Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-11-14


Of Temperance, October 1st, 1860, By j. j.
PEAcE--and published at the request Of
the Dirision.
Worthy Patriarch, Brothers,
Indies and Gentlemen
II is with extreme diffdence that now
appear before you, for the purpose of attemp-
ting TO perform duty assigned me by my
Division. Being extremely bashful and east
ly intimdated, especially in the presence of
tAe ladies'. | shall have to crave the charity
that the youthful orator did--that you will
not view me with a critics eye, but pass
my imperfections by" Speech-making is en-
tirely foreign from my nature there is no
part Of the orator about me my embarrass-
ment in company, apish imitation and con-
stant tautologes, entirely unfit me for ad-
dressing public audience. 1t would there
fore have been much better had this duty
fallen on some other person at this time
The subject of intemperance has been so
often discussed, and its fields Of evils so Of
ten reaped and & eancd by the sharpest scythes
Of intellect, that there is nothing left for me
to do but bind together some of the sheaves
which they have left .--e
| is conceded by all, that i'm emperance is
an evil. II fiutemperance Is an evil then eve
ry source Of ntemperance is an evil Every
pc son that Rises grain, or furnishes mate
rial Of any kind or the purpose of having it
ccnverted into HE deadly poison that pro
dure, intempcrance, is IN part responsible
for the pffrcts il produces. T,lS is the first
cause ni the cgi' nd II Is two-fold in its ef.
Et't~ In thr iir-l place it is convertln. that
"hi'" WAS -, n!ed to sustain life, into that
wbi,'., d.'st.oy> it The grain that is distlll-
Ell lafo ardrut spiIt-, Was never intended to
hrI' ats rs and sorrow, or TO destroy the
hyr' 'hi hHppHasS at oIr peope e; but i Was
'l'. olcd for Iglje tue reverse f all thi+ -
II wm..y sd ueart. would L max, gid.
that IRE n3s bonn down by povery, if ii
Via only n>ed as G0i intended il. So you
scr the ..t' Effects of turning that which was
iu.ru.. Ir bt.ld into alcohol, which not
nH'. aI,5.- PU.erty. misery aud distress, hut
d .n"1s .ae hes "t cur people, and Geprives
... joe. f. tne sjaH OF lite.
o.. .i Tier l.. aUOthcr cause Of this evil
80 rA lWl,y t converting tue stiff
.d'p pos nous, bi.hting, wlthering
r-e n"l he i, gulty Of sending this des-
u.' 'pg fiery element Out broadcast over the
,atd. lie FURNISHES all the retail tipling
sh" y with his dcgradng, soul destroying
merchandise: he distributes this plague
through the lat,d by the wholesale For the
purpoHe Of -s44ish gain, he hesitates not to
blight lhe happiness II Whole cUurnunitiee.
He rovrr stups 20 ponder yer the poverty,
disgrace aud wee hr i bringing on the heads
OF inject. women and helpless children
Night and day does he prosecute his degra-
ding, unrighteous business. He transforms
hm~clfinto n monstrous demon, and is one
Of the most blasting ,courges of the human
race. lie makes himself the DEVILS higt
priest, to minister in unuoy things, and has
his allies stationed in nearly every town
village and neghborhood in the country.
Now what would you think of our medi
cal Colleges II their only business was t
prepare young men, and set them up in eve
ry ncighborhood, and furnish them with tn
virus ol small pox, for the purpose of con
municltng and spreading 1t throughout tn
land. Would not our people rise up an
protect themselves against such an evil P
Would not our Legislator pass a law to pre-
hipit such a devlish business Would nc
every voice in the land be raised against sue
proceeding? The Distiller and Retailt
would ue as louI as any ia denouncing sue
AT evil. Yes, they would call for law at onc
tp stop this traffic in human misery and
uur law makers were not swift in passing
laN to prohibit it, they would be amongst Il
first to take the law in their own hands, al
stop the traffic in small pox, If it had to
done by the scaffold and gallows. And yC
they are engaged in preparing and spreadlI
thousand. times greater curse through o
land than this would be for its effect on !!
aud property is ten times worse than {
small pox. And still our intelligent and phi
anthropc people will not put forth th'
hands to stay the evil
Grog shops, or etailers. is another me
direct and eilcctual source of this wide-spre
evil They are the cess pools from whi
arise the miasma that destroys our lives.
They are ikened to the deadly Upas tree, ii
kills all who come IN contact with its dea(
atmosphere. 4 grOg-Shop What Diet
table name! Ii Is the cnarnel house, ex
ling the infectious atmos; ;heie Of corrupt,
and poisoning ali within It's reach. The
tailers are our countFy's Iall beariers--
employers OF the gave dIgsers OF our liant
they sing the funeral dlrge of our people
They are the dsvlf> scnfIoldS, erected over
bottomiess pit on which the victims of int,
perancc rc suspended, aud from whence Il
are cut down into an endless eternity.
GRoGsnoPs !--rhey feed on human Sc
AN iare never satisfied. nations wealth
~Acsilicai IA tue!r uuhalowed altarS {;
drink, up whole communities, and
thirst Is not Sltlated TalenlS, genius
honor nave all BEEN FRUSTRATED a Its feet,
still the cry Is more-m0re! IL should
more dreWiei in u community than the .
monster death, for it Is by tar the Shor
aud most th0rny road To II, and kills
the soul ana body.
Every retail shop should have i sign h
out: on ane S!dc should ne painted IN J.
cnar,c,cg>--'S carers, LIARS, Ganb
thieves, Villains and Drunka ds made he
Gnd "a tne other side" Lives, PropC
Character, Happiness and Hopes deStr'
mere" Aud tn,s sign would then give
but iaiut idea oi the thousands OF evils
sprlng from Il .....
'rnc wniskry srile have filed our I
houses wlth panpe'S, aud our industr
sober citizens nave to pay taxes to feed
clothe them. They have filled our
with criminals, aud our sober people ha'
pay the charges They make beggar
honest people to supply their wants.
word, tuey are engaged in business "
compels Our careful sober citizens TO
taxes t. support their victims.
l ASK, IS his right? Is the traffic il
qior honest / will not say it is dsho
but ask this intelligent audience for al
swer. Can any business he honest thj
ceives compensation without return
valuable equivalent? In other words,
honest Tor man to take my property,
out giving me valuable equivalent Y
there is no one that believes that whsl
an equivalent for the money received
Money was intended for blessing to