Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-09-01
Public Morals

We verify believe that the public morals Of
dition as at present. Almost every State pa
per we peruse, contains the recital Of deeds
of enormity and wickednesS, hitherto un-
known among us, and rivaIing the darkest
scenes perpetrated at the ..Five Points" in
New York. Murders the most daring and
cold-blooded-father killing the son and the
son the father-husband killing wife and wife
poisoning husband apes, debaucheries, and
every species of crime and obscenity, are be.
coming almost Of daily occurrence. Good
CITIZENS look on hOrror-stricken and appalled,,
at the torrent Of sin and pollution delucinr
the iapd- And all unite in saying, that the
great moving cause is the use Of intoxicating
drinks! But still nothing is done. Men
! look on with CONSERVATION, but move not a
! finger to abate the Threatening evil.
But SO f~earfully is the evil accumulatinu-
so bold and daring is it becoming. that the
public Press can restrain its voice no longer.
: Nearly every paper in the State has spoken
in the strongest terms of condemnation
against the drunkenness and crime that pre-
vailed during the recent political campaign =
most of it occasioned by candidates treat
ing with intoxicating drinks. And we veri.
: ly believe public sentiment is becoming pre-
pared for some reformatory measures by
which a stop may be put to such disgraceful
scenes. Let the friends of Temperance seize
!" upon the suspicious time to press our memo
rails before the people, and let US see if a be-
.e ginning. at least, cannot be made, towards ar
! resting the downward course of the morals Of
% our people.
= As a sample of the state of morals in some
or sections, we give the following from the Sal
isbury Banner. 1t is a dark picture, drawn
:. by a vivid pencil-but the artist is painting
IL a scene daily before his eyes, and as a true
~ conservator of the public peace and morals,
speaks out boldly and fearlessly. o! for q
few more such men at the head of the Press.
Hear what the Banner says:
~, SALIsBURY.-In buildings-in the improy
'rd ing condition of the streets-in the enterprise
an of our merchants mechanical skill and in
,ds dustry-in hotel management-in the cult
walton of musical taste-in a heightened mill
eht tary spirit-in the exalted character of oul
be. clergymen-in a refine social intercourse
of which appears to be spreading among IN
worthy-in Rail Road facilities-and in man
- other respects, Salisbury seems to be pro
Ihe crossing; but alas so strongly have vice
cry immortality. and braZen faced obScenity fort
ird fed themselves in certain localities-in som
ors instances communicating the very atmospher
which surrounds respectable families-tb;
me virtue, purity, and piety, with all their after
lch dant graces, are in great danger of bein
rye swallowed up and destroyed by the owe
whelming avalanche of wi~ckedness, sin. an
:, d~ebauchery which seems every where to DR.
the vail. Can nothing he done 70 s,renathan ~
WIS arm of the law and bring its assistance to II
aid of virtue in her struggle for life in ii
town Of Salisbury? Can nothing legally
done to arrest or turn aside the appailiu
oal, stream of drunken debauchery and lewednei
her which are pOlluting the very atmosphe
lese which we breathe Must we sit still and S,
our children dragged to perdition in this vo
tex of inevitable ruin ? , Never
Parents, awake !-arouse Unite your e
i III ergies-call legal means to your aid: bu
orth law or no law, slumber not in peace, until "
a is. shall have devised some means to suppre
public drunkenness, and drive sbameIe
lewdness back into its secret hiding places.
Every observer knows thata modest femal
rio! though attended by a parent, cannot pass o
ding streets without seeing sights shocking to h
me- purify and at our most public corners no,
ly exhibitions of drunken debauchery are d
scented to our sons, and schemes are LAID wi
merry such tempting skill, as to render it almost
can possible for them TO escape pollution. A
skill we to submit to it? Must we give up in
u, spair, and let Salisbury become a bye-wo
~ and a reproach in the land ? We appeal Fl
to the legal authority and, then, if that
REV unable TO protect the public morals, we sh
And appeal 10 the hearts OF all Sit not quiei
down and see all you hold dear swept aW
" to p%erdition upon this foul food of public
in bauchery.
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