Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-05-02
Prohibition.

right of man. Il is the object and end OF
civil government. 1t is the ordinance of
Heaven. Man has no right to injure his
fellow man. Living alone in state of ma
ture, he may do what may never be permit
ted in social condition. If anv law gives
him permission. to take his neighbor's pro.
perty without an equivalent to undermine
the health aud destroy the lives Of ofhundreds
around him, to tax the community for his
own gains; to make widows and orphans by
thousands, and scar the land with murdered
victims, that law should be oSerthrowl and
protection be given, demonstrations author
-ize il, Constructors must be overti1rown.-
But no constitutions is at fault in this mat
ter. If any State,' says the able Chief
Justice of the United States, deems the
retail and internal traffic in ardent spirits
injurious to its citizens, see nothing in the |
constitution to prevent it from regulating
and restraining the traffic, or prohibiting it |
altogether lfthe seizure and destruction of
liquors KEEP: on sale be ordered as a nuisance
and disturbance 70 the best interests of the |
community, it is in perfect accordance with
long established municipal regulations
The safety Of the people, SAYS a side Judge
of the same high court (Grier), is the su
preme law. The exigencies Of the social
compact require that such laws claws for
the protection Of life and liberty) be execu-
ted before and above all Others 1t is for
this reason that quarantine laws, which pro-
tect public health, compel mere commercial
regulations to submit to their control. They
seize the infected cargo and cast it overheard
Thus the way has been prepared for our ad-
vance.
IL. 1T IS IN PERFECT CONFORMITY TO
EVERY PRINCIPLE OF COPS MORAL GOVERN
MENT. When anG where has God licensed
men to do evil When and where, to op
press, and deceive, harden, and destroy p
The times of mems ignorance, when thev
once worshipped the host Of heaven, God
indeed winked at {; seryitude Of man to man
he regulated by law, but always for its ultl-
male destruction; but he said peremploriIv,
Thou SHALT NOT KILL !; and itthe OK, which
was wont to push with his horn, Was suffered
to be abroad 10 the destruction of human
life, the owner was held responsible and pu
to death. Like the law of God, the legisla
ton in which we are rejoicing, makes nc
compromise with evil. Il licenses no mar
to sell the intoxicating cup, and make {
drunkard of his fellow man. L. warrants ne
individual in spreading snares and traps fo
his weak neighbor, and enticing him in th4
path of ruin. 1t permits no man to take hi
neighbor's money and give him strong drinl
iifFeturn, TO be -ac9rse to his wife and child
ren. 1t fills up, by authority, no jails o
poor houses with miserable tenants to b.
supported by the sober: and desecrates NJ
Sabbath by a trade which drives man to tn
regions Of despair. Like that law, it is
law OF perfect reciprocity, requiring lis to d.
unto others as they should do unto us. Ii
cense laws, under which we have long lived
or rather groaned aud died, have authorize
men to do that to others which, for world:
they would not receive in return. If all tn
victims Of strong drink, with their sufferin
wives and children, dragging out their live
IN Jalls and poor-honses and insane asy lum
could be gathered in one dread array be
fore the hosts Of dislllers and venders, anC
for one hour, infict upon them the pang
which hey suffer for years or, still NOR
if there was, day by day, IAN eye for an ey,
and tooth for TOOTH there wout! 500
be an end to their cruel traffic. Like til
law of God, too, it lays the axe at the ro1
of the tree, and cuts it down. When idol
try had become All uncomfortable evil, it W;
not to be regulated, but extinguished. Ever
grove was to be cut down; every altar to
overturned every image broken and turne
to IN ho ba
those that had sacrificed unto them. An
when the books of those who taught the c.
, rous arts of dlvination were brought for
: and laid at the apostles feet, they were
te burned, though their value was so, ,OC
: pieces of silver. Here is solid basis
Thanksgiving and praise, when human law
) rising above selishness and mad ambili
! and cruelty to the weak, conform, if it
. only in their negative character, to Goo
f law. But
III. This legislation, which we hail vi
= so much joy, is most MERcIFUL and BLESS
f in all it's operations It shuts up The sluis
}, which have so long deluged the land wit
st sea of fire. 1t takes the great dragon,
II enemy of all that is blessed on earth and
), heaven, and binds him in chains that he sh
s. deceive no more Vice, crime. disgusti
- inebriation, besotted manhood dome.
poverty, domestic cruelty, wounds, madnes
deaths, flee before it, and give place to pea
9r order, sobriety. plenty love and joy. g
x stead of the thorn, comes up the fir r'
or or instead The brier, the myrtle rree" Pc
re- re- is as river, and righteousness as the WA
d of the sea- Says an intelligent gen,len
he in a neighbcring Stae e( Vermont where
or change has been made. aud the prohibit
ne law is in force. Ten thousand streams Of '
IT, have been dried at their fountains pau
3 ism in many localities has been most sur
ar singly diminished; gross inebrlety. if with
X. &C at all, excites atonishment.' Before
py passage Of the law says respectable
n tleman of the State oe Maine. our to
were groaning under the weight of ia
caused by enormous pauper bills. bror
re- upon them. in three cases out of four,
lid persons who had become miserable in
ere use of intoxicating drinks. Our jails /,
no we're filled; quarrelling and fighting wei
ho .La common in our streets as to excite but
90. ,n attention. Now, qnarrel!ing and figh
De have ceased. Our Young men are becou
soldiers ia the temperance army. Distre
f,mlies are relieved. Many poor wo
ON. has come to me and entreated me (fc
ris- was a magistrate) to contnne to enforce
ath, .aw as the salvation Of herself and h
mold And another, the distinguishe,