Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-07-23
ORIGINAL PAPERS,
~, For the Spirit of the Ape.
The Temperance Cause o.

We believe the dav has fnIIu "o.,
"em nave ceased to pronounce ;nnoa';. "ue
against the Temperance Rafo..: u.ecti'e
ha;a We say men, We mean that class .
-;ss wno bear upon their forebeads ~,
ITpress ITlia OF that Divine Being who rules tbs s
;uan. ;UunyeIse1men who have profited bv tbe
IeIaoie Il;a and inestimable BLESSINGS. re-
10 this das &C educational aeeEHpH eHHpdmsnt
We are charitable enough to presume that
all these means, intended for and most ad.
mlrably adapted to the amelioration of the
social and political condition of man, have
been sufficient to eradicate from the pub
iic mind all prejudices and false impress
ions formed against that cause, which has
Tor its sole object the good of man.
But there is another class of beings
that are men in nomiae only, who arc be-
yond the reach of reason, moral suasion
or anything else save the strong arm Of
the law; and to this class, we need not
make any appeal" they are joined TO
he'r idoi, let them alone" Such are
burdens TO their familics-nuisauces TO So
ciety, wrecks floating upon the sea of life
In word 'co"atcrteits upon humanity Of
natures bascst coin. And as members of
society, we should feel thankful to high
Heaven that We have but few such in our
community.
shall not attempt the useless task of
vindication of the Order of the S. of 7.
nor any Of those organizations which have
In view kindred objects Let the living
aud moving monuments, of which VIC are
daily cognizant-let the prayers Of the re.
formed lnebriates's wife ,vindicate our cause
before men and angels these are speeches
enough for any reasonable speeches
that are full of d" words that burn and
thoughts that breath" words that should
burn the soul Of the liquor maker and
vender, until the entire dross of their
perverted natures is sconsumed; and thoughts
that breathe volumes of Love, Purity and
Fidelity, the cardinal principles Of our Or
der.
Ii has been a source of much gratifca-
'tion to me to notice, for the past six months
the happy effects consequent upon the re.
establishment of the Order of the s. of
t., in our midst. And it certainly is a
source OF no less qualification to every true
patriot and philanthrophist, to witness the
prosperous condition of his country aud
increasing morality and we'll being of his
fellow citizens. \ state of affairs has ex-
listed in our immediate community which
presented to the worlds gaze quite an ap-
palling aspect. And no one has had grea-
ter reason to be appalled, than the mother
and father of group of children, who
have from time to time been panied to wit
ness the course of conduct of their darling
boy or boys, Gas the case may bc) as beinl
anything else than soul-cheering. Littl,
did that son think that he was, by hi
course of dissipation and vice, sqpping th
very foundation upon which life of use
fulness aud happiness was expected to b.
built. And much less did he think tha
every time his father and mother heard an
witnessed his bacchanalian shouts an
staggering walk, he was driving arrows il
to their bosoms, which must sooner or il
ter drink up their hearts best blood witt
er long and fondly cherished hopes, an
''bring down their gray hairs with sorro
to the grave"
And not only have the young and u
suspecting fallen victims to the insidior
uCSITOSGE bub tNCI luOSG VI NuOlu1 w
in virtue of their education and positit
in society, better things might have bee
expected These have broken the stillne
of the night by their nocturnal reveling
disturbed the calm repose Of the more pr
dent and we'll ordered, and have thus, in
evil hour, done that which in due tir
brought remorsc Of conscience and cast
black stain upon their hitherto fair escutc
con. Shame upon you, gentlemen '
call you gentlemen, for we believe you
be gentlemen in every other sense of t
word But we must say, you can be CT
sdered any thing else, while pursusing t
course Of conduct, than gentlemen. Ce;
then to drink that, which causes you to S
and do those things, the mere idea Of VIII
in your sober moments, would cause J
to blush with shame.
And, now, what shall be said of you, @
man whose head is blossoming for
tomb? Would that naught but words
commentator could be spoken, in t
connection, of this class of mem
whom we revere in virtue of their siv
locks, but by whom an example is oftir
set, which must of necessity tell muci
woe to the youth of our country. WI
the fathers daily quaff the intoxicat
bowl, how can they even hope, that Il
sous and their neighbor's sons will h
the words of admouition pronounced Fl
their lips To such would say ex
pie teaches more than precept-remcn
that you are responsible to your God
the example you set before your child
Thus then we see that the youth,
man of mature years, and the aged, ar,
alike victims to the all pervading dest
er, Intcmperanee There is u fount VIII
flows this tide of desolation, which, Xix
bosom of destruction, is bearing onv
upon its turbid bosom, thousands of
fellow beings to the great vortex Of DIR
cuness. This fount of unceanness an
struetion is hard by the still houses
groceries which too thickly stud our G
wise highly favored land. Then il
would have the waters pu.e, let US
cleanse the fountain-let US eradicate
deadly Upas trees--let US remove these
geries from our midst. Then and n
then may we expect drunkenness a
whole traiu Of attendant consequence
mOved--then mpy our school. houses,