Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-10-25


W ppanN 1s orisf
y Patriarch j Report,
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M ft ol AL unite in
- 4Nenls t8 the SUD "a.
1e ~ 'aroush smother ha
ea eY' aI Eefsnnal ini@fc
aa VI ambe ID tbis er
eapn 30 liim we oge II
tl|9ae ha lapopulated eili lF
isl sinas 10 fhousaud
tihh H uur lovely South
North Nf4Ha has had as such 81 1
hat prosperity has marked the histos
Yelr our fields have waved With q
shops have fnng with the Incl
81 ahona1t labor ana our towns
a nI@ IS lha ee
MhAo Hoifh CAplina has made such
great industrial advances, the steps Of The
Destroyer Of tho Nation has not been
stayed. Intemperance has pushed It's dread
ravaqes as Of old, winning its trophies
from the blooms of youth, the vigor Of
manhood, the blossoms Of the heart and
the fruits Of the intellect. As annually
through past years the number bf disconso-
late orphans and wretched widows, whose
catalogue is the rumseller's role of honors,
has gone on an increase. As of old-the
men who between Jurusalem and Jericho
have fallen among thieves, and been beaten,
and stripped, and robbed, have seen the
Ievite aud the Priest pass by on the other
side, and laid down in the sad conviction
that the Sanhedrim, for pay had sent out
these ver7 thieves to waylay and destroy.
Unfortunately the number of those men
has been great and the number of the good
Samaritans few, and rendered fewer by the
influence of the Great Council.
have endeavored to ascertain the state
Of our Order and the state of the temper
ance cause in North Carolina during the
past year. l am Of sufficiently sanguiue
temperament to be preserved from croaklng
or despair, yet connot resist the impress
ion made upon my mind by facts--which
impression shall frankly state to you,
and shall be happy to learn that any mis-
take has been made in my conclusions in
regard to the Order. My excellent prede-
/, cessor, Past G.. W. p. Blackmer, in his
report last year alluded with as much cheer
fulness as he honestly could to the marked
decline in our numbers. avn panied to
say that that decline has continued during
the past year, and there is no prospect of
It's ar est. This, Of course, is a general
statement. Some Divisions have increased
their devotion TO the cause, some have In
creased also in numbers, but many others
have decreased in both respects, many Di-
visions have surrendered their charters
and Others have merely name to live, and
are virtually dead. In aggregate number;
we are less, and in moral power, sorrow
TO believe, we are feebler.
1t is painful to make these candid state
ments of opinion, but it is honest and | be
lieve it is best. 1t would be still morr
painful il / could not assure you that
verify believe he great temperance question
is in better condition to-day than ever be
fore in North Carolina. l shall endeavo
to account for this state of things.
The number of members of our Orde
has decreased for the following among othe
reasons. The novelty of our organization
attracted many. The show of regalia, tn
pomp Of parades, the thrill Of crowds an
harangues, the activity ofyoung zeal, swelle
our numbers. When continual drafts wer
made upon the pockets of members, whe
the novelty expired and the first ghttt
dimmed, when we were called from parac
to actual camp life, and to regular warfar
many Of our men gave back. They like
the epaulettes but had no stomach for Il
smell Of gunpowder.
There are peculiarities in our organic
ton which have decreased our numbers.
Among these l think the benefit system Il
most prominent. 1t attracts soWe mer
bers, but not those of the best kind, al
its general working, so far as | have o
served, is sdeleterious Men who would jo
Us simply for the benefits are men W
would claim them on insufficient grounC
If these claims be disdllowed they ret
in disgust. Their withdrawal, is knov
and the reasons are not. The influence
this mere withdrawal must be against
both outside and inside the Division
their claims be allowed they are not MI
useful members, but the allowing su
claims leads men who contribute TO {
treasures to withdraw. They will not
dure such misdirection Of the funds. Aga
but for these benefits we could have mt
smaller dues, and 50 very many poor
intelligent honest voters would be brouj
into our ranks, and they mould adhere
Moreover there are devoted Temperal
men. of principle and influence, who
kept from the Order because they h
phvsical ailments threatening perman
disease. They would not be elected
they applied, and some apply and are
cluded. It turns them against our Or
and weans them from the great cause.
abrocation of the benefit system would
a short time diminish our numbers, bl
am satisfied thatwe should thereafter g,
or ground gradually but continually
hold what we gathered.
We have passed through a severe pc
cal conflict in which our Order has |
tried. That contest has diminished
numbers. Men saw it coming and left
ranks. That did not weaken our m
force. 1t was the men who stayed
damaged US. The fact that prominent
Of Temperance, or any members of
Order would vote for men known to b
posed to legal prohibition would Of co
injure our Order in any community.
vet It is a notorious fact that our enc
were able TO make that boast in many c
ties, where movements were made to