Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-02-23
What for the Morals?

passed by the recent session of the Leg
to see if any thing has been done
for the moral and social improvement Of the
people. And after a careful examination, we
find a few which perhaps were so intended.
find that laws have been passed to pre-
vent the selling Of spirituous liquors within
certain distances of certain colleges, acade-
mics, &c. but these advantages are local
and circumscribed in their influence for good.
If it were necessary to protect the boys and
girls at College, in this respect, by the pas
sage of special laws, why not give like pro
lection to the boys and girls of poor people
at our common schools, by passing a general
law of like import?
Then we find an act to prevent betting on
elections. Well, betting is a great immortality
and doubtless leads to corruption at the bal
lot box. We hope to see its provisions faith
fully carried out. Next is an act to increase
facilities for providing evidence against gam
blers. A good law, and we wish similar pro-
visions had been made for procuring evidence
against liquor-sellers who retail contrary to
the statute. Many a rascal who now goes
unwhipt Of justice, would be brought to the
stocks.
Here we have an Act to prevent the sale
Of spirituous liquors to free persons Of color"
Why? Because it is said they are corrupted
thereby and arc rendered idle and worthless
themselves, and they contaminate our slaves.
In the name of all that is true and good, does
not the sale &C l;quor to mean arhito men have
precisely The :-:nle effect ? Every body knows
it does. Then, why not make a law that
will protect our slaves from their evil iniu-
ence? All! free negroes can not yote-white
! men, however vicious and corrupt, cam
G There's the difference. One is twecdle-dum
and the other is twcedle-dae. Avery great
distinction.
: Our eve runs on down, in search of "an
" act to prevent the adulteration of liquors.
l. the i~niquities of which we heard something
4 when under discussion in the House. We
: were told it was rank piSen-had strychnine
" and the devil knows what else internal, in it
and even Mr.. B. said the feller that would d.
, that, ought to be hung, Surely that Law
! passed, if for nothing else but for the self
; protection of certain swillers themselves. Blu
IL we look and look. Can't find it Why ??
> O, distillers are voters, and so are poison sci
- lers, and it might raise a muss about our ear
when we get home. So we will run the risI
of being killed with their s%trychnine an
buckeye and let it sleep the sleep that know
:, 10 waking.
But there were some Memorials sent u
" from some counties, asking a change in on
" license laws. They were presented, read an
- referrcd-but the committee was deaf an
dumb, and the chairman, having the fear
=. Pickle Rod before his eyes, forgot how
: write-anything on the subject.
:" We have thus hurriedly given a bird's-ey
=" view of the moral subjects brought before tt
Legislature. Few enough, indeed, but t.
many for our lawmakers to give their ate
ton to. Alas! alas! But what else m:
Of we expect from men whose dearest idol al
.ec- most affectionate devotion seemed to be Il
ght brandy and whiskey bottle, as was the ca
igh with not a few of our members. True, al
.ec- we take pleasure in saying it, there we
5 of many, a majority, perhaps, of sober, MOI
eri- men, but the stupid looks, red eyes, bloat
ac- faces, &c, Of too many, clearly showed tn
lpe- love for the soul and body destroying flu
hlv Will moral men vote for such Legislato
ats and then memorabilia them to pass laws
.ed, put down immortality? What folly.