Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-02-20
"a Servant unto Tribute"

"IssACHARis a strong ass, crouching down between
two burthens: And he saw that rest was good, and
the land that it was pleasant and he bowed his
shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto
tribute
AS q nation-as a segment of the great
circle of Humanity, we are bound "unto
tribute" We boast of our blood-bought Lib
erty-ofour model Republic-of our privileges
above other nations-these form the staple of
all our Fourth of July orators and national
ballads; yet, boast as we may, the fact stares
US in the face, that we are "a servant unto
tribute" If we fain would forget it, and re
member the humiliating truth no more, VIC
are annually brought to our wits by q polite
''pay what thou owest' to the Commonwealth.
This tribute" is laid by a reigning Au-
~tocrat in our glorious Republic-start not,
patriotic reader there is an Autocrat sway
ing a sceptre over fair Columbia, sterner far
than that beneath which i'll fated Russia
grows and bleeds.
We mean the Autocrat Rum-he who sits
enthroned in the grogshops of the land, and
before whose presence the smoke of ten
thousand distilleries send up an unholy in
ccnsc darkening homes and heaven. He,
before whose sceptre strong men fall, and
the feeble are crushed. lie, whose brazen
feet markes out pathways of desolation, and
whose iron hand deals blows of thunder.
He, who feeds the murderer's soul with a
fire that naught but blood can quench, and
drives gaunt famine forth reeling in rags.
He, who breaks the dearest idols of home,
and sewers the hottest ties of nature. lie,
who crowds asylums with paupers, and
kindles a holocaust of human victims in every
vale where human shadow has fallen. IL
this tyrant we yield an annual tribute"
How? As quietly as the creeping of
shadow Ger the hills at even. Certain one
among the people have all along regarded
rum land by that we include all i~ntoxicatin;
liquors) as a blessed angel of comfort-on'
that could. by the magic Of its nature, dispe
all the dark clouds when storms Of tris
sweep the mental sky. By their influence
has been warmed in the public bosom unit
adder like, it has turned and stung it's bens
factor. In this way it has become the pee
pies rum, fostered by the peoples law.
What are the consequences? Iardtio,
A man drinks the peoples rum, squandsr
his property, beggars his family, dies, hi
paupers become a public charge and the pee
pie pay the costs. Another drinks, injure
himself physically, becomes helpless for lii
; and the people generously sustain him.
: Another, crazed by the peoples rum, apple
: the brand to a thriving city, riches are lai
in waste and the people quietly suffer Ii
> outrage, or if the wretch is caught, he
> tried, condemned, executed, and the Peep.
cash up the cost. Another, maddened h
. the peoples rum, stands up with the glitte
Q ing blade, plunges it in the vitals of a citizel
is tried and hung, and the people foot IL
g bill without a murmur. Thus, from year
z year, in dsfraying court trials for drunk,
i ARRAYS; in supporting an army Of pauper.
in hangings; in groanings; in sighings;
weepings and in a thousand ways we a
:. paying tribute. Like the dumb brute, v
: receive the CALLING burthen without a mu
; muir. If we could reach the ear Of eve,
American we would cry out: Hos lang p
y Oh, how long will We " bow the shoulder
bear, and become aseryant unto tribute 2"