Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-13

partmenJS OF the temperance cause, TO
awaken fresh interest in the work.
The religious and secular press must
again sound the alarm, and show that the
enemy is coming in like flood, and en-
courage to do battle against this common
foe to humanity.
There are, it is true, many papers in
our land which seem to have correct view
Of their responsibility, and deserve COM
mendation for the high tone of moral puri-
ty which pervades them. But it is true of
portion of the press, that instead of look
ing to elevated principles, and aiming to-
guide ps;hic opinion into safe eha5nels, il
contents itself with echoing wnar it believes
to be public opinion. Does it not now re
semble the chow light" Of ship, shifting
with its course, more than the Polar Star,
which guides toward the desired hayen?
The ministers of our holy religion must
again speak out in thunder tones, and come
for the redemption of our land from terrible
thraldom.
Let those who were the pioneers in this
great work, and who labored amid mighty
difficulties to advance the temperance cause,
be still courageous and uncompromising in
their efforts Let the Jealous and energet-
ic Washingtonians labor on, raising up the
fallen and degraded. Let the Sons of
Temperance, the Rechabites, and other
beneficial societies, be true to thei1 pledg-
es-adhering strictly to the great work of
promoting the temperance cause-and not
turn aside for seperate interests, from their
warfare against the common enemy. Let
magistrates and civil officers ever be ready
tolend their influence and counsel, in plans
to suppress intemperance, and to help on
the great work,
We must have correct and just legisla-
ton, to aid in this great moral movement
By decision of the Supreme Court OF
the United States, the constitutlonallty OF
temperance legislation has been settled
Various states of the Union have been in
cited, by true philanthropy, to repeal OBJ
noxious laws, and enact such as would pro
tect the temperate from the tyranny of
rumsellers. Is the sale of intoxicating IL
quors wicked business? Does it corrupt
our youth Does it make wicked waste
of an immense amount of our property =
Does it destroy intellect, impair health ,and
produce disease and death Does it cor
rupt the morals, dry up the fountains Of
domestic happiness, produce Incidence
wretchedness, and woe in the family cir
Gle? Does it produce nine-tenths of al
the crimes in this land Does it fill ou1
almshouses with loathsome wretches, oul
I, iails with poor criminals. and supply ou1
gibbets with victims It does all this
and infinitely more. What government
then, can license or protect the traffic, with
out downright injustice, without absolute
oppression? Every subject has right t.
demand protection for his property, health
reputation and life. Experience prove
that all are in fearful peril in land o
grog-shops The right of the Legislature
to act in the premises, rests on the broat
principle of self-preservation- tn
same foundation on which the whole civi
code rests. Legislators every considers
tion which impels you to pass laws to pre-
, tect the health of our citizens, and abate tn
7 evils of community, addresses itself wit
tenfold power to you, to aid in this work
l when you reflect that the sale of arden
spirits not only introduces innumerabl
diseases into the community, and destroy
the health of our citizens, but that it is az
| companied with this additional aggravs
, ton that it tends to corrupt the publ
: morals, to subvert the Christian religion
and to destroy our civil liberties If th
4 statutes which now shield this traffic wer
: repealed, and this business were to rest o
its own merits, it would be indictablc
Common Law. We could bring the deal'
b to justice, on the manifest tendencies
e this traffic, as wanton and felonious trif'
with the peace and virtue of society.