Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-08-22
ABGBSg e.
Ladies Departments.
For the Spirit Of tho Age.
To The Ladies Of North Carolina.

IN
In the happy homc Of Liberty, our own co,
dear America, We see no proud aud haugh- sh,
~ monarch ruling with a rod OF iron his Gil
hapless subjects, aud who by a single word pa
Of power can destroy the happiness OF Il,
thousands. We no whore see men groan- Sc
ing under prosecutions on account OF their to
religious opinions. No; ours Is the land en-
of civil and religious liberty. o. every FIR
American heart must beat with emotions q,
Of the warmest gratitude, when he thinks q,
thrt this proud land is his own sweet home. Il
But we are not entirely free. In this l.
bright land of light a tyrant reigns yes a n
tyrant. who Stays by thousands the free
sons cf America. And dreadful, indeed, q
is Tie bitter ruin which he ~scatters broad !
cast DER our land. He transforms men, !,
noble men, into mere breathing forms OF !
corruption. He destroys every human feel /;
inr and changes them into demons. And /,
this tyrant is Prince Alcohol, whose king
dom embraces far more in extent than the
famous Roman Empire in the days OF its
greatest glory, and whose followers are
from every patton asd cline on the earth
The once devoted Husband, when under
the influence of this fiery monster far more
fatal than the deadly Upas, because it is
soul as well as body destroying, strikes his
fond wife, with bitter curses. lie who at
tho Altar syoTe before God and man to
love and protect her through life, IS now
bcr hitter enemy. He refuses to supply
her wants, aud misery, poverty and wretch
edness must be the sad portion of a drunk
ards wife. 0 who does not pity q drunk
ards wife!
And for help in the mighty struggle
which is going on between King Alcohol
and his emissarics and the friends OF Tenn
pcrauce-Humanity-I plead, with you,
my fair and gentle sisters. To rescue our
beloved country from the grasp OF this
cruel monster, needs the combined influence
Of Law, Church and Society. Every one
has an important work to perform. You,
my friends, know that the liquor seller
daily deals out .his liquid fire to his fellow
men 10 return for gold, the very { price OF
blood aud tears upheld-encouraged-
strengthened by the strong arm OF law,
which should always WELD its power in be-
half Of justice and the public good, while
those brave mer, who with hearts over
flowing with love to God ADD man, have re-
solved, with the divine assistance, to crush
the HYDRA headed monster and free our
country from its awful rayages, are de-
nounced by petty politicians and Ignorant
rumsellers as innoyators of their rights, as
citizens Of a free country, those rights so
dearly bought by the blood of our forcfath-
crs. But they need not fear. With God,
Faith and Justice on their side, they must
and will succeed, and their banner unfurl
cd to the balmy brcezcs of our own beau
tiful south, and to the chilly winds of The
north, will yet wave t~riumphantly eve
this iair and happy land, and the tyran
Alcohol will be no longer able to destro.
the brightest hopes of our country. Yes
- hot rGFstcqrt HIN ti +HDpfNccit66r c fHeiP PU Sp fatdti
any Of the liquid poison, and plead all i
vain. Appeal after appeal is made to tn
frcemcn Of our country for a law to snppre!
the horrid liquor traffic; and may Go
speed the day, when the prayers of the il
.briatc's wife shall be answered-when tt
cries Of his children for bread will no MOI
rcsound throughout our country.
But it Is not to men that l would no
appeal 1t is to WOMAN, who is oftel
very Often, the greatest sufferer from il
temperance. You know what a wltherin,
blighting influence intempcrancc is cxcr
ing within the limits Of your own ohserv
ton. Like the simoom of the desert,
passes en- whitening, b%lighting all, witho,
respect to age, position in society or inn
ccncy. None are exempt. The sufferir
caused 10y intcmpcrancc is not to any of n
sisters, or at least to very few, as a dark
gcnd Of former days, or as a fanciful thous
sad story Of the imagination. No, no, it
n living reality! Would it were not. Y,
have sen the poor inebriate staggering
his wretehed home. You have seen |
poor heart. broken wife, as YEARLY and S
hearted she tolls for daily bread for Ii
wretchcd family, uncared for, fricndlC
aud poor, and with streaming fearful cy
raised to heaven, murmurs-"O God ha
mercy on a drunkard's wife," Perhap,
few years before, she was a light.heart
child Of luxury, singing all day her joyc
song, with no care or sorrow TO cause a t
to flow. And now-0! let the mourn
retrospect cease, or her wounded heart m,
break, as she views her drear abode, q
contrasts it with the splendidly furnish
halls of her fathers mansion, where
passed her youthful and happy days. A
with other sad recolleetions of the { oil,
Tine, there comes ore fraught with m
~ nun ahJ oAhCAs IL 10 VI WUuJ
husband WAS in his happiest days, wi
he won her girlish heart, a favored chill,
fortune and Of her bridal day, when
gave her hand and heart to her hearts
choice, with confidence and love, an
sweet assurance that no would make
pathway through life bright and beauti
And she thought too of her early wed
life, when she was happy until the tenn
came aud with his syren song lured hin
ruin. And now, what is he ? and wha
she? He, once high minded, gener,
noble now degraded, wretched, poor
mere wreck of his former self; and his
ing gentle wife, the unenvied wife of
cradle drunkard, still %clinging with
mans nevor dying love to him whom
loved in the spring time of life, alv
praying COR the restoration of her he;
idol and ever hoping that soon the tenn
tion removed he would become a kind
nfTectionate husband.
Must the fond hopes Of thousands of
fering females be blasted ? o su
not. IT. is because you know, if not
bitter experience at least from observat
what a dreadful curse is the fiery ]
God, | would ask you to use your infu
4. IL To..raronco ooneo W. =