davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
Politics.

The body of our people are sick of this
trade, or rather of those who make it a trade.
Yet every man is interested in those meas
ures which promise good or evil to the State
or nation, usually termed political. 1t is ey-
identl,N the duty of every man to be a politi-
clan in a proper sense-to inform himself Of
everything necessary to enable him to vote
intelligibly ana for the best interests of the
commonwealth. This is the only way that
the people can take TIE matter into their own
hands to break up the trade. 1t has well
nigh ruined the country. Instead of our
young men looking to work-to a proper oc-
cupation for a fortune-they are looking to
politics as the most inviting field.
The present contest promises to in crease
the number ten fold. From present appear.
ances it is to be the most severely contested
campaign known in North Carolina for MANY
years. Heaven and Earth" will be moved
by the ms to keep in, and by the outs to get
IN. We regret it. The interests of the peo-
pie require that they should be kept calm,
cool and at their proper work. The econom-
ical, the moral and the religious interests of
the people are to suffer by it, and we depre-
cate it. Let us nave moderation and Danish
liquor from politics. Then there is hope.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
For the Spirit of the Age.
T-ALE-BEARING.

Men ret drunk, curse and swear, lie, cheat.
break the Sabbath, and every thing-tha can
be named. contrary to the commands of God.
but there is a sin which is very common
among soouaen. which the stronger sex very
seldom condesceno to be guilty of; and that
is tale-bearing. there are some women
(some how l can't exactly call them ladies'
who seem to TAXI a delight in watching every
word their neighbors say arbout each other,
in order to have the pleasure III carrying the
news from one to another and It there is no
evil spoken, some will even go so far as to
to or take from, which ever is NECESSARY
to complete their aim.
Now, in the first place, defamation should
be avoided. But who are the evil speakers p
Almost exclusively, the pery taLe-6earers
themselves. They meet up with some neigh
boz, OF particular friend, as the case may be,
rail out against a third party, pity but the
third party had a little better ears than any
body else just at the time) and then carry the
proceedings of their meeting to the third par
ty, but always take care to confer the honor
of authorship upon that neighbor or friend.
Y, how many families are now living with
cold feelings between them! How many
hearts are pierced by the tale-bearer | and
how many ache in silence, in consequence of
their neighbors or friends becoming distant.
and stunning their society without any cause.
Yea, hundreds even go to their graves with
the sad feeling, that for years a link has been
broken which once bound them together in
the sacred ties of friendship-ties, as they
thought, death alone could sever.
If drunkenness has a parallel in breaking
hearts, separating friends, and causing tears
OF suspense to flow, is it not tale-bearing p
Wo to the tale-bearer-but we will leave her
fate, as well as the grogseller's, for eternity
TO reveal. ACHSAH.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
HUMOROUS

Every one, not made up Of gall and vine
gar, likes a good, innocent Joke, even if it be
against himself, or his side of the house.
Feeling especially good-humored to-day, l
have culled the following witticisms and bon
mots from the pile of exchanges before us:
DEPRIVED OF THE GOSPEL BY FoxEs.-That
was a novel but not so bad an argument
which the mountain member urged in the
Kentucky Legislature.
A few years ago a bill proposing a premium
on fox-scalps, was under discussion. 1t had
been somewhat roughly handled in debate by
members from the more populous regions,
where foxes were scarce, and Mr.. L., from
one OF the mountain counties, rose to reply.
l give only his peroration:
And are we, Mr.. Speaker-we of the
mountain regions-not only to witness the
annual destruction of our crops, but actually
to be deprived by these varmints of the con-
ISOLATION Of retigtonH This woke the House
up, and set it agape for an explanation. He
COMMUNICATION know, Mr.. Speaker, that
we i've IN a rough country; that your fancy
churches-your Presbyterians and Episcopa-
llans-never send preachers among us. We
depend for the Gospel Upon the eircuit-riders
n.N"ilouiSc ciluiCI dilu, SlFt everybody
knows that they cannot be induced to travel
where there are no chickens, and that chick
ems cannot be raised where foxes aboundr p
~ "What a lovely woman!" was the ex-
clamation of Lord Chancellor Eldon, upon
passing a first-class beauty, when pacing I'D
and down Westminster Hall, with his friend,
the Master of the Rolls, previous to the OPEN
ing of their respective courts. 'What an ex-
cellent judge" said the lady, when her sensi.
tive ear caught the fattering decree of the
Lord High Chancellor of England.
~ A mile or so from town a man met a
boy on horseback, crying with cold. "Why
don't you get down and lead the horse ~ sale
the man, that's the way to get warm" ats
a b-b-borrowed horse, and I'll ride him if ]
freeze!"
81 You may wish to get a wife without
a failing, but what if the lady, after you FIND
her, happens to be in want Of a husband O
the same character? Don't marry her, anc
you will be happy afterward.
~ A married woman was telling a stale
single lady somewhat on the wrong side O
fifty, of some domestic troubles, which she il
great part attributed to the irregularities O
her husband. "Well,n said the old maid
you have brought these troubles on yourself
told you not to marry him. was sure h,
would not make a good husband" sHe i
not a good one to be sure, madam" reptile,
the woman, 'but he Is better than nome"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

MnrTAKr.-We learn that the Teachers
and Students of that iourishing and popular
School in Burke County-the ssRutherford
Academy"-haye formed themselves into !.
Military Company, under the style of Ruth.
erford Academy Military Cadets" with a view
to learning Military Tactics. The autbori.
ties OF the School have. made regular drilling
apart OF the Acadcmical curriculum, and have
written TO the Governor for the necessary
arms. We arc pleased to learn that tbo
School continues to prosper. 1t has a male
and female department, and Parents and
Guardians having children or wards to edu.
cate, will find this an excellent School. loca.
ted IN a beautiful, romantic country. AID
dress Rev. R. l.. Alternately, Principal, Hap.
Ply Home P. O., Burke county, N. C.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

~ Many of our political exchanges are
boasting of their rapidly increasing circula-
ton. We are glad to see it, and wish all
abundant success. But in the midst of these
political times, we hope the friends of the
Spirit of the Age will not forget us. Our
list is not increasing as it should do. We
have gone to very heavy expense to furnish a
first class paper on the very lowest terms
possible, and of course our list must be ma.
terially increased or we shall be heavy losers
by the operation. We therefore earnestly
request every one of our subscribers to try
and send us a few new subscribers forthwith;
and also to SEND on renewals for their own
subscriptions as soon as they see the cross
mark. We need your help, friends.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
Inconsistency

Many persons profess to sympathize with
Temperance organizations, and to bewail the
evils of intemperance, yet with what eager
ness do many of them catch up the small
whisperings or imagine the fact that some
prominent temperance man has bowed the
knee to Bacchus, and slipped what many term
his delicious nectar. While they profess
sympathy they show too plainly that their
profession is false, for without taking the
trouble to ascertain the truth or falsity Of
such report, they spread it upon the wings
of the wind as a truth, that the mighty has
fallen. Some of this class of persons have
been late greatly c~hagrined to discover that
the report they so widely circulated, and
strove SO hard to make people believe in ref
erence to the fall of Neal Dow, has proven
to be false, for he has not fallen from the high
and exalted position which he has occupied
for years he yet remains a firm and i'm
portant pillar in the temple of Temperance
Upon what sort of testimony did that report
gain credence !? The editor who first put it in
to circulation, says he heard it from a gentle
man who received a letter from a friend and
we are not sure that the friend did not heal
1t from some other person, that Neal Dow
the father of the Maine law, had yielded, and
had actually imbibed some vile Struggled
whiskey. Where was Neal Dow when this
slanderous report was Matched +? WHY stri
wing to adopt means to prevent the smugglei
from bringing his poison into the State. w,
are aware that the editor expresses regret
that he should have put such a SANDER in cir
;~ulation, but suppose that Neal Dow had re-
ported that the editor was guilty of theft up.
m such slight testimony, his first effort would
have been to prosecute for SANDER. But SC
it is; those who try to do good must expect
to be prosecuted and slandered. Let us al
be faithful until the end,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

ooNGREss.-The Senate has refused to adj
Journ over from one month, from the Goth
INST, Tor the purpose of giving the members
an opportunity to attend the Presidential
nominating Conventions. Bills have been re-
ported in the Senate for providing temporary
governments for Arizona and Colorado Terri.
tories, and a bill for carrying out the treaty
with Paraguay, by the appointment of a Com
missioner, has been passed.
The House resolution for making Macon
Ca, a port of entry, has passed the Senate
Also, a bill making an appropriation to pay
the expenses of the Japanese embassy to this
country, and a bill concerning the courts in
the Territories.
In the House, a great portion of the time
for the past week has been spent in discuss.
ing the bill for suppresssing Polygamy in
Utah. OF course the niger question was
mixed up with it During the debate on the
I'd inst, Mr.. Farnsworth, of ILL.,, quoted John
Wesley as saying that Slavery is 'the sum Of
all villainies." Mr.. Jenkins, of Va, enouired
Of him whether he said so. Mr.. F. replied
that he was very much that way of thinking
MIR. Jenkins then said to him, you declare 4
lie" Mr.. F., in rejoinder, said that he wa:
not in the habit of descending into cess-pool,
to throw dirt with b~lackguards. Mr.. Jen
kins, in a gentlemanly manner, said that h,
would not take that as an insult.
The anti-polygamy bill passed the Hous,
yeas 140, nays 60.
Great excitement prevailed in the Hous,
on the 4th, occasioncd by a violent abolitio,
speech from Lovejoy, of ILL.,, in which he call
ed upon Southern members for a reply. A
n time a collision was imminent.
We see accounts in the papers of seyera
tlstlcuis between members of Congress, an,
among the rest, that our usually amiabI
Senator, Mr.. Clingman, had received a blacl
eye.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
~Intemperance the Cause.

Inc remark Is often made, and with truth.
that crime is on the increase. If there he
any reliance in the public press, he who
doubt it must be blind. 1t is true the press
was never so eager to publish ANYTHING and
everything of the kind as at the present time.
Hence our eyes and ears have become more
familiar with its horrid details. But we have
only to make note Of what is occurring around
US, to be made doubly sure that crime i
more rampant and extensive than it ever has
been, all over the land.
Pseudo p~hilanthropists seek the cause in
various agencies-in the evils of education
bad assOciation-in the great influx of igno-
rant and vicious foreigners-the prevalence
OF infidelity, and the difficulty which is cxpe-
rlenced in obtaining a livelihood. All these
are more or less the effect of a cause. Most
OF the crime in this land may be traced to the
practice of the improper use of alcoholic
drinks. If family discipline is lax-if our
children are badly trained or educated-if
the hordcs offoreigners coming among us are
not improved-f infdelity abounds-if our
~aims-houses are filed with the cries and
crimes of the poor of our land, nothing has
had SO much to do in producing and foster
ing this state of things as intemperance.
lntemperance has grown, and along with /,
all other evils have followed. What If WIG
were a sober nation! What, if alcoholic
drinks of every shade were banished from this
land, would be the result. What a mighty
change would come over our people. Extray
agance, waste and crime would soon be amops
the exceptions, and not the ruling character
istics of the nation.
Even in North Carolina-perhaps one q
the most sober States of the Union-benc,
there is less extravaganza, waste and crime
there is enough money spent for liouor-ac
tually consumed in alcoholic drinks-to GOV
er her in twenty years with railroads.&c. uro
vide an asylum for every lunatic-to educat,
every mute or blind child, and all the cbildre,
Of the State-to fill our State with Churches
and Colleges, and Schools, and to provide
comfortable support to every pauper. Enougl
to make North Carolina the Empire State a
the Union As is, she is crippled and ham
pered by in~temperance and its conseouen
evils, and who cares for its
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

sALuTEs AcKNowLEDeED-A very graceful
bow, Cheyalier Britton. You are welcome -
the good advice, provided you are governed
by it
BANKS, gon are a naughty fellow. The
italics are your own. Homo soft qui NAL y
P@ase." You have TOO much curiosity for a
man Yhene was a presiding cffeer at that
meeting, and a secretary, bat no negative
votes recorded on the resolutions. This much
publicly; but the balance must be reserved
for your private ear. Come up and I'll tell
you all about it.
As if there were not enough, there is one
Moore who must have a pick at me. Well,
as 1 said last week-Editors never Aatter-
and ! set you down as one Of the High(est)
Poiat Reporters and complimenters | have
yet met with
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

CHRISTIAN SuS.-A new volume of this cx-
cellent religious. and family newspaper will
be commenced on the 18th of April. greatly
enlarged and improved in its Typography
Inc Sun is the organ Of the Christians Is
ably and literally conducted, and contains a
vast amount OF matter interesting to the gen.
eral reader. We ask for its talented and nm.
firing editor a liberal increase to his forma,
list, believing that the Sun will spread oup
wholesome light in whatever community II i
permitted to shine. Address w. B. Wellons
Suffolk, Va. Price 81 80 per annum in az,
vance.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

Say to the ladies at their next meeting.
that there is an opportunity for a lady
young, of course, Of intelligence and wealth
to TAKE charge of the "Editress' Depart.
ment of the Courier. Banks, Editor of The
Fayetteville Courier.
That draft must COME FROM one of the Bro.
KEN Banks, that wishes to fill its ArcHd
yauits with others coins. Avaunt arrant
courier! thou com'st in such questionable
shape l cannot endorse thee.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

No-REUNIoN.-The n. C. Adcorate den;os
the assertion made in some ofthe papers that
the Methodist North and South are ao;t,t;na
the question of a reunion of the ch1rch
The Adrocate says that no proposition Of
kline has been made, and ffepudiates the ;da.
that the Southern Methodists desire to be nm.
; der the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of an aboli.
ton society. The Northern church will not
strike out from the Discipline all which relates
10 slavery and the Southern church cannot
consent TO a reunion upon any other terms.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

- A worthy Scotch couple, when asked
now their son had broken down SO early in
lie, gave the following explanation: aWben
we begun life together, we worked hard and
liyed upon porridge and such like. GRADUALLY
adding to our comforts as our means improy.
ed, until we were able to dine off a BIT Of
roast meat, and sometimes a bolt chick;e
lchicken); but as for Jack, our son, he work.
ed backward, and began with the cb;cL;e
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

l nave selected the following articles and
extracts from my readings the past week:
What is a Ladyf
The term lady isan abbreviation Of the word
"Leofday," which means bread giyer. The
Lady of the Manor" was accustomed once
a week to move among the poor as aims Civ
er, enriching their tables, and bearing away
their blessings. She moved in qeeealy beau
ty, and toher queenly robe chung the children
OF the1owly, looking at her as if their little
eyes could never be satisfied with seeing
''Their little hearts could never utter,
How they loved her bread and butter
But they loved her smiling face more
They need not thai any tell them how price
less is a smile. 1t was May-day with them
whenever she came to them with smiles and
bread, and always May-day with her. for the
poor loved her, and crowned her queen Of
all the year.
Reader are you a lady?
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

SERENADE.-Thanks to some unknown
friends for a delightful Serenade on Friday
night last To be visited among the fairv
isles of Dreamland by such delightful music
as that was, brought the ~involuntarily excla-
nation
q, if there be an Elysium on earth.
1t Is this-it is this"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

BACK NUMBERs.-It always affords us pleas
ure to furnish back numbers of our paper,
when called for, if we have them on hand;
but we cannot take time to write to applicants
and tell them we have them not, when such
is the case. If applicants fail to receive the
back Nos. asked for, they may infer that we
are unable to comply with their requests.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
A Word to Husbands.

Has anybody ever written upon the re-
sponsibility which rests upon a husband with
regard to his education of his wife 2 of
course we know what you will. say about her
being supposed TO have finished her. educa-
ton before marriage, and all that and, vet
you and We know that she begins as new an
education with him as if she had never
seen the alphabet. His views, his feelings,
ms ideas, are they nothing TO her, If she
loves him /? Years after, when they who
'knew her as a girl come to talk with the
matron, do they not find her husband reflect
ed in every sentence, either for good or evil ?
Of course the more strongly a woman loves,
the more completely is her own identity alb
sorbed in her husbands. This is a point
which is too much neglected by married men.
A good husband is almost certain to have a good
wife; and if she be mot SO good as be could
wish at the commencement Of their life, he
can soon educate her up to the proper mark
And on the other hand, he can so advocate
her down as to render his home a purgatory
and perhaps to bring upon himself and hi:
family the greatest agony and kneenest pangs
of disgrace which "a shusb2nd or children
can feel.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

AcKNowIEDGEMENT.-We are under obi
cations to our young friend, j. Wheeler, for
a Ticket of Invitation to attend the celebra.
ton of the two Literary Societies of Column
bian College, at Washington, D. c., on Thurs
day, the 18th inst. This is not a Northern
Institution simply, as some suppose, but was
endowed by the general Government as a
National University. We have heard young
gentlemen from North Carolina, who have
been educated at the Columbian College,
speak in the highest terms of its facilities for
acquiring a thorough Collegiate education.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
The Bright Side.

Look on the bright side. It's the eight
side The times may be hard, but it VIII
make them no easier to wear a gloomy and
sad countenance- Its the sunshine, and not
the cloud that makes a flower. There is al
ways that before or around us which should
cheer and fill the heart with warmth. The
sky is blue ten times where it is black once.
You have troubles, it may be. So have 9TH
ers. None are free from them. PERHAPS it
is well that none should be. They give sinew
andtone to life-fortitude and courage to man.
That would be a dull sea, and the sailor
would never get skill, where there was moth
ing to disturb the surface of the ocean. 1t
is the duty of every one to extract all the
happiness and enjoyment he can, without and
within him, and, above all, he should look on
the bright side of things. What, though
things do look a little dark2 The lane will
turn, and the night will end in broad day
In the long run, the great balance will right
itself. Whist is ill becomes wen-what is
wrong right Men are not made to hang
down either heads or lips, and these who do,
only show that they are departing from
the paths of true common sense and right
There is more virtue in one sunbeam than
a whole hemisphere of clouds and Gloom
Therefore we repeat, look on the bright sid
OF things Cultivate what is warm and pc
niat-not the cold and repulsiye. the dark
and morose.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
Young Men.

1t should be the aim of young men to go
into good s~ociety-we mean not the rich. nor
the proud, nor the fashionable, but the socie-
ty Of the wise, the intelligent, and the. good.
When you find men who know more than YOU
do, and from whose conversation YOU can
gather information, it is always safe to be
found with them. 1t has broken down many
a man to associate with the low and vulgar.
where the ribald song was sung, and the in
decent story told to excite laughter or infu-
ence the bad passions.
Lord Clarendon attributed success and hap
piness in life to associating with persons more
learned and ~yirtuous than ourselves. If Won
wish to be wise and respected, if you desire
happiness and not misery, we advise YOU to
associate with the intelligent and good
Strive for excellence and strict integrity, and
you will never be found in the sinks of pollu-
ton, or in the ranks of proaigates and gam.
blers- Once habituate yourself to a virtuous
course, once secure a love for good society,
and no punishment would be greater than.
by accident, to be obliged for half a day to
associate with the low and vulgar.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11
EDITORIAL.
RALEIGH, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL Ii, 1880.
Special Notice.

The SPIRIT OF THE AGE is conducted strictly upon
the CASH system. All papers are discontinued at the
expiration of the time for which they have been paid.
Subscribers will be notified FOUR WEEKS before their
times is out, by a CROSS MARK on their papers; and
unless the subscription is renewed the papers will be
discontinued. This is a rule from which there will be
no departure. Watch for the CROSS MARK, and renew
your subscription.
~ Subscribers desiring their papers changed,
must mention the Post Office, PROM as well as the one
to, which they desire the change to be made.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-04-11

DEcLINEs.-Paul G.. Cameron, Esq, the
Democratic Elector for this District, declines
the appointment, on account of private bust
ness engagements requiring all his attention.