Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-23
From the North Carolina Star.

Ill III JA1tC Q4IEbC1s Il u III OtAA " =
tempted to show the extreme absurdity of Il
the open declaration, that all laws regulating :
what we shall eat, or what We shall drink =
are obnoxious and odious to the common :
sense of mankind. | also took the position :.
that Congress even, has an unequivoeal right !.
to enact laws restricting or prohibiting the !.
importation of opium or any thing else that !
might be deemed. by a majority, destructive !
to the health or morals of the citizens of the !.
United States. And now let me ask, if it is !
conceded that Congress has the power to pass T
such laws, have not the States a similar right {
to legislate for the benefit and protection of {
the health and morals of our people? Most
assuredly they have. But this is not all a
State has the right to be the sole and uncon-
tro1led judge of its w policy, and the reg
~ulations adopted to carry out said policy
must yield only when they conflict with the
acts of Congress. This much was conceded
by the Hon. Daniel Webster on the trial Of a
suit taken up to the Supreme Court of the
United States as a test question. Mr.. Web
ster, let it be remembered, was engaged at
the time as council on the opposite side of
the question. The opinion of Chief Justice
fancy, in this case was as follows " Every
State may regulate its own internal traffic,
according to its own Judgment, andupon its
views, of the interests and well being OF its
citizens. I am not aware that these prin-
ciples have ever been questioned. If any
State deems the retail and internal traffic in
ardent spirits injurious to it's citizens, and
calculated to produce idleness, vice or de-
bauchery, / see nothing in the Constitution
of the q. States to prevent it from regulating
and restraining the traffic, or, from prohib-
iting it altogether, if it thinks proper" His
learned associates upon the Bench, Judges
Mclean, Daniel, Woodbury., Catron and Gri-
Ill - Az 1-- NJ -
will be a matter of mortal grief to all advo-
Gates of "prohibitory laws" to learn, that the
unconstitutionality of such laws has been
clearly established beyond an honest doubt,
as Mr.. Bragg would say, by a certain candi-
date for Legislative honors in this county,
who has a right to know, because, forsooth,
he has studied law! Pity, is it not? that all
the Judges of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, should be forever a complete pack
of f." Know Nothings," as far as it relates to
simple questions of jurisprudence.
The friends of reform, if understand cor
rectly their principles, are a claw loving and
a law abiding" people; that is to say they
love all good wholesome laws. and will most
cheerfuily abide by the bad mes so long as
such shall remain on our statute books. But
as friends (not enemies) to the public good,
they go for the repeal of such laws, as have
been ascertained from long experience to be
corrupting to the health and morals of the
public, and for the enactment of others tha
{ may be the means of throwing around {
;. large class of our citizens some shield of pro
! lection. And in case it could in reality b
!, shown beyond an honest doubt that all leg
) ~islation, restricting or prohibiting the trafi
in liquor, is in opposition to the constitution
{. the friends Of reform would advocate the I'm
: portance of calling q convention to have tn
I constitution altered in this most importar
!, particular. By the way, the reasons VIII
: they would prefer a convention is quit
e obvious, viz They would not conside
that the members Of the Legislature WI
n had secured their seats by bartering whiske
for votes, were altogether morally qualifie
Y to pass upon matters of this kind. No
It then, gentlemen may be eminently qualift
A. ing Udd wTIg ur1 hem6eftesa reefs vusSHueh uarSr g q
L trlbutlng the Offices amongst the ~favorite
Is who have done the most to build up the par
l. that happens to be in power, they may al
vote correctly upon all questions of intern
in improvements, &c, But inasmuch as an an
d. Internal improvement would hardly be sele
er ted to carry out internal improvement mea
y ures, l must think it would be somewh
lie unreasonable to expect that men of questio
= able morals should vote correctly upon MOI
ID questions.
of There are doubtless many political uuestio
W of great Importance to the country which .
ne not to overlooked by any means but cam
On these be attended to without the sacrifice
en- moral principles?
,ir But the friends of reform are accused
sr mixing up temperance with politics and int
b. fering with the regular nominations, and the
ps is a great hue and cry made over it, as thou
= it was disreputabIe. Let us see if there
tie any just cause for such clamor. Are not
on wings always interfering with the regular no
nations of the democrats, and Uice Uersa,
democrats with the wings! Suppose that
respectable portion Of the voters of the st
DIS, should cherish the notion however absurd
Of may be deemed by some) that the duties oil
to legislator does not end when the interests
in mere party have been duly attended to,
~ that something might be done to improve
- health and morals Of the people. First
sh- altering our present degrading system of ell
tioneering and secondly, by e~nacting so
of wholesome laws, restricting the use or rat
ere- the abuse of intoxicating drinks. Is it
5ol. likely that such voters would exact some of
I "a qualifications for Office than that of be
re merely a sound wing or a sound democrat
In Would they not also require their represeT
ma tives to be men, not merely protesting sol
moral principles las all the whiskey candida
are apt to do,) but rather those who in rea
possess them and who are dong what I
.tbs can, whether in a private or public capac
to improve the moral complexion of soci
ops But they are called on to support their p;
nominations, and all the party screws are
four piled to force moral men to vote for reg
nominees, who are often regular topers,
~ who are doing all they possibly can to corr
the public morals by treating to whiskey
and making freemen drunk Ito catch votes,)
dis all this they will inform US is necessary to
lbli- done for the good of the country, THAT is
Inc say) to ensure the success of party measl
'i y and party principles. Now, all I can sa
Re- that, any political party which is 10th to 81
F. purely upon its own merits but is compelle
!, al resort to corrupt means in order to be susi
ed, be that party wing or democrat, let
disbanded, and the sooner it is done the b.
it will be for the country at large. Blu
the must be acknowledged that there is N
good to be found in both of our great D,
cal parties and that questions involving
T. political prosperity of ourcountr are so clio
identified with them.it would be almost
possible to break up either of them Wit
e. i%nf1icting serious injuries upon the coul
lnee, There is not, however, the least necet
0un- for this, nor is such a thing contemplated
par the friends of reform, who here, let me
scorn the imputation even, let it come
law whatever source it may, that their motives
impure and theyare actuated by consideral
any other than those Of true patriotism and ph
cleo thropy.