Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-11-16
NO. 10.

And as the Press exerts apowerful inAu-
ence, for good or evil, upou society, how
important that the Editors who conduct it,
should be men of stern integrity, and that
the principles they promulgate accord with
justice and sound morality, comb batting er-
rors and glaring Inconsistencies with the
weapons OF truth, and giving no quarter to
inlsdemeanors IN what station soever they
are found. They should hold up the null
tltudlnous sins of the times to the uuble
gaze, In all their naked doformities, admon-
ishing their readers to avoid evil in all its
tempting aspects. The old adage, "When
in Rome do as Rome does" is an unwar
rantable license, the fallacy of which is ap-
parent to any person of ordinary capacity;
for were people TO conform to this rule on
. all occasions, it would, in many instances,
subject them to severe and deserved repre-
: tensions. Therefore, young persons should
be taught to adhere TO principles of virtue
and truth; and never engage in any amuse-
entorpursuit, when they entertain doubts
of its propriety, or have scruples that It
would be deviation from the path of rec
titude. Hence, to do wrong because others
g do, does not exculpate him that does it from
guilt or censure.
know, Mr.. Editor, that you bait your
hook Of persuasion with many good things;
but it is to be feared, that there are many
poor inebriates that never get a nibble at
It; some of them are, perhaps, cautious,
fearing that they will be hooked in the gills
with the barbs of truth, and constrained to
acknowledge, that temperance is one Of the
cardinal virtues, and binding all to obey
its injunctions. There are others whose
tastes are so vitiated, that they have no
relish for anything pure. If they could be
persuaded to take fast hold of the cxem-
plary principles of Love, Purity and Fidel-
ity, and lay aside MI their prejudiccs, they
might be easily induced to come into the
fold of temperance, where they could
breathe pure atmosphere, uncontamina-
ted. with the fumes of mean whiskey,
which causes disagreeable eructations of
the stomach, especially OF him who drinks
it immoderately, sending forth a stencil
more repulsive to the nostrils, than would
be the exhalations emitted from a cess
pool tinctared with asafetida and garlic.
The Grecian philosopher Socrates, said /:
There is no difference between knowledge
and temperance; for who knows what is
good and embraces it, who knows what is
bad and avoids it, is learned and temper
ate." These sentiments are not too old to
be profitable to people in general in this
our day and generation. They contain the
vital principles oftemperance for were all
tolearn to discriminate between good and
evil, and make them q rule to guide them
through the vicisitudes of this mundane
sphere, they would avert many casualties
that befall those who act from the mere i'm
pulse oftheir deiusive passions. The num-
|, Der of tatterdemalions would become beau
!, tifully less, and the fountains of ioy would
swell the hearts of their wretched families
whohave SO long suffered many privations
t yea, happiness would usurp the place o
misery and decent apparel the place of rags
. Verify, these principles are equivalent t.
9 enlisting in the cause Of temperance, vheI
: strictly observed, or tantamount to a dec
/, laration against intemperaace and all th,
:, abominable sins that follow in the train O
: drunkenness. But the misfortune is, tina
: people do not always act in accordance
C with the knowledge they possess OF good ant
K evil, though it is their interest to do so; 70
o they are not easily persuaded to abando
customs they have long cherished. Th
e heart of man being wicked, and his mors
II courage weak, he is easily seduced into hal
g its of vice, which beset his path in so man
e alluring garbs. The succhss of the Tenn
perance cause depends much upon tn
stand the young people take in regard t
it; and if they can be persuaded to en-
brace its ennobling principles, and stan
a firm in habits of sobriety, drunkenness Wi
lie be banished and Temperance prevail. S
mote it be. OLIO.