Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-08-24

0ersity Of North Carolina, on the 7th
Of June, 1859, By Prof. WIN. HOOPER,
ID. ID. LII. d.
But after all this public provision for
the maintenance of religious influence and
OF moral habits, it is lamentable fact that
colleges will nourish within their bosom. a
large amount Of vicious dissipation, idle
ness and profuson. The two great obsta-
cles to government and incentives to dis
order are the congregation of large num-
bers of youth into houses by themselves,
and the use of intoxicating drinks. Wheth-
er we have not made a mistake in thus iso-
latlng the students from family society, and
crowding them together in such numbers
under one roof may admit of painful doubt.
Judge O'Neall, whom l quoted a little
while ago, gives it as bis decided conyic-
ton, that dormitories ought to be done
away with, and the students distributed
among respectable families. DR.. James
w. Alexander, of New York, one of the
first men of this country, an aumnus of
Princeton, and for long time professor
there, IN letter received from him a few
years since. says "Of ali absurd. thinos in
a great number of boys together, in large
building, to keep house by themselves
This is the first difficulty, but whether the
plan proposed as a remedy would succeed
better has not, believe, been put to the
test. We cannot therefore say of the re-
cipe probdt1tne est. The other difficulty,
the use of intoxicating liquors, is the gi-
gantic evil of colleges, and leads all refec-
ting persons, as we'll as Mr.. Griscom, some
times to doubt whether all the benefits of
public education are not outweighed by
this enormous mischief to the morals and
happiness of our families War is, while it
lasts, perhaps the most terrific calamity
q with which our race is scourged. Pesti-
lence too, now and then, poisons the COM
, mon element we all do breathe, and more
than decimates our cities. These evils,
: however, are intermittent They leave
long intervals of repose and healthful en-
h joyment. But intemperance begun in
youth and often continued and aggravated
4 through tedious years of shame and sorrow,
:. in so many families-this, this, is the run
ming ulcer of our social body; this is the
@ perennial, fetid, stygian flood, that is Cir
q cling round and round the land, and pour
4 ingits poisonous tide into our sacred homes
h This it is which causes mere human
n hearts to ache and more human faces tc
Il blush than any other cause. In vain have
q been all our temperance societies. In yair
h your temperance lecturers have been sen
through the length of the land-gifted witt
q tragic powers to make the public weep Owe
Il the horrors of drunkenness, and with comic
q powers to make the drunkard the Laughing
II stock of the world. In vain have been al
4 these schemes to abate the nuisance. In
temperance has grown under all these ap
,r pliances, like the cancer spreading unde
the surgeons knife, or the Hydra multiply
m ing its heads under the club of Hercules
n Alas Leviathan is not thus tanned;
nd Laughed at he laughs again, and stricken hare
Turns to the stroke his adamantne scales,
That fear no discipline from human hands.
And if this disease is so pernicious in il
b. sporadic form, turning home here and
ell home there into habitation of wretchee
p- ness, what must it be when concentrate
!, in public institution, multitude count'
nancing and stimulating each other, cd
is, spising the shame" and by their unite
Ike strength breaking down every barrier
MT college thus tainted is like our great we
tern river, with all its swollen afiuent
; bursting all the embankments, and carr
Oh ing terror, and devastation, and malar
he over the fruitful valley which it ought
so adorn and fertilize. For this single vice
kes at the root of all collegiate disturbanc
ere and delinquences. Of every drinking st
md dent may be said what was said of Jud
Iscariot "With the sop Satan entered
vas to him." Hence all the counsels of educ
'cet tors, all the ingenuity of physicians, all t
discoveries of chemistry, all the wisdo
md and power of legislative bodies, should
I've put in requisition to contend with this p,
'air. tentous mischief And he who shall d
mt cover a cure or even an alleviation of t
ped curse of humanity, will deserve mol
!, so meut higher aud more enduring than t
esy, pyramids, and be entitled to gratitu
deeper and wider than that accorded
>. ! DIR. Jenner, who has relieved the world
lone the terrors of small pox. Premiums
S so offered for all improvements ir the ind
. be trial and economical arts and for the /
essays on all moral subjects; but the ri