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

principles strongly fortified in favor of tenn.
perance. But unfortunately, intemperance
is still prevalent, and is likely to remain so,
as long as the liquor traffic is permitted 10
exist; traffic lorg since abandoned by men
Of character, and now conducted chiefly, at /
least, by remorseIess wretcheS who are mac
cessible by any motive except gain. The
most eloquent appeals in behalf of temper
ance delivered in their neighborhood, they |
never hear; the most forcible and impressive
arguments furnished By the press, they new
er read the most affecting miseries, produ-
ced by their business, they leave to the ten
der sympathies of Others; whilst they give
fresh decoration and add new variety to
their lures. Their business-panderin to
the deprased appetites OF The people-fnds
numerous customers:it it supplies demand |
that is never satisfied, and to those desires
which it seems to CRAFTY, it but gives an
additional intensity. Such is the fraity of
human nature, the temptation presented by
the liquor dealer finds an insufficient counter
poise in moral suaslon; sometimes, alas
an insufficient one in the expostulations of
we protected as to our negroes, from the
injurious effects of liquor? Notwithstanding
the severe laws against trading with slaves,
and furnishing them with liquor, there is
nothing we somuch rely upon as prohibition
from our neighborhood of suspected persons,
whenever that can be effected. What
price the liquor seller can get for his land,
in order to secure a riddance ofhis vicinage,
especially if his neighbors own slaves
Long experience has conclusively shown,
that, while men are permitted with impunity
to present where they please the fascinating
bait of strong drink, in every imaginable
form, and with all the allurements that the
most heartless cupidity can suggest, there
can be no hope for the suppression ofintem-
perance. We need an efficient law, not to
regulate. but to prohibit entirely this iniquit
Gus traffic, similar in its provisions to the
Maine Law lone by which summary con,
viction can be procured, swift punishment
inflicted BY fine and imprisonment without
the benefit of the laws for the relief of insol-
vent debtors, the liquor con6scated, and,
upon the conviction of the offender, destroy
ed leaving it to a salaried agent, under the
strongest guarantees of fidelity, appointed
and supervised by some public board in every
district, to supply what may be required for
medicinal, mechanical, and sacramentaI pur
poses. Such law-enacte& with the con-
sent Of a majority of our ctizens-then will
moral suasion have accomplished its legiti-
mate results, have produced its ultimate
fruits, in legal suasion then will the Tenn
perance Reformation be complete in our be-
loved State, and as long as intelligence and
virtue continue to characterize our citizens,
law refused, the rea4er is most respectfully
asked, is there not great room for apprehen-
sion that the zeal of the friends of temperance
E may flag, and their efforts become paralyzed
in a contest so protracted and so hopeless !;
, and that what ever improvement has already
, been effected in the habi,s of our people,
, may be in great measure lost?
! 2. Such a law is not inconsistent with the
principles of rational liberty, but altogether
r in harmony with them. Rational liberty
consists, not certainly, in the right of every
2 mans doing whatsoever he pleaSes. 1t is
4 rather a system of fconcession of minor rights,
| for tbe enjoyment and security of those Of
r more importance. Itacquiesces in numberess
| restraints upon human conduct, when the
q violation OF those restraints would operate
seriously ly tothe injury of other persons, and
be incompatible with the public good. These
principles have always been recognized in
the legislation Of our State as well as o.
!, other States. Is it any more unreasonable
and more in violation of the liberty of the
citizen, to prohibit the liquor traffic, if it i,
ascertainea to be equally detrimental to the
'e interests of society, than to prohibit card
e playing or taking game at roley poley
table, or a: rouge and noir, in any public o
IF open place, or to punish severely the mar
:. who keeps a gaming table, or to prohibi
e the sale of lotteries and betting on elections
r Yet [ need not tell you the laws agains
g gaming have long been in force, and arr
', believed to be wise and salutary laws. S
" our quarantine laws, with the sanction c
is long usage, impose the most stringent res
le trainls upon personal liberty, and sometime
ut require severe sacrifices of private interest
c. and property, because regard to the publ
" health demands it. Are they, therefore
le oppressive and unconstitutional? Not 9
If all the public safety is paramount 10 privat
l. interests. How fares it in South Carolin
lis with the man who in the exercise of
Id freedom of trade, has the temerity to of;
We for sale seditious publications, and does al
y tually sell them! They do no mischief uni
" they are sold and read, and they are n
mt sold until persons consent to buy them.-
~ Reader, is moral suasion the remedy yc
us would prescribe in this instance Now
he it appears that the liquor traffic is equal
its injurious to public morals as the liberty
les gambling would be, or OF selling lotteri'
ge equally destructive of health and life, as t
en- unrestrained landing and distribution
i've infected goods, equally interrupting to pub
er- peace and subversive of social order as t
in circulation of seditious pubicatons,-is
md not equally the right of the law-making pow
les to prohibit the one as the other? The pr
ne ciples Of prohibition are constantly recog
all zed and acted upon in the practi Of {
led Courts Of Law and Equity in relation
BILE nuisances. And what constitutes mc
leir intoerable public nuisance than the liqu
OBJ business We are told by those who ha
ef had the best opportunities of making corr
ne, estimates on the subject, the sale of into
in eating drink is the parent Of the bloc
lit? murders which have occurred, and VIII
&c are even now, so shamefully frequent.
on has produced, does produce, and will p
IN dnco pipo of oil tho crimes of SOI