Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-07-25
Criminal 4apers.
UH TIE 81 IT OF The At
THE FOURTH.


BIT D. W.
In the month Of June 1s--,a young man
endowed with talents, well edueated and an
heir Of wealth, sat on the portico' of one of |
the handsomest buildings of the little village |
Of -, in moody silence His mind, much |
like the whiffof curling smoke from his Ha-
vana, was wandering That face is express
i've. The large forehead, with the locks
ca.elessly thrown back, the lapguid eye and
lounging position, tell Of talent buried be-
meath the strong desire for fashion and pleas
ure Not the beauties of a Milton nor the
fire Of Homer can arouse that spirit from
its lethargy. He comprehends rot the beau
ties Of Art OF the grandeur of Natures works
But smile now suddenly plays around that
finely chiseled mouth, as with an insolunta-
~ start he vacates his chair, throws the half
consumed cigar away and mutters "A Cele-
bration yes, we will have Celebration y
Reader, that determination was the pre-
cursor of enmity and hate Of quarrels and
strife. On the following day we find
posted up in every public place, notices cal
ling the citizens together for the purpose of
taking measures to celebrate the birth day
Of our national Independence; that day on
which our forefathcrs cut the last tie that
bound them to the mother country, and de-
clared themselves free and independent
Citizens met at the call of this pleasure
loving youth arrangements were made for
the coming Fourth. The Readers of the Dec
1arations and the Orators Of the day were
chosen every thing gprepared for the entertain
ment Of visitors and the military, and the
meeting adjourned in harmony But alas
good win and harmony did not long prevail
That demon, that vicegerent Of satan'-Rua
. destroyed all the enjoyment. That class
Of the reckless and unconcerned, of which
every town and neighborhood may boast a
part, not content with quaffing the poison.
GUS dregs themselves must introduce it there
to the soldiery and the youth. Citizens of
temperate habits, and who had in view the
welfare of the institutions in their midst, and
the goodof the whole community, remonstra-
ted, but all IN vain. The fiery monster
must be had-theugh The aged sire whose
whitened locks should command esteem feel
the strength Of the angry advocate Of the
hellish beverage Though every thing else
be changed, the liquor must be bad. Though
Chaplain and Orator, laboring under q high
sense Of right, decline to attend, whiskey
must be brought.
At last the long to be remembered day
dawned upon Us, and with il came the visi-
tors from all thesurrounding couniryN Crowds
of the fair and beautiful, the rank and file
Of military men, and vast numbers Of the stur
dy yeomanry collected together. The starr
andstripes under which our forefathcrs march
ed to victory or the grave to 'liberty Oh
death, was proudly over US. With wha
cheers was il greeted, as the tlrong below
increased Bot alas what do those cheer
call to mind? Days of yore, when persecu
ted people hailed it as the beginning of free
doms as the commencement Of a new era ii
the history Of the glorious west? No, III
not the cheers OF "a proud and independent
people IT'S the boisteroes cheers and lou,
huzzas Of thosn bound down by chains stron
ger than those Of foreign despots King Al
cohol sways the multitude With an iron seer
tire. The Marshal Of the day acknowledge
his supremacy and yields to him the eou
mand. The sons ofthose veterans, who wit
pride and sense of injury fought for IRE
dom under that flag, nov disgrace those co
ors and that military dress, by a. shamefl
surrender TO an army Of poisonous drugs
With dishevelled locks and horrid oaths, ma
engages his fellow citizen and friend wit
angry blows The procession was one 70
looked upon with sorrow and regrct-sorro
that we are acknowledged subjects Of hear
less tyrant, nt,-rsgret that the military prit
ranieal than those from foreign climes-
Having arrived at the appointed spot al
the crowd having become somewhat stille
the Declaration Of Independence was rea
and an address was delivered to the multitu
by an Orator hastily obtained from neig
boring town after which all returned hu
cry and fatigued Dinner was served al
the glass Of ruby wine freely passed aToul
and freely drank. What true love Of cou
tyy and patriotism linger in that boistero
crowd? No. worthy remembcrance of tn
glorious day, the Foarth of July l7T6, re.
in the minds ofany ole Of that noisy asse
bly,.
Tne scene became more and more disgi
ting, till at last, night, as il wishing to hi
the gloomy picture, cast her dark man
over thsearth. All became still The m
Of temperate life retired to his home; thiT
ing over the evils Of which the bottle is I
precursor. The inebriate slept off the
fects Of his Fourth Of July carousal.
How sad is the thought to every Il
American, that times have not ehangedfort
better The habits have been changed, |
for the worse. Aye, for the worse
battle not now the proud and pampered s.
jects ofs naughty king, but against the "
enemy ef civil and social happinsss-Tnts
peraRee. May the time be not far dist
when we shall meet to rejoice as natl
freed from the yoke Of that fiery monster