Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-06-13
0urselves-Our Cause.

This rule 'OiU be inferibly adhered TO-.
Ourselves Our Cause.
We hope to be excused for the earnest and
plain manner in which we shall couch this
article. We intend every word shall be the
truth, and we hope to make our readers feel
for the truths sake.
The friends of Temperance in this State
have ever been liberal, generously liberal, in
responding to every call made upon them for
means with which to carry on the noble cru
SADIE against intemperance. Have Lecturers
been needed to canvass the State and lay be-
fore the people the GREET truths and impor-
lance of temperance? 1T has only to be
made known, and thousands of dollars leap
freely and almost spontaneously from the
pockets of its friends, to employ the best and
ablest talents. Is it deemed important to
! publish tracts or other documents to spread
! before the people? I~nstanter the quid pro quo
is raised, and the press set busily to work in
), issuing the necessary information. And the
time has been, when an appeal in behalf of
the SPIRIT OF THE AGE, was responded to
e by a thousand active hands and willing hearts,
: in sustaining the organ Of the temperance
army.
We say the time has been, when this was
the case-BUT 1T is NOT so NOW Hundreds
g from whom we were once constantly in re-
ceipt of substantial evidences of their indus
try and energy in the cause, are now silent
: as the grave. No word to cheer US in our
- toilsome work, now comes from them to sus-
4 tain US in our weary labors-no gltttering
!; testimonials remind us that the poor Printer
es is remembered in their association with their
" fellow.men Too many have left us to "sink
= or swim," as we may be able. Our lists of
e- receipts for a long time past have told the
no story in doleful strains to us-and while high
he our expenses almost double that of former
zee times, these strains have sounded very mucf
like the notes of the funeral dirge to our ears
To drop the figure of speech, we desire
simply to say that our expenses are very
me- ~heavy-at least seUentytfUe dollars per aoeek
ak- and if our ~receiDts continue to fall below
c. this, as they have done for some months past
Is somebody will be found in debt, and on
rs more temperance paper be numbered witt
cir the things that were.
ity The cause of the declension may, in part
Fly be the tightness of the times but we believ
80 the chief reason is found in the omission @
the friends of temperance to make ~exertion
in its behalf. The AGE has always been pre-
nounced "a good paper an excellent pa
~, nse per"-by all it's patrons. It is a favorit
= with males and females-it is the cheapest pa
on per in the State, as to price-we expend a
per our time and labor upon it, and pay for hel
uno by competent and instructive writers-as
red. literary and family paper it is highly prizet
and we are frequently complimented for il
matter and execution. Why, then, the SUI
den declension in the means to sustain it ?
Surely any body, almost, can pay one douC
for a large weekly newspaper for a who
year. The price nor the paper, then, are an
hot obstacles in the way. 1t must be, then, aa
of effort on the part of its friends, to say
cred good word for it, as in times past. Reade
are you remiss in this respect? Repent, ar
lin do your first works over again, and send
, a good large club of subscribers, as frui
l he meet for repentance.
It is true we still have a large list Of su
scribers, and if we were getting 50 and
a year, as other State papers receive, '
would get along swimmingly. But remel
l0'o' Der our paper is as large as most of thel
!. and larger than many, so that our white r
per costs us about as much as any-we ha
east, to pay the same high prices for journeym
noPo and aborers-the same famine prices
something to eat-the same big bills
doctors fees, &c., &c. so that unless
les; have a very large list of subscribers, it is i
possible to +" make both ends meet"
We have now discharged a reluctant, pa
full task-we have never before had to t;
,er, thus to the readers of the Age-but it
the truth, and it is always best to speal
on out. 1t is for our friends now to dec
cath whether they will give us a helping hand.
very little effort on the part of one humid
gentlemen and ladies, would give US at lie
a thousand new subscribers. And if eg
one of our present subscribers would
give us one day, or a few hours, in solicit
subscribers, We Woulu nave our hs6 uout
ID her and our Spirit" and your spirit" wo
flourish as of old. Who will respond frs
this earnest appeal?
sSr To our friends in our sister South
States generally, we feel that an acknC
edgement of our thanks is due for the he
some manner they have come to our sup
within the last few months. From Virgi
We, CT Co.o1;no coonn;a A1ahaua me-,