Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-15
Gmarna-s Gtnpranes no family ddeeAIp psos paper.
Equal Rights and Rum Rights.

In theory, at least, all persons are in favor
Of equal rights, and are opposed to everything
that savors of inequality. But it needs no
one to come from the spirit land to tell us
that theory and practice are two very differ
ent things. Men love to talk about equal
rights, and all that sort of thing, and love to
boast ofthe daring deeds oftheir grandfathers,
performed on Bunker Hill and elsewhere, to
secure to their posterity the blessings of lib
erty and equality, The rumseller mounts
the rostrum to eulogize the worthy dead, and
to deprecate those measures which he thinks
will in any wise break in upon his rights, or
the rights of the community at large, over
which he holds sway. Let us briefly point
out three of the rights of the rumseller, guar
antied to him by the License Law.
lst The right to defraud his neighbor.-lt
is a principle of equity and law, that no debt
or note is collectable unless it can be shown
that value for the same has been received by
the party against whom the action for debt
has been brought. To take money or pro-
perty from an individual without returning
a compensation for the same, or the obtain
ing of money under false pretenses, is fraud.
The rumseller takes from his customer his
money, and not unfrequently his personal
property and real estate, without returning
an equivalent for the same. 1t Is true he
gives him rum, with which to curse himself
and his family, but is that an equivalent
for hard earned money and valuable estate
If he believes that it is, he does so because
he has been told that the rum is good and
will do him good, and that he stands in neeC
of this rum But his experience soon teach
es him that the more of this "good" he ha
the worse he becomes, and that his none,
has been flched from him under false pre-
fences.
I'd. A right to injure has .tfeHotO-men.-
Common law provides that he who strike;
beats, or otherwise Injuries an individual
shall be held answerable to the charge of a,
seller has his peculiar rights, under the L
cense Law. To say nothing of the sundr
kicks, cuffs, and jerks, and unceremoniou
landing in the street, which the rumsell,
thinks it his right to infict upon his imbrute
customer, there is a serious injury infictt
upon the bodies and minds of men by tt
vendors of alcoholic drinks, for which the
appears to be no remedy in law, and f
{ which money cannot compensate.
| Sd. The right to murder his Uictim.-Hc
7 startling the thought, a right to murder
l man! Let US look at the subject and see
! it is not so-whether or not the License L.
{. grants to the rumseller the right to kill a m
t or any number of men. We have any amou
5 of evidence to show that men nave been 1
i led by the use of alcoholic drinks. There
r no need to stop to consider that point. The
n those who sold the man this life-destroyi
n drink, knowing what its effects would
e are guilty of his death. He who wilfu
t anddeliberately pursues that course, the dea
n sooner or later, of another, is, in the sight
God and eternal justice, a MURDERER.
lie We are in favor of equal rights, not n
y rights and hope to see the day when t
< peculiar privileges and rights of the runs
7, Ter will be taken from him, and all be eqr
ID in having no right to do wrong.