Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-07-07
For the Spirit of the Age.
Would it be right to stop the Liquor
traffic.


traffic.
When we look abroad over our country
and behold the ravages of intemperance,
we are really to exclaim that swords are
yaip, eloqJ Zee is too feeble, to express the
frors 2 4 misefiss it -eftaiis upon mans
Kind" R5ok where we will, from the
northern hliffs of Maine to the most south
ern sea from the broad Atlantic on the
East to the Pacific on the West, and we
find that King Alcohol has swept over our
country like mighty tornado, crushing
hundreds and thousands of our fellow be-
ings into the lowest degradation. Not
only has every State been cursed with this
evil, but every county, city, town, village
and neighborhood, has been visited by it.
Scarcely family has escaped. Kind rea-
der, reflect for a moment; can you not
call 10 your memory some dear friend that
has been taken Fl ON your midst; some one
that you loved some one that you asso-
ciated with around the social fire-side; per-
haps some one that was near and dear to
you by the ties of nature. Where is the
individual that has not been affected by
this evil 7! Even the innocent and helpless
babe, that lies within the folded arms of its
afectionate and tender mother, has been
deprived of the property it would have pos
sessed, had it not been for this evil.
Is there no remedy? "Is there no balm
in Gilead is there no Physician there 2"
1t is true that moral suasion has done much h:
the church has had good infuence-but
this evil still exists; the curse still hangs
over US. We believe that prohibition is
the only remedy that will Danish this curse
from among us. When we talk OF pro-
hibitory law, our politicians and dram
drinkers tell us that we wish to deprive
them of their liberty, for which "Washing-
ton fought and freedom died" Let us ex-
anime this word liberty: We will define it
thus-natural liberty and civil liberty ::
Natural liberty is that liberty which will
allow each and every one to do, to say, to
act as they please under any and every cir
cumstance whatever. Allow us to make
Is practiong Physician, ne nas alf sssyor -
ment of drugs. Mr.. M. is mechanic, he
has a supply of tools. Esq. B. has mer-
chant Mill that is quite profitable. Capt.
E. is a successful Farmer. Naturally, those
drugs and tools, that mill and farm belong
to you or me, as they do to the proper
owners; but our our civil law interferes and
protects these gentlemen and the property
is held by the legal owners. Civil liberty
is that liberty which is allowed by the civil
law of our land We contend that our lib,
erty has been abridged by every Act that
has been passed since the formation of the
Constitution of North Carolina. Why die
our Colonies rebel against the government
, of our Mother Country? Was it not be
cause of unjust taxation imposed upon US
| appeal to the yeomanry Of our country
, you who toll through sunshine and through
| storm; you who labor through the broil
ing heat of summer and cold blasting wind
? of winter, are you not imposed upon b,
r unjust taxation caused by the liquor traffic
= You are taxed to support the paupers tina
/ fill your poor houses, the criminals tina
: crowd your jails, and great many lay
s suits that originate from this evil. We ap
j peal to the farmers of our country, arc yo
e not aware that your corn is taken fror
r your cribs, your wheat from the garner
e the fowls that your dear wife has taken S
+ much care to raise, by your own slaves, an
n your neighbor's slaves; your property
conveyed to that patriotic grog seller thu
IS is retailing within the bounds of your neigl
: borhood, and who is so very jealous th'
Y your liberty will be abridged, and his rigl
i, and liberty to trade for stolen goods, |
/, despotically taken away from him. We
e, may we exclaim, "Oh Liberty, how mar
s, evils are committed in thy name"
,fI Chatham CO., N. G. JUSTICE.