Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-02-21
Jesse a. Kugh,s Report.

We publish entir, in this paper, the Re- Y
port of the Commitse on Propositions and r
Grievances Of the Iouse of Commons, signed {
"Jesse A. Waugh Chmn." 1t purports to {
be a Report from the Committee to which
was referred the vaious Temperance Memo
rails presented to the recent session Of the
General Assembly and is the first Legisla-
tive Document thathas been issued concern
ing the great Temperance Reform, which has
agitated the State fr the last several years.
We are glad, theref,re, that we have a North
Carolina Documentagainst which to fight
we can now strike at Aome objections and
cavillings-though for the credit of the State,
We could have hoped that it had been of such
a character as to reflect credit upon the in
telligence and legal acumen Of our law-ma-
E ksESa even If i il III las been received and print
ed by the House, and is therefore the legiti-
mate subject of criticism and analysis; and
we shall, therefore, from time to time, deal
out upon its false premises, its ridiculous
monstrosities, and barefaced, groundless de-
? clarations, such rebuke and exposure as its
impotency and RUTHLESS character Deserve
We ask each of our readers to peruse the
precious document calmly. dispassionately-
and then see if they will not blush thai such
a production comes from our legislative halls.
And we ask each member of the Legislature
to examine it, and say whether he would be
willing to afGx his name to such a disgraceful
thing, and avow himself its author?
We propose, at this time, merely to allude
in a brief way to particular portions of the
Report-it will afoil US a text upon which
to discourse for many weeks to come.
Mr.. Waugh, ite1ill BE seen, commences
his report by shedding a tear and setting"up
a hypocritical whine about the evils of in
emperance-but this is but for a moment
for like one of "Job's comforters," in the
next breath, he pronounces all these evils
of intemperance, and its demoralizing effect
upon the human family" as entirely incura.
BILE and beyond the reach Of remedy. Alas
alas and thus, at one fell swoop are all our
hopes and expectations crushed forever
Mr.. Waugh then proceeds to examine the
strongest barrier to his triumphant march
viz: "Me constitutional p%o,cer," possessed
by the Legislature I" to interdict by pains
and penalties the traffic in ardent spirits."-
And without even quoting the first authority
in the Constitution, disposes of the whole
matter in a single sentence-.Th The COMMITTEES
think not J! Not a single clause of the Con
s~tltution is given, to fortify this position-no
a single argument entered into for the pur
pose of. exhibiting haawnS%hy " the consti
%tutional power" does not exist. What al
astute ~lawgiver the Chairman of the Commit
tee on Propositions and Grievances is, to b.
sure!
But then Mr.. Waugh does give soEle "rea
sons" why. All yes Reasons" Ger
tainly he does. Well let us see what al
these reasons" The fst is in these words
Morally and physically, man is a FIRE
agent, and any law which seeks to contro
his %vOlitlon, is an insult to his dignity an
his understanding"
Was ever such a declaration flor this
no " reason") ever before made by q ma
sent to legislate for the protection and vel
being of society 2 Such a political and mo,
al monstrosity, we venture to say was neve
before promulgated by a christian law give
and is worthy only of the infdel brain of
Rousseau or a Voltaire. If Mr.. Waugh
idea of moral and political ethics lie correc
then every law, divine and human, els a
Insult to mans dignity and understanding.
Why have we a law against murder, if it
not to restrain mans " volition," or will, I
take the life of his fellow? Why legislat
against theft, if it be not to restrain man fro
~appropriating his neighbours goods to h
own use, If his volition" should prom
him to do SO? Are not all our laws designe
! to prevent the exercise Of mans ~volition