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

bosom So it is with the moderate drinker.
He could easily break off at first, but habit
and craving appetite flow in and swell the
desire, and the man is borne on down the de-
structive stream of drunkenness, until he is
overwhelmed by the waves of ruin
If We would shun the road, then, that has
led so many men to destruction let as not
drink at all. The only way to kill the traf-
fic is to perish it to death. Our only safety
is not to taste it, but shun it as you would
viper. 1t has stung thousands to death, and
may destroy you before you are aware of it.
have briefly pointed out to you some of I
the sources of this widespread evil, and viii |
endeavor now to notice some of its effects on
life, property, and happiness. That an ex-
cessive use of alcoholic liquors has killed /
many, both directly and indirectly, is an un- /
deniable fact. Their effects on human life /
are seen and felt in every community. How |
many thousands of sprightly young men, on
whom high expectations have been placed, |
have started out in life with hattering pros
pect of successful journey and bright and |
glorious career They were making rapid |
strides towards the topmost round of the
ladder of fame their families looked on with
pride-their friends with fond anticipations
Of bright and honorable future. They are
pointed to as young men that will make their
marks in the world But alas they have
turned their course, the tempter has stepped
in, and proffered the cup of enchantment. and
in an unguarded moment, they drink the
poisonous dew from the rosebud, never think
ing that there is thorn there that will pierce
them to the heart. The young man, like a
beautiful flower, is blasted by the whitening
frost of intemperance. And tell me, pray,
who is benefited by his fall? Society is not,
for If ic llaA fO +bat
should have been its ornament Literature
arts and science are not, for they have lost the
intellect that should have been their contribu-
tors His country is not, for it has lost his
good citizenship, and has to pay the tax of
all his drunken broils. Morality and religion
are not, for they have lost his influence and
much needed services. His family is not, for
he has brought poverty, misery, and re-
prOach on them.
Then, you see, no one is benefited by his
destr 4ction, unless it is the whiskey seller.
He has devoured his substance and given him
poverty, misery, and woe, in exchange for
his money, character. happiness and life
And he is such a worthless, heartless, pitt
less, disgraceful scourge Of humanity, that he
never enjoys the fruit Of his gains, or the
sweets of society No one but he is benefit
ted by this destruction Of our young men.
And yet thirty thousand are annually carried
down to drunkard's grave, "unwept, union
ored and unsnng." They have become such
pests to society that it is glad to get rid of
them.
Why, of all evils entailed on mankind there
is none so hideous as to compare with the
more lives in the UhPteddr rat5b It has ts destroyed
wars from the seven years war with Eng
land to the present time. And all this de-
struction of life is unnecessary and might be
avoided There is not one single item of
good obtained by it. In war, there is always
some object in view. Liberty to gain, honor
to sustain, or wrongs to avenge. But this
| destructive war which spirituous liquors is
waging on our people every year, is not to
gain liberty, but to enslave men; not to sus
tain honor, but to destroy it; not to avenge
wrongs, but to perpetrate them. 1t is more
ruthless than the savage wars of the colonies
1t spares neither age nor sex life, property
character, happiness, hopes, mind, soul OIL
body But all, all destroyed by this poison
Gus flood 1t has met the young man as h.
| stepped out on the stage of lfe in manhood
vigor, and by its magic wand has clouded hi
intellect, paralvzed his energies, and hurle
him reeling down to a drunkard's grave. |
has overtaken the old man as he was travel
ing peacefully down the decline of life, an
without respect for his frosted locks, ha
poured the deadly chalice down his throat
| and ostled him into drunkards tomb.
has overtaken the young lady, just from tn
bridal altar, and crushed all her future hopes
which were bright as bliss itself; withere
s the rosebud of health from her cheeks, an
i sent her broken hearted to premat ure grav
D 1t has met the fond mother, as her merida
e sun was shining bright with earthly happ
!, ness, and blotted out every ray of comfo
= from her soul, and caused the evening of HI
4 life to close as desolate and sad as the NOR
0 ing dawned cloudess and happy. It hi
/ stopped over the inncent babe in its mother
:, arms, sapped the fountain that sustained
d life, and borne it off in the cold arms of deaf
$ There is nothing too innocent, lovely,
d desirable for it to destroy. Mutitudes of o.
o noblest young men are daily seduced fro
y the path of innocence and safety, and dragg
D. down through all the horrors of infamy al
D. vice to drunkards hell. 1t has defaced a
d rubbed out every generous emotion in t
Of heart of man. He who was once the tend
% husband, the affect;onate brother, the dutit
Id son, the constant friend and kind neighb'
il. has been transformed into an unfeeling bru
Id whose heart no longer throbs with sentimer
IS of kindness and love; but has buried the pa
lip with all its fond recollections of childhoo
IN bliss; the present, with its joys and deligh
IT. and the future, with its fond hopes and drea
nd in the damning cup of intoxication.
C. 1t is said that in the marriage relati
ty alone is to be found perfect bliss on ear
We That marriage is the beautiful image of {
early dreams OF happiness-the anchor to
lis the hearts bright hopes-the oasis amid
'e- desert waste of life-the green island in
: midst cf life's storm-tossed ocean; that i
ed the casket that contains the richest jewels
= happiness. In it is said 20 be garnered
ID the hearts fondest hopes and dearest joys
ie- But intemperance, like a destroying an!
am enters this paradise of love, and destroys
led these joys, blasts every fond hope fore,
Ike Intemperance, like chill frost, has withe
sht all their beautiful flowers of hope and ha,
1t, out from the heart Where delightful Sp,
o~ once bedecked the heart with hope, Win
1t, bleak Winter, sheds its desolation.
by The kindhearted wife beholds him to nj
nk- she had giveu her young heart, With al
Ter, rich treasures of love; the one for whom
nk- has forsaken father, mother, and the HON
him her childhood, yea, and all the ~or.d. to
,me low-she sees him banished from soci
self wandering vagabond and an outcast u
the the earth-bankrupt in fortune, hankrup
of morals, bankrupt in kindness, in love an
hope, and bankrupt in all that is endea
all, in life Still does that once happy but
lilst wretched wife, cling to him in his degr
We ton. True to her kind nature. and wi
u III woman's untiring devotion, she attenp
the bind up and conceal the shattered wre,
4 l. l-l.