Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-03-30
of tbe gag.
NO. 81.

You think the matter might be reguIa-
ted. What has been the history of It's reg
ulations? Not more than two hundred
years, the sale of intoxicating liquors has
been regulated by law Need we point Won
to the result? The history of the traffic
is sufficient answer.
Regulate wrong The ide4 is rot
more absurd than infamous Il is a foul
compromise with iniqnity--a yoking of
sain. and devil-a compound of heaven
and hell-an Internal adulteration which
lifts up and legalizes wrong and pulls down
the right draping of the three-mouthed
dog of the pit in the habiiments of a
guardian angel, to stand and smile at the
door-sills of the pits of earth. The prin-
ciple would associate the areh-fend with
Deity on the throne of heaven, and min
gle the walls of the lost with the praises of
the redeemed. 1t would unite the worlds
of bliss and woe, and place angels on a
footing with devils Does God, sir, in his
government, recognize such principle 2
Do his laws regulate theft, swearing, per-
jury, murder, &C.! Do his retributions
slumber when so-called respectable men
trample upon his laws? Do his penalties
fall without modification upon the most
abandoned, while sinners of "good moral
character enter in and dwell at his right
hand Does he strike hand with iniqu-
ty! Can those who have wealth, and pow
er, and respcctability, transgress his COM
mandments and 60 unpunishcd Where,
in any civilized government now existing
on earth, is this principle made the basis
of legislation, save in the legalization of
the rum traffic. Supposing, sir. that the
Legislature should lcgalize the crimes
which are now punishable with death for
the purpose of restraining theml That
they should empower selection of good
moral men to pcrpetrate those crimes, so
as to have Interpretation legal, moral and
respectable That men should be selec-
ted to rob, to steal, to gamble, to counter
felt, to commit forgery, TO burn buildings,
to murder? The most common intelligence
would revolt at the damning wickedness.
and treat such Legislators as madmen or
knaves
Yet the license system Is creature of
legal enactment, and stands before the
world this day as the great fountaiR-head
ofneGrly all the crimes aChick endunqer Me
peace and bLdcken the character of Soc;efy.
Men are selected to engage in this traffic,
and the government sells the accurscd
Indulgence" If but good moral character
is endorsed BY the Excise Commissioncr,
the seller becomes State officer-a legal
instrumcnt-a servant of the people, en-
powered to nerve the villains arm which
carries the torch or lifts the knife to burn
and destroy. lie scattcrs fire brands and
and death througout the whole land, blighis
hopes bright as bliss, destroys happiness
the holiest and purest, and sweeps on like
an avsnging storm, until all that is pure in
childhood, noble in manhood, or venerable
in old age, is withered and crushed to earth.
Life, happiness, and hope; virtue, love, and
truth, are alike blasted, by these men selec-
ted by the State, and protected by its laws
And all this to restrain and regulate the
traffic! The policy is wrong in motive,
impolitic in principle, atrocious in its exc
cution, and most cruel in its consequences
1t is principle so damnabls in its concep.
tion and character, and so sweeping and
rsmorselcss in its destruction Of human
happiness and life, that it may well Grim
son the check of an American freeman
with deepest shame. Regulation and Ie
straint! AND so if a man has disposition
to cut out throat or plumber our pocket,
instead of having laws or penalties to pro
tect us from the desperate, he must be re
strained by being empowered to carry ou
his purpose in alegal way, provided alway
that such man can get certificate 0
good moral character, and will pay tn,
J government for the right to rob and xii
US! Look at the Infamous and "nnhol
alliance" against the rights and interest Q
society-thc copartncrship in the work 9
Generalization and death. The govern
5 ment is particeps criminis in these crime
/ 1t licenses instruments to make felons an
D murderers, that its civil officers may i'm
D prison and hsng them! The people are a.
: cesseries to this glaring abomination.-
$ How does it look sir, in the light of "a Chri:
J. tian and progressive agel Is there any
S thing in the history of the world more IN
/ pardonably, more inexcusably wicked!