Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-02
1867.
Etiquette.

Etiquette, carried to an extreme, is ridicu.
lous, whilst a total neglect oft gives rise toa
thousand difficulties and perplexities. Were
the laws of our social intercourse based more
on love, sincerity and christian charity, there
would be no need of conventional forms,
which in many cases are fashionable hypocri-
sizes. A man of heart finds them heartless,
and loathes them. There are many instan.
ces where theinsincere caprices of the trifing,
have become precedents for empty forms and
useless ceremonies, to which a sensible man
to be called fashionable has to stoop. In
this republican country, which processes hos
tility to all aristocratic privileges, forms and
ceremonies, it is pitiful as we'll as laughable
to observe the vanity and snobism of a few
exclusives, whose farcical limitations ofexplo-
ded forms, excite the contempt Of the sensi-
Bile and worthy. The sons and daughters of
retired brokers, candle-makers, soap-boilers
and rag merchants, &C., ape q pseudo-exclu-
sive caste, forsooth! Good manners require
%ciyility, honorable behaviour and sincerity
from all aman oughtto be afable, honorable
in purpose, prudent in action and attentive
to business, never thinking himself above an
, honorable calling. Such a man is a COED
citizen and q gentleman. There are two great
classes in every community the producers
and the non-producers. The producers are
the honest, hard listed sons of toll, the real
nobility the non-producers are fops-fash-
ionable, etiquette trifers and loafers are
the drones that feed on the industrious, and
yet despise honest labor as low and vulgar.
-S0e-
. PUBLIC sentiment is growing stronger and
stronger with every days sunlight in favor
Z of the Reform. Hundreds Of men who make
y no pretensions to the doctrines Of Temper
er ance, who are not identified with any society
> for the suppression of intemperance and who,
~ a twelve month ago, were opposed to all steps
Id towards prohibition, have seen the evil and
70 are now clamorous for the abrogation of all
licenced drunkeries, jug taverns and buck
'u' ster's carts. There is a tide coming up from
the great deep of the public soul like the
strong tide coming up from the sea. The
public mind is in the midst of a grander agi
tation than ever before. The merits of som
, prudent Law for the suppression of the traf
fc in intoxicating liquors is the topic Of dis
c%ussion and comment among the people a
every gathering. Whenever this is the cas-
lii a crisis is at hand-a crisis no1c existsi II
we temperance has reached its high meridian
on and now sinks away like a malign beacon t
its eternal sitting. The PEOPLE have bee
we scourged with drunkenness until they al
ich- weary, they have quietly submitted to ii
lie taxation resulting from the traffic until the
= " are vexed, and they have fed and clothed
cred quor made paupers until the burthen is tt
nee, intolerable to be borne hence, they are cir
rely ing themselves to shake off the Accusing lie
~ rosy. The sky brightens and a more MAZE
cur tic tread shakes the battlefield of moral I
und form
was Many of the ne,c friends will be truefrienc
Nv yet It were we'll that the old heroes be on {
d. alert looking out for spies. As the eau
life becomes more popular there will be me
ICE !; than one demagogueical Judas to sell 3
~ : mainly for less than thirty pieces of silver