Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-01-06
For the Spirit Of the Age.


Mr.. EDITOR There is one feature in the
sin of intemperance, or rather in the practice
that leads to IL, that have long thought is
too little noticed by men who write, or men
who make public addresses on the subject Of
temperance. Iallude to the practice of mod
crate drinking, as it is called. / do not be-
Ieve there Is any position more capable of
being proved, than that the moderate drink
ing OF ardent spirits is the pro life source, and
procuring cause of a large proportion of the
mischief that results from the use ofalcoholic
liquors. There are other causes it is true,
but they are rather secondary causes, or the
result of secondary causes. Having stated
my position, THAT moderate drinking is both
the procuring, and exciting cause of intern
perance in a large majority of instances,) |
Will now endeavor to substantiate, that my
position is founded on facts which cannot
well, or successfully be controverted. Ny
first argument is, that all men who drink at
all, commence drinking moderately, and that
all drunkards were once moderate drinkers,
but by the continued use of intoxicating IL
quors, the habit of drinking is formed, and a
thirst created, which seemed to demand, or
require an increased quantity, until ~atlength,
so large a portion is required, as to produce
lntoxlcation. 1t will not be denied that this
is the uniform tendency of the practice or
habit OF using intoxicating liquors, and al
though some men may, use ardent spirits a
long time without becoming d~runkards, yet
such cases are only exceptions to thefgeneral =
1rnle; Another aEsa1 Bs me example Of mode
rate drinkers, to endeavor to copy their ex-
ample, believing that they can use ardent
spirits safely, seeing other men have done so,
but who find by bitter experience that they
could not, or did not, exercise that selfcon-
1 troll n 0OI7l1 not ~, 49, 60 o.a- ~ooual
courage to restrain their thirst for strong
drink, that they lattered themselves in the
outset, they could easily do.
Again. believe that the moderate drink
ers OF the land, do more by the practice of
moderate drinking, to encourage, to sustain,
and perpetuate lntemperance, than all other
causes combined, or than the drunkards them-s
| selves do. Now this may appear at first.
view, to be a hard saying, or may be thought.
D extravagant, or even false, by some, but / will
. now endeavorto state the grounds upon which
o L base the charge, and the reasons to sustain
1t. Does any sane man believe the manu-
: tacturers OF ardent spirits would make the
article, or would men pay for a licence to re-
tail 1t, II none but drunken sots were the on
S ly consumers? Have drunkards as a class of
d men, the means to procure, and pay for, the
a thousandth gallon that is made and consumed?
| think very little reflection will enable wise
men to answer these questions in the negative.
Again, if moderate drinkers would cease to
1 drink at all, would not all the drunkards in
III our country soon die off, and then the 'prac-
tice of drinking 'the accursed thing would
necessarily cease.
Again, is it not natural for children to be-
n lieve that what their Parents do is right, and
: if the Father INDUCES in a social glass, and
= advocates the practice to his sons, is it any
- wonder that his sons think it right and safe
to do so too, and is it not but too true, that
IN thousands of the sons of moderate drinkers
become ~drunkards, and go down to a drunk
lis ards grave and consequently to a drunkard1s
ne Hell? Arguments to almost an indefinite
of extent might be multiplied to prove the po-
sition | have assumed but | deem it unne-
cessary to pursue the subject further at pres
III ent, hoping that "a word to the wise is suf-
hclent. | will now close this article by ma
re- king a solemn appeal to all moderate drink
. orafo drrtyur n n1ntr
'at to 49, ILHlih1er, you are of course not q 49,
ITO the nraotion ana consequently could give mn
is HslaKsag Mlt1eqs makiRRgllanx
stumbling block to others, are Won not will.
is ing TO De SO no longer, and by setting an ex-
ample OF total abstinence, endeayor to dis
ed suade the rising generation of young men from
k pursuing a course, or engaging in a practice,
e- 'n"U may terminate IN their temporal, and
cIuLndi rum Let memo appeal both to
- fathers and mothers in reference to this mat
- Ter. You have sons Or daughters. or both
y You are in a highly responsible p~osition
ne You are the natural guardian Of your chill.
e, uren' God has given them to YOU. that Won
may traln them up for Him, and it is your
III oounden and imperative duty to set before
" thema Godly example, and instiIl correct and
sanitary principles into their minds, and to
l 10 all IN your power to make them useful
u members of society. Now is there not great
I'll danger that your sons be led astray, by wild,
&c olssipated young men You are obliged to
answer this question in the affirmative. Well.
II. HhaC IS your duty in this case? answer
IN nlst, lmplore the blessing of God to rest mon
Is S1enl, alo LOT restraining grace, that they may
NC preserved rom the SHARES of an uneodly
world. Well, as intemperance is one of the
ry most common, as well as the moot r,,;no,,o
ne evils with which they are threatened is + not
your duty to endeavor to impress their minds
re win a deep, and thorough conviction that
is Ihey ought to shun the company of drinking
young men, as they would the pestilence. or
any otner dreadful or fatal disease And
your oeloved daughters-they too are in dan
~ ger from the intoxicating cup not that thew
III VIII become ~drunkards, but that tbev gaa1
become the wives of drunken husbands and
thereoy be doomed to suffer all that moor bn-
man nature can suffer ''in this vale Of tears y
ar /" nat Father or Mother, if when their tender.
le beautiful lovely and intelligent daughters are
y [lSl !g up before them into womanhood, could
oeieve, OF We're assured, that they would be
not only the wives, but the slaves of CON
ID drunken, british, scottish, fend in bnman
J /; shape, would they not rather see them emf
b down IN youth, and C ommitted to the silent
Tomb l have now made my appeal. and
! leave the subject for the reflection of all whom
= it may concern. a SON
II For the Spirit of the Age.
l BRO: GoRhAN:-Very recently it was nv