Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-06-27
FOR THE SPIRIT Of
CAPABILITIES.


The great want of capability, in large
majority of those who rule and govern the
political affairs of our country, cannot have
escaped the observation of the least observ-
ing, and no one at all acquainted with the
past and present history of his country,
but is struck with the marked disparity in
point of capability of those who are now ell
evated to stations of honor and trust, when
compared with those of generations past
to t INQUIRE n1s Why Is It 10 What shall we at
tribute the change? Can it be that the ca
pabilities of our country are becoming as
degenerate as those that now mark the char
acter of some of the European States?
These are questions of vital Importance
to every American. They come home to
his bosom amid the toll of his daily avoca-
ton, and whether he is in the mansion or
the cottage, the field or the forest, the in
quiry forces itself upon his mind, why is it
They are questions that demand his serious
consideration, and no one, no matter what
may be his party ties, should shrink from
inquiring into the why and wherefore of
the degeneracy that marks the character of
the political aspirant of the present day.
A crisis in the affairs of Europe is already
at hand, and it will require the wise, tenn
perate and prudent-men who think more
highly of their country than themselves
more of her welfare than their own, to guide
us through the impending crisis and save
us from being drawn into the political whirl-
pool which, in all probability, will soon
sweep over that continent. Are the capa-
bilities of those who aspire to Office sufi-
cient to meet the demands of the times ?
With fen honorable exceptions, of which
the country in its present barren condition
may we'll feel proud, we look in vain among
the political aspirants of the day for that
magnanimity and lofty bearing that should
characterize statesmen of the nineteenth
, century.
Indeed, we cannot expect those who coun
! tenance the degrading and beastly habit O
! drunkenness and practice it themselves, tt
be capable of making laws for, and govern
6 ing the destinies of vast, enlightened anC
rapidly increasing Republic like ours. N
: man can have the capabilities requisite TO
a statesman or an orator, unless he posses
: in high degree that moral grandeur whicl
alone adorns and exalts the human charac
ter. Will he be likely to find these in hi
. cups, at the low licensed grog-shops locate
! at the crossroads and by places the haunt
of candidates and puny politicians c
y the present day? Will the coarse jokes c
= these groggeries, or the intellectual pho:
- phorescence of the so called refined abou
of the wine table, add to the manliness, judge
ment, craftsmanship or acuteness of th
80 mans intellect? Whose mind ever game
20 strength or expansion, when under the il
a. huence of alcohol? Has ever any impo
or tant invention or discovery been made, {
j. anything of consequence in political econ
my, literature, the arts or sciences been a
40 complished, by man in his cups?
sH morning dram taken by Statesman ma
We cost the country thousands, or the Sta
If. millions, by its beclouding his intellect
by infaming it to madness may cause I
bellion, war, bloodshed and ruin. It
not for kings to drink wine, nor prime
. strong drink; lest they forget the law al
peryert the judgment of any ofthe afflicted
In viewing our National and State Le
ur- islatures, unbiased by any party predil'
9TH tion whatever, we can see little recent
lay but system of,legislative bIundering, frc
I'VE the petty act affecting the county only,
all the broad important ones affecting the ST.
uc- or Nation. And we can look with no otl
hly feelings than indignation upon the puI
ess- picayune politician who would excite pr
la udice against laudable effort to do go
site by large majority of citizens, by comp