Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-02
From the North Carolina Star.


Mr.. EDITOR: May l be permitted through
the medium of your columns, to correct some
few erroneous and mischieVous statements
which are sometimes made publicly, but much
oftener in private, to the prejudice of a good
cause. IF so, / would ask leave to call atten-
ton to a lengthy and labored article which
appeared in the columns 1.-The Raleigh
Register oflast week, copied as itseems from
a $ paper published in Danyille, Va. This
8 article is headed sProhibitory Liquor LawS,'
and contains a coarse and wanton attack,
not only upon the principles of moral re-
form,' but also upon the moral character OF
all those who are at this time engaged IN
said reform
Indeed, to employ an expression often
used in common parlance, both the cause
and its advocates are literally 'hGnldted with
gloves off, land I might add unclean hands,)
and that too, by one who calls himself a true
friend to temperance and good morals-but
who if the truth were known might perhaps
turn out to be nothing more nor less than an
: animated demijohn.' Now from such a
stdndGrd-bearer in the battle for Temper
ance' and correct morals l with all sober
Christians, would beg to say, fgood Lord
deliver usp For the benefit of those who
may not have noticed this curious produc-
tion,' | will simple recapitulate some of the
foul charges and .fouler INSTITUTIONS made
against the friends of reform by this self
styled friend of temperance Why he IN
hesitatingly charges that those who are agi-
tating this question of assl reform are
enemies to the public good, suspicious per-
sons ~disorganizers, disturbers of the pub
lie peace temperance zealOts,' Incorporate
reformers, fanatics, '~tyrants,' and '~inquisi-
tors > while those ministers ofthe gospel who
have from time to time lent their countenance
and support to the good cause of temperance
are denominated forsooth 'reuerend rGnterS.
Nor is THIS all, he attempts to associate and
identify this reform movement with the
abolitionism of the North, which he desig-
mates as the other great moral Increment Of
the age Now under ordinary circumstances
perhaps it would be considered beneath the
dignity of a decent pen to notice even such
an ~ungracious attack, to say the least oft;
but it is interviewer throughout, with ingen-
ious, though false reasonings, and we'll cal
culated, | confess, to deceive many, who may
} not have taken the trouble to ascertain for
themselves what it is that the friends Of re-
form are in reality contending for.
Moreover, ithas been somewhat 'digni6ed'
, by being copied into the columns of one OF
our most respectable Journals'-this cir
, cumstance alone may be considered a sufi-
cient apology for giving itaresnectable kick.
: The friends of reform have nothing to fear
! from a most rigid and scrutinising analysis
I of those principles. On the contrary they
: have alwsys invited their opponents to NEE
them in a fair, honest and open discussion
on this subject, and they are perfectly will
: ing to stand or fall by its merits, or dement's
: as the case may turn, but they are not to b.
y inundated and driven from the contest BY
such malicious attacks as those. Not thus
Such poisoned arrows with fall harmless a
our feet. If the tug of war has in REALTY
come, let it be a fair contest of mind will
mind, Let it be a war of truth against er
i ror, of good morals against bad morals, an(
let arguments be the only implements o
a warfare. Let there be no undue heat gen
y Grated to excite the wicked, though slumber
o ing passions, but let there be light glori
GUS light, such as will sparkle and coruscat
1 when the steel Of mind is struck by the or
:, posing flint. Will our opponents, I ask
meet us upon those fair grounds or vii
is they like the Editor of the Danville Register
IN deal in assertions and ~insinuations having n
foundation or cAistenoo, sz~1:m . heated an
disordered brain? Or will they prefer lik
1o our nearer ~neighbor, tof the Raleigh Regis
IF ter to fire upon us from behind a maske
of battery? Whatever may be their futur
lie course I trust it may be characterized b
he by some little appearance of fairness an
of CANDOR.