Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-08-25
ORIGINAL PAPERS.
For the Spirit of the Age
The nscassity Of Legislating upon the
Liquor question
by BOB.


Liquor question
by BOB.
The rule given in mental philosophy for
the investigation of prolix and difficult
subject, is to search out, first of all, the
general principle which underles all the in
ferior, dependent subjects, and which serves
as a basis for them. There are teeming
truth, rich in store, with which they furn-
ish tie mind, and, like the light Of heaven,
arc not only beautiful and entertaining in
themselves, but give light and evidence to
other things, that without them could not
be seen or known. Such is that admirable I
discovery OF Newton, that all persons gray
itate to one centre, which may be counted
the basis Of natural philosophy.
"That we should love our neighbor as
ourselves" is a fundamental truth, lying at
the foundation of all social intercourse
and, by which, all doubtful cases in social
morality may be easily determined.
Every subject of thought, contains one
or more Of these and that which lies at
the foundation, is the basis of all true ar
gumentation upon that subject
ton, either human or divine, seems to be,
The suppression Of Oice and the promotion
Of Ujrtue involving another of wider ex-
tension, which is not really subject ofleg-
islation-THe dePrdUity Of moral nature.
All moral or civil law, in relation to our
race, is founded upon this fact
We cannot, therefore, legisate directly
against moral depravity, for that is state
and not an act but we can and must leg
isate against its effects.
We cannot, constitutonally, make law
that will look men fall in the face and say,
"You shall not distill Whiskey and Bran
dy;" but we can make them amenable to
society for the effects Of these poisons upon
our race. The fact is, we can enact no
law that can keep men from doing wrong;
but we can have penal exactions that will
punish them for the wrong. What law
can withhold the hand of the assassin who
takes the life of his fellow! But there is
one that will hang him for the God-defying
act.
Now, it the Constitution Of any State
prohibits tue enactment Of any specific law
which tends to the suppression of vice il
any Of its forms and to the promotion o
virtue, provided that law, when fully car
ricd out, does not involve the destruction
ofthc true interests of the society generally
that constitution is inadmissible, as it coun
tcracts the true designs Of law-making.-
We presume, however, that no clause of tn,
constitution OF the General Government, o
Of N. @. in particular can be so explained
or understood
As these things are so and the remov
al Of eoH aud tho promotion of good bein!
the true designs of legislation; and, as TIL
making, and selling, and using of alcohol
drinks are most productive Of the forme
and destructive of the latter | ask, in tn
name of suffering humanity, "Why not en-
act some law that shall suppress this ac
cursed traffic"
We may blame our legislators but
ask, arc not We, tue constituency, most a
fault! We send up men to the Legislature
who, we know, are reckless and shave nc
the fear Of God before their eyes :" and W
stand responsible to pos Gritty and to Go
for the results.
Orr annals, nationally, exhibit dept
il deprayity, especially in the political an
judicial departments of our governmen
that can scarcely find its parallel upon IL
pages Of sacred or profane history. In Il
civil codes that issue biennialy from O
legislative councils, how many Of the mo
demoralizing acts of human society, are Il
without "Provident 7" That body viii,
convenes under the character of the "Han
maid Of Religion" whose sole busine
should &c to aid, through the instrumc
tally of legal suasion, in the great wo
of christianizing the world, is frequent
found dressed in the garb Of hypocrisy, a
wouuding the Goddess in the house of h
friends.
The golden bow that once encircled t
brow OF the Goddess Of liberty, and viii
sent forth the rays of hope that spark
upon the zenith of American glory. |
become taruished by foul corruption; a
the "stars and the stripes" the objects
American boast, may yet be trailed in
dust at the heels Of conquering foe.
putrid breath of more than three hund
thousand drankards, pollute the pure
mosphere of the American people
here, in the good old chivalrous Stat,
N. g., ten thousand men daily leave
society Of their fellows, and brutalize tn
selvesinpar excellence with the long-sn,
ed grunter Of the sty. The grey ha
Sire, the aged Matron, andhelpless infa
are equally the objects Of the rum-cu
and yet, we can have no law for our
tectionl
The true Minister of Christ's gospel,
ses his voice in trumpet tones against
maddening curse. The God-fearing
sician, as be bends over the couch oi