Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-07-06

y
proud insignia of our Country's glory.
But while we exult in our National Free G
dom, now many a noble soul is bound down 4
by the heartless tyranny of despot's power, c
how many a freside made desolate by the a
absence of loved ones snatched away to fill I
the ranks of the bloody Hyman, who is
scourging and decorating the hearts of Amer
ica's mothers and daughters.
On this blessed day, then, of American
pride and glory, we proclaim our Indepen-
dence of this vile Despot, and swear eternal
enmity to the tyrant Alcohol, by paraphras-
ing the burning Declaration of our forefath-
ers, when they proclaimed Independence and
Freedom from the expressions and usurpa-
ions of the tyrant King George:
Here is oar
Temperance Declaration of Independence.
When in the course of human events, it
becomes necessary for a people to dissolve
the connection which has linked them to a
king or ruler, and to assume a station to
which the laws of nature and of natures God
entitle them, a decent respect for the opin-
ions of mankind requires that they should
declare the causes which impel them to the
separation.
We hold these truths to be seIf-evident -
that all men are created equal that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain mali
enable rights that among these are life, Ii
liberty and the pursuit of happiness To Sc
cure these rights governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed that whenever
any laws, OF the necessity for any laws, be-
come destructive of these ends, it rs the right
Of the people to alter or abolish them, OF to
institute new ones, basing them on such
principles as shall be most likely to secure
their safety and happiness. Prudence, in
deed, will dictate that laws and customs long
established shall not be changed for light ant
transient causes and accordingly all expert
ence hath shown, that mankind are NOR,
disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferabFe
than to right themselves by aboIishing thu
forms to which they are accustomed. But
when a long train of abuses and ~usurpations
pursuing invariably the same object, evinces
a. design TO redunO thorn SEaer absolute deS
potism, it is their duty to throw off such gov
eminent, and to provide new guards for thei
future safety. Such has been the patien
su~fferance Of all civilized nations for ages
and such the necessity which constrains u
to dethrone the tyrant that has reigned ovs
us, and to enact new avs for the ~pretectie
of our rights, our liberties and our happines
The history of King Alcohol is a history
usurpation, crime and blood, all having
direct object the establishment of a crushir
~despotism over us. To prove this, let fac
!. be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws the me
wholesome and necessary for the public 90
and has refused to pass avs for the aceOl
mediation of large classes of people, and h
demanded that the opposers of his Cover
ment should relinquish the right of represC
tation in the legislature-a right inestin
BILE to them, and formidable to tyrants on
| He has made judges subservient to his W
r and has influenced their decisions to an alaI
ing extent.
> He has INSTRUCTED the administration
? justice by opposing the laws of the land I
g were not subservient to his interests, and
Is authorized his agents and friends to res
: to threats, brides, perjury and even o.
. violence to accomplish his object.
n He has created multitudes of offices ca
f 'Grogshops,' in all parts of the land,
has sent hither swarms of his agents to |
ass our people, and eat out their substance
e He has fostered a gambling spirit, and
encouraged all vices and crimes known
the broad surface of our globe.
.e He has called together numerous boz
: of men at places secluded, often at the
:. hours of night, away from their families
j. homes, for the purpose of fatiguing them
to a compliance with his measures, and of br
ing them to early ruin and premature gra
:. He has endeavored to prevent the pop
ton of these states by cutting short the |
of multitudes of our people, and by shut
is up multitudes besides in prisons, mad-ho'
is and hospitals, to suffer penalties Justly cha
able to the tyrant whom they have SCI
with a devotion not less sanguine than
20, of the martyr at the stake
- He has poisoned the happiness of our
a, pie destroyed health engendered idlen
closed up the avenues of wealth; paral,
the arm of industry; and has cast a wit
ing blight over the spirit of enterprise.
He has corrupted the ballot box by br
70 ing his influence to bear against the free
Of elections.
He has entered the legislature of the S
d. raj states, creating broils, distracting |
,9. ness, prOtracting sessions, squandering
public treasure, and causing the represt
tives of the people to become both trifling
rs corrupt; he has adjourned represents
no houses repeatedly amidst drunken reyels
proving his invasions on the rights of
people.
He has entered the congress of these Ur
7as States, producing discord md corrup,
I'VE disgraceful to the nation and through
= representatives there assembled, who
acted as his mere mouth-pieces on hume
ing occasions, and whose brains were fired W
mad zeal for their leader and king, he
sent out innumerable speeches and has
tered them broadcast through every neigl
IL hood in the land, aiming to blind and mi
ter the people, recommending the most vi
the party hostilities, sectional jealousies, ?
cal and religious fanaticism, civil war, /
usn shed, or dissolution of the Union, and
De measures dangerous to the liberties and
piness of the people.
by He has resolved to subject us to a in,
SCI ton foreign to our constitution and
knowledged by the laws of nature and
an lures God: giving his assent to their a
lne pretended legislation; quartering large
me OF armed troops among us j: for prot,
m them by mock trials from punishment