Caroline, unstop you're ears and hear therendir
wall Of acrushed and mangledhumanity wit
in your borders, appealing to you for succo
rally around the cherished ballot-box-s
no longer on the fence, doubling like Walt
Van Twillers but act at once and tear 0
this dark and heathenish page from the st;
ute, and cast it away as being u%nclean.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
Savings Banks.

We constantly observe notices in our ex-
changes of the practically beneficial effects
of these institutions to the communities
wherever located-efects arising from the
soundest principles of an enduring and en-
riching economy. We might enlarge upon
their s%alutary advantage, but it is useless
it being an admitted and well-credited fact
our object at present being to call the atten-
ton of our citizens to the Charter received
for a Savings Bank, to be located in this
City. What has become of Is it to be
forgotten, and no effort made to bring it into
being2 We trust not. We therefore pro-
pose that a meeting of all the friends of the
measure be held at the Office of the Mutual
Life Insurance Company, on Friday night
next, with q determination to set it a-going
What say its friends-what say our City
Papers on the subject? All in favor, viii
say AYE and bring the matter before The
public in their journals, and let US have
large meeting.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
Excel.

Everybody can remain stationary-then
there is no virtue in that. Be your charac-
ter or profession what it may, let US urge you
to strive to excel. Be that your aim. Are
you a mechanic? BE not content with the
wheel your grandfather turned, but study
out some improvement upon it. Are you a
merchant? Be more correct in your dealings
than your master. Are you a lawyer ?
Strive to excel in honesty. Are you a doc
tor? Labor to elevate the dignity of your
profession, for the Lord knows it needs it,
Be you what you may, strive to excel in
knowledge. Let every day add to the garner
of your riches in wisdom and virtue. The
wing-shade of the Angel of Peace rests upon
that pillow whose owner can look back with.
out reproach on the labors of the past day. :
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

pa We are indebted to the Rev. DR.. Lacy,
Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in this
City, fof a pamphlet copy of the Minutes
of the Fortieth Session of the Synod of North
Carolina, held in the Church of Wilmington,
November, 1853" 1t is quite an interesting
account of the interests Of this branch Of the
Church in this State, and will be read with
pleasure and profit. The Committee appoin-
ted to draft I" a Narrative on the State of Re
ligion," in their Report, deprecate the "des-
%titution of many congregations of the regular
ministrations of the word and ordinances -
of the prevalence of "a worldly spirit, to a
great extent among their people, a haste to
gain the riches and honors of this world )" Of
a want 0 finterest and liberality towards the
benevolent operations Of the Church, &c. Yet
on the contrary, there are many things which
call for charlottesville attendance upor
the ministry has been good the clergy have
endeavored to present the truth in its purity
of the encouraging prospect of the Sabbath
schools in its bounds and of the seasons o
refreshing which have been enjoyed by som'
of the Churches.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

H| We have again and again, and yet a.
gain, given notice, that subscribers wishing
their papers changed from one P. o. to a.
mother, must give US the name Of the Office it
has been hitherto going. And yet we con-
stantly receive applications for changes, O.
hitting this essential Information. We have
some on hand now, but the change cannot be
made until we are informed to what P. O
their papers have heretofore been sent.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

FIRE INSURANCE CoNPANY.-On Tuesday
last, the 10th, the eighth annual meeting of
the North Carolina Mutual Fire Insurance
Company was held at their Office in this City.
Col. j. B. G.. Roulhac was elected President
of the Company /; II. D. Turner, Vice Presi-
dent; S. w. Whiting, Treasurer John C.
Partridge, Secretary; and ]. Hersman, Cen
eral Agent. The same Board of Directors
was reelected for the ensuing year.
1t is with much qualification that we chron-
icle the progress and results of this, the pio-
necr Insurance Company of the State. Du-
ring the past year they have issued eleven
hundred policies, paid about nine thousand
dollars for losses and after paying all ex-
penses, they have exceeding ten thousand
dollars in cash on hand, and six hundred and
thirty-six thousand dollars in premium notes.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

E6P Rev. j. j. JAMES has assumed the
Editorship of the Biblical Recorder, and
makes his debut in the last issue in a very
creditable and appropriate Salutatory. We
hope the arrangement may be e%minently sue
cessful in extending the patronage and in
fuence of this religious and literary journal.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

We learn from the Baltimore Clipper, that
a Prohibitory Law has been reported in the
Senate of Maryland, identical with the one
passed by that body at its last session, and
defeated in the house by only two votes
The Clipper says-'sIt will go through thi:
time, certain!" Good, for old Maryland.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
RALEIGH, q. G.
Wednesday, January Is, 1854.
A Positive Arrangement.

Subscribers r~cceiUing their papers NTH q red mark,
are thereby notified that ~ four soeeks from the re
ccipfs Of The first number tins marked, their eabscrip-
ton gears ,0iH expire and unless reneCcd aoithin
taat time, thepoper 'oiH be discontinued. This rule
wiU be inferiGty adhered to.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

SMITH AND Colby AGA1N.-Wel learn that
Messrs. Smith and Colby have obtained from
the Supreme Court of the United States an
injunction upon the President and Directors
Of the Fayetteville and Western Railroad
Company, against the sale of their stock in
said road, advertised to take place on We'd
nesday last. Mr.. Marshal Jones despatched
a deputy to Fayetteville, Tuesday evening,
to serve the injunction. We presume that,
of course no sale was made.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

OHIo.-The members of both branches of
the Ohio Legislature, friendly to the Maine
Law met in the Senate Chamber, lat Column
busy on the evening of the 9Th inst, to con-
cert measures to carry through the Legisla-
ture a prohibitory law this winter.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

DEATH OF A MEMBER OF CoNGRRss.-Tbe
Hon. Henry A. Muhlenberg, a Member of the
House of Representatives from the Berks
county pa district, died in Washington.
on Monday night, after an illness which con.
fined him to his bed for four or FIVE weeks.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
Sunbeams
A dark day.!

Clouds are tossing in the storm across the
great dome on high and, as we look out
through our damp window, the rain descends
in torrents, ~drenching field and forest with
heavens tears. A day like this makes US
think THAT nature IS IN agony ana weeps tfKe
Il mourner.
1t isa world of gloom on high, but we
know, above the storm there is a boundless
ocean of sunbeams shimmering the universe
and cheering with sunlight the grand orches-
ira of rolling spheres. veil hangs between
US and its beauties, but we know that the
veil shall be rent and the sunbeams will again
burst through and dance upon the old earth
and CLEAN upon our page through the win
dow.
Bless God for sunbeamsi They cannot be
bought and sold as corrupt merchandise, but
to prince and peasant they are freely given.
They light the gorgeous beauties Of the pal
ace, and steal in through the dusty c~revices
of the beggar's howell to cheer. There is an
Angels glance in the sunbeam! When the
strife of the storm is over, they will simmer
the crystal drops on a thousand grass-blades
with the rainbow tints, and CLINT the rills
and lakes with a silvered sheen.
The loss of sunbcams to-day, carries US
back over the pathway of life we have trav.
eled to a cherished Mecca dear to the heart
the land from whence we came. Glorious
unfettered, sunny childhood. That was {
Canaan of the brightest sunbeams to us, anC
its golden beauties linger in the heart like
some holy memory. The sunshine of you'll
comes to us a welcome visitor to-day, and w
wish to carry it with US till the high noonda,
of life and see it fade out like a shadow i
the evening of our days toll.
Bless God for sunbeams! They hinge
among the grass on the green graves of thos
we loved and that loved US.
>~ -
THE DIVINE LAW no where recognizes til
principle Of licensing a wrong. The prime
pie is Infamous. How does it look in the e
fulgence of four boasted century How woul
it look in the Bible? A license to food tn
country with crime-to make wives widow
and children orphans-to destroy prOpert
and intellect-to erect an altar of sacrifice
the threshold Of every home-to SOW til
fruitful seeds of moral pestilence to brin
forth a great harvest to sicken and destrC
the whole people? Wrong is prohibited {
the Statute Book from Mount Sinia-ma
licenses the wrong and pulls down the RICH
TetzcPs sale of 9 indulgences" aroused Il
:. swift ~dcnunciation Of Protestantism-the
galization Of the sale of Rum is a counte
part Of the Romish abomination The j
!, dulgences of the Seven hilled City gave t
purchaser liberty to commit specified sins t
the consideration of a certain fec. ProtC
tant indulgencies," under the false garb
licensing grog dens, are the begettal ofeve
crime of human conccption-to which is q
. ded the tragedy of furnishing the victim
what the law induced him to be! <
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18

RG% See Communication in another col
umn, calling attention to the Studio of Mr..
Copeland, Portrait Painter, over Mr.. Roul-
hac's Store. All that our Correspondent
says of it and the Artist, we know to be true.
from frequent visits made to his rooms.