Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-10-15
For the of the Age.

For the kof the Age.
What does the voice fmmon human
lty say to us? Can vel for human
woe and not be moved be spectacle of
wretchedness and despa 6ch the intem-
perance of this country ents ? Let US
imagine the conditionfe hundreds of
thousands who are notning with the
hidden flame and haslg to utter de-
str strr,4e.ion by this most lss of all vices
woes inflicted by the crueIJtrcss the
deep disgrace, the hopeIp eIpverty, and
the corrupting examples these vic
Tins, upon wives, children, its, friends,
and the morals of societyet US stand
at the graves of the thirousand that
annually perish by intempes, and there
be still and listen to what voice Of hu-
manity speaks. 1t is per difficult to
determine in what way interance first
manifests its influence on tl1ral powers,
so variously does it affect dsnt individ-
uals. Were to speak flny own OBJ
servation, | should say thairst appears
in an alienation of those land tender
sympathies which bind mo his family
and friends; those lively sellities which
enable him to participate ae joys and
sorrows of those around =; the social
affections lose their fullnsnd tender
ness; the conscience its pc the. heart
its sensibility, till that WI was once
lovely and rendered him ioy and the
1 idol of his friends retires anaYes him tc
the dominion of the appetitnd passions
Of the brute. Religious ement, if he
ever possessed any, declines ae emotions
excited by ardent spirits E; he lose
by degrees his regard for trulnd the full
fillment Of his engagement he forget
the sabbath and the house oorship. ant
; lounges upon his bed or lindat the tay
ern. He lays aside his Bill his famil
devotion is not heard and hoset no lon
, ger listens to the silent whiss of prayer
ne at length becomes irritabpeevish an
profane, and is finally lost Veverythin
that respects decorum in Searance, {
virtue in principle.
And it is lamentable to TX the stel
of that process by which thirtuous an
elevated man sinks to ruin, reat thing
wonderful things have alrea been effe
, ted; the enemies of thiseformatio
. whose pecuniary interest Sd hem in o
!, position, are unable to dentlss fact.
, is felt from the distillery to | dram shol
, it is seen from Maine to tn amost sou
and west. Every traveller pleives it, e
cry vender knows it; the ple count
wonders at the progress of is cause.
is rapidly and powerfully dancing; 0
! thing and only one can prs int its enti
success. The frenzy Of dnkenness ca
, not arrest its goings, tHhundreds
thousands in the mieshintemperar
! cannot resist its march. it the temp
: ate can, if they are backwa in coming
! to the vital principle of Is work-tf
|, may prevent its accomplish1 pit. But
: banner of triumph viii ways b peace o
!, all the land, hailed by thou4ds of grs
full captives who have been BED from
! grip Of death, in spite of all E warrine
the mighty to drink wine, those who
!, > hor intemperance and think icy would
willing to make great sadice to s
their children or friends fri its blast
curse, will only come up to little eff
!, of entire abstinence. This the su
and shortest way to drain II river of
: : now flowing through the nd. "N
! unto him that giveth his nj eyhbor DIR
: : that puttest thy bottle to hi and ma
. him drunken, also, that tho mayest
on his nakedness." n. 4