Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-04-20
The Trade Of the 18tiller.

at common law IA n~ulsafGA%or W
ioes not place then under f1sse ban of public H
may be pursued wit tout pam hent p
from the Ia or pubic senthhesl, how h
ever much community may SD Rg fro I'll
Hence it has come to be taken for So n
that whatever isHawful OF whatever4s not b
condemned by t~hdpopular voice, is rigat, and C
may be pursued With IMMUNITY. n
It is to be regretted that it is not 500 HUI !
man laws are necessarily defective, not only S
because of the I'M Reflections of theasw-ma- G
kers, but because Of the corruption apd de- ]
prayity which pervades society. Were .hu- I
man society sound N its principles and prac-
tice, human laws would soon demand a purer
and higher standard i excellence among man.
kind; so potent is pablic opinion for evil, in
all states and conditions of society.
No vocation in an country, is more DANA
ging to society, thu he business of distilling
spirituous liquoH |one whose evil inffu
ence is more dan ~1Drrupting to man.
kind. And ~ who orsSaz.6rst
positions il Eocisy Sc pursued It, from
youth to old age Mfaa view of the ruinous
consequences upon their own families and
their fellow-men, at no risk of damage from
public sentiment. In many instances they
have made money, by the occupation, at the
ruin of thousands, and hence, they have been
esteemed as worthy citizens.
But how stands the case in the court of
conscience? Those who have pursued it for
a term of years, may have succeeded in hush
ing the clamors of conscience but ever and
anon, the guilt incurred by the murder of so
many victims, must rise UP as a fierce accu-
ser, to harrow up the feelings and terribly
lash them, as a prelude of that overwhelming
calamity which must oyertake them, when
God shall denounce upon them the punish
ment due to so heinous an offence.
Time was, when the manufacture of alco-
holic drinks may have been looked upon as
involving but slight moral consequences =
when men might pursue it blindly and with
out conjunction when the crime of drunk
enness by common consent was laid at the
door of the drunkard alone. But that day
has long passed. Then men had not looked
the consequences full in the face. Then the
share which the distiller or manufacturer had
in the promotion of drunkenness, was not es-
timated. But now, the man who engages in
the deadly work, cannot close his eyes OF stop
his ears to the wholesale ruin which he
brings upon his fellows by his death-dealine
occupation.
1t is gratifying to know that in the eastern
part of this State, where, a quarter of acentu
ry ago, hundreds of our citizens pursued i
as a vocation, it has been abandoned; excep
here and there, a hardened old topper, for tn
very love of it, and the small gain he expect
to realize, still pursues il Men of sounde
morals and better sense Saxe ecaEegted the
-orcf1arus-- - se NEses, an
now enjoy a clearer cons ice and a fulle
purse.
In our beautiful West, the fires of many
distillery have bee put out by the light an
influence of Gospel truth and the spread
temperance principles; but still t~hroughol
our Western counties, many a ''copper-he
ded devip' may be seen, lifting up its hydl
head, whose fires are kept burning, and fro
whence flows the stream of liquid damnatio
which overspreads our goodly land, and ca
ries ruin in it's course. Would that we cou
: speak in thunder tones to that class of O
/ citizens who still pursue the ruinous occuI
: ton. Would that they could see as we {
L the widespread evil which they are bringi
; upon the land.
: Alas they will see it when it is too la
; When life has been thus ruinously spent, a
). the shades of death begin to gather arou
; them when the ghosts of the murdered d.
5: shall surround the dying couch, and each
3; with fiery eye balls and a parched tong
e. shall charge upon him his ruin, then he n
t. begin to see and feel the guilt and the cri
r of the distiller. But alas it will be too Il
: But never shall he know fully the folly of
n course, till shut up in darkness, the vict
of his vocation shall taunt and jeer and C,
Y him forever, as the cause of their undone
dition. This shall be the portion Of the
6 tiUer!
L. PLAGIARIsM.-A Correspondent in VI
we have entire confidence, refers us to a
- 900 =