Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-30

Mr.. EDITOR Ny attention has been called to the
reply, (f it may be so-called) of 'Veritas Prevale-
Bit in the Spirit, to my article on Mash county
and her Rum-candidates, that appeared in your pa
per of July 18th. The writer seems to think that
injustice has been done the citizens of Nash, and
says he is pretty well acquainted with the people
generally, and he finds them very kind, hospitable
and sober as any county around This last was
well added as sober as any county around No
one doubts it, and / dare say a smile played DER
the phiz of 'Veritas,' when he penned this little
piece of Information for he very we'll knew that, if O
stranger had happened to be present at any one
of the gatherings of the people, to hear the coun-
ty candidates talk this summer, and witnessed the
floods of filthy, fiery liquor poured down the Threats
of the sober citizens of Nash, not by force, but by
their own willing hands, he would have concluded
that, 'Veritas' was certainly speaking ironically,
in bWrIesque of his good county. We have seen
candidates canvass their county often before we
have seen men drink brandy too, but we do say,
emphatically, we have never seen so disgusting a
use made of liquor by rational human beings, in
all our life, as we saw at all the public treats THAT
we attended) of the candidates in this county, du-
ring the canvass just past. If brandy and fence
rail whiskey' were the natural and Legitimate fluids,
designed by God, as the common and health-giving
drinks of man, the creature formed in His own i'm
age, he, the creature, could not possibly have made
a more extravagant use of such drinks than was
done, under the eve and at the EXPENSE of these
very candidates, for whom 'Veritas' undertakes to
apologize in his reply, and who, he declares, have
taken a high and honorable stand RI?
In this communication, I shall only notice the
course Of one of these honorable candidates; he for
Senate. The other two, I am fully persuaded, are
heartily ashamed of theirs, and deeply regret the
part they played, in making their fellow-men de-
grade their humanity. There was no excuse fol
the candidate for the Senate; he had no opposition
THAT ocas any, and was not obliged to treat any
one. l will quote from 'Veritas' q little. He says
'the candidate for the Senate is a gentleman of thu
highest responsibility a gentleman of wealth anG
influence &C., &C., all of which was never ques
toned by myself, or any one else, that I am aware
of. Hence, there is no need of my noticing thi
further. The pirate character of DR.. Drake, (o
any Of the candidates. I never attacked, nor die
I utter a syllable against. TWAS his public conduct
his LAw-vIoLATING PRACTICE of treating, in orde
to secure votes, that I attacked, and opposed, AM
will. by tho help of God, do SO again, if need be
and shall continue to oppose, whether DIR. Drake i
the man who resorts to such dlsreputablep practices
or DR.. anybody else. The simple fact OF a man
having wealth and an influential standing, vii
never deter me from questioning the morality 0
the legality of his public course. The greater tn
influence of an individual in society, the create
the responsibility resting upon him to act right an
~ sat ! rood example for others; and the more cen
srro and blame he will incur, for an open violatio
of the law of the land. Whether he has violate
that law or not, we shall see; and Veritas, hin
self shall be the Judge of the man he labors so har
TO defend. Hear him. Il must confess that thes
aontIaInen have not entirely abandoned the practic
oof sattine out the social glass (how he attempt
- smooth it over,) and the only apology I feel pre-
noro5 IN make for them now is that, our good oil
Sheriff has failed to discharge his duty in publish
80 +bs Iao on treating, and which is urged on hi
90 forc;bly in the Statutes of our State Now tn
quotation from Veritas' drives the nail home; an