Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-11-24

fscts of mischief, and cannot make assaults
upon the cause, then We have mistaken
the character and objects Of our reform,
aad when convinced of this, are ready 10
throw away our weapons and retire from
the field.
The advocacy of prohibitory law in
North Carolina has not produced "A crush.
ing, wasting reaction" This reaction must
be attributed to other causes. Their ef
forts have been fitful, momentary and divi-
ded, not steady, protracted, persistent uni-
ted. Political ties have been too strong.
party politics have absorbed the attention
OF temperance men as web ~ their oppo-
nents. Office seekers have deluded them
with the cry of fearful crises in public sf-
falrs, and one political SIMEON after anoth-
er sweeps BY, scattering onf forces, giving
scarcely time between the successive gales
to rally the broken bands.
We agree with the writer when he says
the temperance cause must triumph But
if ne snpposes that this triumph will be
achieved without the entire and uncoadi-
tional prohibition Of the traffic, either he
will find himself mistaken, or we entirely
misapprehend the principles upon which q
reform is based
1t is very probable that the public senti-
ment of North Carolina is not sufficiently
enlightened to demand the immediate en-
actment of a prohibitery law, or to sustain
snch law, fput upon the statute book
The friends Of the measure have not suffi-
ciently agitated the subject, nor pressed
upon the popular msnd the great truths
embedded IN IL IF aav 5funder has been
committed, it has been in backing down
from the high and impregnable ground
taken; in yielding to, the SCOTS, jecrs and
ridicule of the opposition. Have the friends
of prohibition ever been vanquished by ar
gument! Have the able letters of "PiekIe
Rod'ever been answered When, where,
how, has prohibition been shown to be
false in principle, or intrins;eal4y unsound I
We have challenged statesmen, lawyers
and Judges, to demonstrate the absurdity
of prohibition in theory or in practice
They have declined this chsllange- Ts
the manly and earnest discussions of The
subject the enemy can neither be coaxed
nor driven.
In no sense are we willing to admit that
/ the advocacy of prohibiticn in North
Carolina as Ausder Was it premature ?
When would the people be more ready to
receive the truth Would you revise and
patch up the license system, and experience
few more failures in attempting to make
the traffic respectable, before you strike
for the only true and philosophical remedv
for this grieyous wrong?
Every movement We make which stops
short of prohibition will be bIunder.-
We would not be misunderstood. We are
earnest advocates for the pledge for ten.
perance societies, for any and ali mean.
which can be devised or employed to in.
duce the drunkard to reform, the moderate
drinker to escape from the threatening dan.
j ger, and the total abstainer to stand firm
Let every appliance be used to securetAess
ends. To stop here, however, is TO lesvs
the river of death as broad, deep, and
dangerous as ever. The old North State
furnishes fine illustration of the idea We
would evolve 4 powerful and intelligent
effort has been made for long time to in.
, duce the people to quit drinking. Foa
nine years the Spirit of the Age, a mos
excellent papar, under the management O
, the indonitable German, has been widel,
circulated every week, and read With in
tsrest by more than ten thousand people
the Order Of the Sons has been strong
private and public efforts have been hume
{ rous,-yet to-day the whisky power ruls
the State. At the late election, no les
, than dozen murders were committed
5 debauchery, drunkenness, violence, anC
} bloodshed abounded. Whyi The houo
: traffic was legalized and protected. Peli
ticians left meaey vita these agents Of tn
4 law with instructions to ply the sovereign
: with their poisoned liquor.
J. Four-6fths Of the people see and de
: neunce this custom of buying votes wit
: whisKey, yet the one-ffth perpetrate th
custom, and bring disgrace upon the Stat,
: We have been in al sections Of Mort
t Carolina, and can testify to the sebriss
c and intelligence of the great majority {
). the citizens. Yet the whiskey powe
n backed up BY the strong arm Of the Law
e and sustained by vile brood Of politician
+ makes that good land a land Of blood. L.
that fonr-Sfths be iDdOctrinated into th
IT principles Of prohibition until their PAL
J. pose is fixed to be rid of grog shops,
D. whatever cost to politicians or parties, an
ic then We shall know where the 6Lnnder W;
d in the past years Of toll.
I'll ~
i TRUE Eo9uence is d
:. child of knowledge When mind is ful
v like wholesome river, il is also clear
~ Confusion and obscurity are much oftens
{. the results Of ignorance than Of ineficicr
n cy. Few are the men who cannot expire.
). ; their meaning, when the occasion demand
n the energy; as the lowest will defendth the
% lives with acuteness, and sometimes eve
with eloquence. They are masters Of the
h. subject. knowledge must be gained b
or ourselves. Mankind may supply US wit
Of facts; but the results, even ifthsy agrs