Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-07-16
To the Voters Of North Carolina.

Grand Division that the laws of the land on
should provide for the protection of the citl- of
zens from the evils arising from the liquor ~
traffic and whereas we believe tliis protec- =
ton should be lodged, by law, In tie hands Oh
of the sovereign People themselves And &C
believing that the blending of the question o,
of Temperance with p~artizan squabbles, and 4
by bringing it so as to interfere with the "
party affiliations of independent voters, has P
had an effect to prejudice and embarrass our CT
cause And with a desire to disengage it b
from all e%ntangling alliances and political is .
sues, so that it may stand upon its intrinsic
merits, and appeal, by its own recommended y
tlons, to the countenance and support of all t
good citizens of the State, of every party. n
Therefore, :
RESOLVED, as the sense of this Grand Divi- (,
sion, that we simply ask of candidates for the I
Legislature who may desire our votes, that t
they will consent to vote, if elected, for the t
passage of a law by which our present Ii
cense law may be so changed as to provide
that intoxicating drinks shall not be sold in
the State, in any quantities, except under IL
cense obtained; And further providing, that
the question of Traffic or "No Traffic."
be submitted, annually, to the voters in each
Common School District in the State in
those Districts in which a majority vote "No
Traffic." no sales of intoxicating drinks to be
allowed by law, an anytquuntttikS except for
medicinal, mechanical or sacramental pur-
poses, to be provided for by law And in
those Districts in which a majority vote
Traffic" the same to be lsgalized. under
license, with such regulations, restrictions
and discretionary powers, as the Legislature
may see fit to provide.
The above is the Preamble and Resolution
adopted at the last annual session Of the
Grand Division, Sons of Temperance, of this
State, and embraces the policy recommended
to be pursued by the friends oflthe Temper
ance Reform, touching the present campaign
for the election of candidates fol the Legisla-
ture.
The undersigned were appointed a Com
mittee, to prepare an Address, to the Voters
of North Carolina, setting forth the princi-
pies contained in the above declaration, and
submitting its fair and liberal propositions to
every man-candidate and voter.
In discharging this duty, it is not necessa-
ry that we enter into an elaborate argument
to sustain the self evident proposition with
which the Preamble sets out, to wit: +" that
the laws of the land should provide for the
protection of the citizens from the evils arts
ing from the liquor traf6c" for the fact tina
the laws of the land" attempt to regulate
this traffic, is sufficient argument to prov
that the same power is vested with authorit.
to control it, even to entire abrogation.
We presume, also, that none will galnsa,
the second proposition Of the Preamble, tina
] & 4I:. u~n4oo4;oo chou!d 1otloAra6 NV Low
e in the hands of the sovereign people then
selves" All power being delegated to an
i derived from the People, there can be no oil
lection that this question, in which ever
man in the State is interested, should be lie
u entirely to the control of the popular will.
The third suggestion of the Preamble
the expression of an opinion as to the delet
n rious influence exerted by bringing this que
to disengage it from all entangllng allianc
and political issues, so thatit may stand u
on its own Intrinsic merits, and appeal by i
h own recommendations tothe countenance al
$. support of all good citizens of the State,
OF every party" In taking this position, '
are only carrying out the recommendation
o. LlOS6 lFlCuUS, WIN tllOuSu NV " uo' PAoAC
ur to be auHh us, in this movement and also
= politicians generally, to 'lsep this questi
ty out of politics." This poHey being, the
he sanctioned and approved by them, we are
lieved the necessity of arguing the point
ny being conceded already as wise and prop
we These points, then, beingthus easily a
zee satisfactorily adjusted, we are brought
We rectly to the consideration of the main Pre-
Ter %osition, namely the submitting of the gu
OF ton to the disposal of the people, in So
such manner as that expressed in the reso
a., ton above. It is proposedisherefore, to
cunuiiuotv1 fv. tho I4S5ishtdfes 20 agree
= vote for the passage Of a law, BY which
freemen in each District shall determi
whether the traffic shall exist, or be abolish
III in their respective communities. Ifamai
'"0 ity are in favor Of its continuance, then
the will of the majority be carried out
90 the continuance of the traffic, under $,
Is regulations as the Legislature may determi
= If a majority are opposed to the traffic
their respective communities, in that evt
it is to be prohibited.
These are the propositions submitted
They are too plain and simple, to ADM
any misconstruction, or to- require any e1
sition at our hands. It therefore only
on
D mains for US to appeal to 81 republican
help us carry them out, based as they
- upon the principal feature of our gov,
ment, which declares that The voice of a
- jority of the people, EXPRESSED through
ballot box, shall determinp ali matter
governmental policy. We take it tina
one can object to SO fair and just a mar
n of disposing of this question, so vital to
peace of society, and the welfare of our r
1t is therefore unnecessary to expend a
ment or reasoning upon it.
And surely no Candidate can refus'
-, vote for the passage of an act Of that k
to let the People themselves determine, VIII
er he himself be favorable to one side OF
other. It is a question in which the fri
g OF the traffic are interested, as we'll as t
:. opposed to it-and a member casting
vote for the adoption of such a law, ma
so without at all committing himself to
measure for or against. He is not, there
called upon to identify himself with the 9
ton, one way or the other-we do not
him to avow himself a temperance, or
temperance man-all we ask of him
-