Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-08-29
For the Spirit of the Age.
The King of the United States.

It was common among the ancients to
Defy whatever among them was indicative
of power, strength, mildness, beauty, DC.
and we hope upon the same ground, we may
be allowed the privilege of giving the above
title to that in our midst which is welding
a more destructive influence over our public
prosperity than any thing else known to US.
This title may strike the reader as strange
and novel but so far from being an hpstart,
the power thus designated has been in our
midst ever since the first settlement of the
colonies in these western wilds : and has
been growing in strength and influence, I'M
til his sceptre extends throughout the length
and breadth of our land. His character may
best be known by his deeds. It is strange
how he makes to himself so many friends,
while many who do not care to associate with
him, or, to approve of his course Of action,
are not in reality his enemies, but look upon
him as a right good sort of a fellow, who, Il
he dont't do much good, does scarcely any
harm and so they think they may let him
pass on undisturbed, and not try to iniure
his reputation, and thereby wound the feel
ings Of his friends for has friends are their
friends, and it would be a pity to make so
much ado, as an exposure Of his true charac-
ter might create a disturbance in the commu-
nifty.
But stop and letus consider for a moment,
what he has done, and is now doing in our
midst
He has now annually an army of three
hundred thousand men in the United States,
who are scattered throughout its length and
breadth, doing all manner of evil-corrupting
the public Notwithstanding property
burning houses-infaming misunderstanding
steamers and their passengers-running rail
road cars in eollision-lying-stealing and
numbering, and finally it is his delight and
employ to fight against whatever has for its
object the good, the prosperity, and the hap
piness of us as a people. And still more,
to exhibit his cruelty towards those who
have worn themselves out in his service, in
stead of making ample provision for them,
in their old age and decrepitude, as other ru-
lers are accustomed to do for their disabled
veterans, he puts to death about thirty thous
and of them annually! This he does in or
der that he may fill up his ranks with new
recruits, and these are generally the sons of
those whom he has put to death.
To support and defray all the expenses of
his army, he taxes the United States about
one hundred millions of dollars annually !;
money enough to accomplish all that the
warmest patriot could wish for his country,
and to fill in a short period the world with
Bibles and a preached gospel.
Since, then, WE have over US a monarch who
to all intents and purposes, if not in name,
has usurped this authority, and is destroying
so many of our fellow citizens annually
laying such heavy taxes upon us-corrupt
ing the morals Of our people, and destroying
the public peace throughout the borders Of
our land-should we not, if we have a spark
of patriotism or philanthropy in our bosoms,
be ready to lay our lives if need be, upon the
altar of our common country, and e%xclain
in the language of one of our fathers give
US liberty or give us death"
Why not then, be as prompt and ready tx
exterminate an evil among us, which il
working for us a far greater calamity thar
ever king or tyrant has done, or can do p
War itself is far less disastrous in its effect
upon US than this evil. In our last war, on
ly five hundred were destroyed annually
but by this evil, thirty thousand annually
And yet we fold our arms and cry "peace
peace" when danger is so imminent, ans
ruin all but inevitable awaits US.
We boast Of our goodly heritage, and fol
eign nations are disgorging their numerou
population that they may freely subsist i
this land Of plenty. But in this g~rainery 6
the world, are every where to be seen house
deserted, fields without tillage, children with
out clothing, and penitentiaries and aims
IOuoCo hlIC u ~ w Il SIOdL
ing under our pauperism andtalking of take,
and hard times and no trade; while tn
monster is devouring our substance, enterin
the houses of unsuspecting inhabitants as
friend, and taking the food from their table
the fuel from their ires-the clothing frol
their beds, and turning their land over
others, and driving them from their dwell
ings to subsist on beggary and crime, {
drag out a miserable existence in penitenti
ries and alms-houses. Such are the effec
of the reign Of King Alcohol.
We glory in our liberties, and every four
of July our bells ring a merry peal, as if v
were the happiest people on the earth. B
alas! for our country-one mighty sweep
being made at her physical energies, her il
t%ellect, and her moral principle, and thu
preparing her for complete and final subie
ton to the most merciless tyranny that ev
! scourged any nation under heaven.
We talk of our religion, and the horrors
Jugurnaut, but a more d~eceitful prophet
in our churches than Mahomet, and a mo
o bloody idol than Jugurnaut, rolls throue
our land, crushing beneath its wheels 0
own countrymen.
Wo to Zion !! Satan is in Eden and if
check is put to the desolations of this me
! ster, our benevolent institutions must die
our sanctuaries be forsaken-our beautii
fields wide wastes, and the Churh will re
the history of her offspring in the third
Romans: "Their throat is an open sep
chre their mouth is full OF cursing and b
n %terness; their feet are swift to shed blood
There Is cause, then, for the general alar
e which has been excited in our country.
Suffolk, Va, Aug. 18th, 1855. G.
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