Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-09-28
Criminal 4apers.
For the Shirt Of the Age.

For the Spirit OF the Age.
"wino is n mocksr, strong drink is raging and
whosoeyer is deceived thereby is not wise."
Mr.. EDITOR when King Solomon ut
tered or wrote the foregoing sentiments,
the distilation of Alcohol from fermented
liquors was unknown; though he had
doubtless seen many veri6cations of the
truth of his assertions; for there were
drunkards in the days of the wise man !;
and it is reasonable to suppose that they
gulped down large potations of strong drink,
which set them in rage in manner SINH
lar to that Of our modern inebriates in
their drunken reves. Parents may teach
their children, by prccept and example, to
abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors;
and impress upon their youthful minds,
that intemperance is the cause of much hu-
man misery but if grogshops are tolerated
in their vicinity, there is great danger, that
their sons will be enticed into these haunts
of iniquity, and induced to partake of the
sparkling beverage. And once they set
aside all their scruples Of conscience, and
disregard parental authority, to taste lit
tie wine, it may be the beginning of a
habit that will blast all their anticipated en-
ioyments of honor and fame, which they
so ardently covet, and sink them into the
lowest depths of infamy. Verify, swine is
amockcr." 1t blights the happiness of do
tingparents breaks their peace--bereaves
them of their offcring-makes their hearts
desolate, and "brings down their gray hairs
with sorrow to the grave" ...
We have seen many demonstrations of
the fact, that when a man frequents grog-
shops, where the fiery liquid is dealt out
to the infatuated dupcs Of subtle enemy,
that he is soon encircled in the whirlpool
contemporaries. The miserable man then
becomes brawler /; a disturber of the peace;
worthless citizen; and loathsome vaga-
bond. And should any woman be so un-
fortunate as to have linked her destiny
with him in the bonds of matrimony, she
finds to her sorrow that the Rum GoD has
the power Of sundering the ties Of conjugal
endearments, and Transforming an atfec-
tomato husband into AN unfeeling monster,
who, in his rags, shamefully maltreats her.
giving her kicks and cuffs, instead of ca
Tesses. The drunkard is not mere indo-
lent drone IN the hive of creation; he is q
pest to good order in society, and heavy
tax to government. When he is under the
influence Of Alcohol, he is guilty of many
drefui deeds, and seems to be possessed
of q fend within, that rouses his wickec
passions and transports him into a raging
fury instigating him to commit many
enornities and heinous crimes. Andwher
he is legally arrested for the outrages per
petrated against the dignity of the law, he
is perhaps committed to prison to await
his trial, which, if it result in his conviction
he may be sentenced, by the court, to i'm.
prisonment for a considerable length o
time; and the cost of the whole proceed
ing must be paid out Of the public treasury,
if the criminal is unable to pay it.
May it not be asked to whom does the
money in this treasury belongs Does il
not belong to the peOple-the Taxpayers
who tolerate anil legalize the liquor traf
fic, that enrages man against his fellow man
and incites him to pcrpetrate many terri
bic crimesl Yea, it is even soI This i
no fancy sketch, it is true picture; anC
it looks little like paying too much fo
the whistle or devisiug means to reduc
the plethoric purses Of taxpayers to
wholesome state.
II all the money that has been expende
for the last half century, in prosecuting an
defending criminal suits in the "Old Mort
State" caused by intemperance, had bee
set apart for educational purposes, the Ii
erary fund would have been augmented I
an extent that would greatly facilitate th
prosperity Of the Common Schools; ye
It would keep them in operation the yes
through, dispensing blessings 20 all. tbi
would avail themselves of the advantag
to be attained in these institutions of lear
ing. The drunkard not only reduces bin
self TO poverty, and causes his family
suffer want but his career of crime is,
rectIy and indirectly, a tax necessarily ir
posed upon honest and confding citizer
to uphold and vindicate the authority
the law, and bring guilty culprits to justic
vet, many Williams that deserve haltC
90 unpunished. Drunkenness also tar
the people, to mitigate the misery and 81
fering it causes for all well regulated col
munities make provision for their pauper
and by far the greater part Of this class
persons, are, directly or indirectly, reduce
to want by indulging to excess in drinkil
intoxicating liquors.
Is it not strange, that 80 many perso
are opposed to the temperance reformatic
and that they support the burdens that
temperance imposes upon them, witho
any special complaining; whilst they lou
ly declaim against high taxcsa The fact
some of them court popularity, rather tn
usefulncss and they will suffer any scher
to anguish, when the tide Of popular op