Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-01-16

riarch Townsend, of S. c.. It covers the
whole ground. We discover that we were
in error in some of our points stated last week
on the question at issue-but the conclusions
and counsels of this distinguished member of
our Order are about the same we suggested;
ana we presume every son Of Temperance in
the Southern States is ready to follow where
ever this gallant champion Of our cause shall
lead.
The Order and Secession.
All of our readers who take the Cha, lesion
Courier must have observed in that psr.er a
few weeks ago. that Paine to Division, No. /. !
located in Charleston, had adopted a preamble
and several reso' utions denouncing in strcng
terms the Grand Division of Massachusetts
on account of its decision last summer by the
casting vote of the G. w. P. of that j%urisiic-
ion" that it is the duty Of the members OF
this Grand Division, to take measures TO { I'm
Divisions Of the OF der among the f. reign and
col"red population"
Not satisfied with resolving 10 fratrrnize
with that Grand Division no morr-thc last
resolution in the SERIES earnestly requests
the G.. w. P. Of the Grand Div sion Of South
Carolina, to convene an extra session, az as
early a day as possible. for the purno>e Of
considering the proprietv of s~eceding forth
with from the National Division Of Moth
America, and of laying the corner stone Of
the National Division f. z eat and glorious
Southern Confederacy."
The same paper contains similar proceed
insS of two subordinate Divisions in Geor-
gia, respecting the action of Massachusetts,,
which it is unnece, sary to repeat.
In the present excited condition of the pub
lie mind at the South, all proper allowances
should be made for the Indignation Of Sons Of
Temperance, on account of the Objectionable
proceedings Of any Grand Division associated
with us under the National jurisdiction. on
the all-sbsorbing subject of the day. But
we respectfully submit, that the subordinate
Divisions alluded to above, have acted has
tily, and improperly, in proposing to scccde
from our great National b. Brotherhood OF Son
of Temperance, composed of upwards OF forty
Grand Divisions, because a single one of them
by a very small balanced vote, decided IN VIC,
lation of the repeated decisions of the Nation
al Division on this subject, to admit coloreC
membcrs.
The National Division is the supreme Leg
~islatiYe and Judicial tribunal Of the Order o
Sons of Temperance. That body, therefore
is as competent TO make laws indirectly b.
decision on appear cases, as II Is 10 leSl>lat
directly on original enactments.
At the 7th annual session of the NatiOna
:. Division held at Boston, June 1850, an az
peal came up from the Grand Division of Ohio
1t appears that this Grand Division had, a
its annual session in 1910, admitted t
membership a colored man." and at the ar
t nual session the same year. the susJtct
1.-The initiation Of colored persons into tn
= Order" was referred to the Judiciary Con
mittee, who r,po1ted that it was contraI
: TO the original intention of the founders
:. the Order-socially wroag to compel Il
whites to associate with the blacks-contral
to the higher in terests OF the Order, and
e war with its harmony and prosperity"
% From this decision of the Grand Divisi'
+; of Ohio, an appeal was taken to the Na'ior
- Division, as before stated. The commit
in charge of the subject, concluded their
port as follows:
ee ave therefore recommend that this E
peal be dismissed-the action of the Ora
. Division at it's annual session of 1849 sustd
ed, and the admission of colored membe: S
OF to Subordinate or Grand Divisions under Il
al jurisdiction declared improper nd iUtgd,
This report was adopted by an oyerwhel
~ ing vote of the National Division say
=, yeas to 6 nays.
y At the next session of the National Div
ms ion, the subject was again formally introC
ced, and that body, after due considerati'
decided by yeas 68, nays 26, that "it
deemed improper to legislate further upon
Again at the next session the question Y
I'm still urged, and the National Division per:
IN ted in its refusal to disturb the decision IN
Of at Boston two years before; and so the n
ter has stood and been generally acquies
" in as the law of the Order ever since.
ful We take it for granted, therefore, that
record Of the National Division on this S
m. ject when understood must be perfectly
isfactory, not only to Southerners, but
- Sons of Temperance everywhere, dispose
preserve the National fraternity from
ent strife and perils that are shaking our pc
cal institutions to their foundations.
The illegal action of a single Grand ID
% zion, although offensive to us, is surely
ale sufficient cause for US to Withdraw from
hin association of some forty other Grand ID
his ions, whose records are pure. Indeed,
-. the offending sister jurisdiction probably
-" ted hastily, andit may be in ignorance Of
les. repeated decisions of the National Divisio
c in This subject.
and 1t will be remembered that this acti,
IT. the Grand Division Of Massachusetts occu
at the July session of last year, which W;
Di- tended by some 200 representatives froE
any NdTlOuS OuDOTuilldIc DIVISIONS Oh the -
de- and it is remarkable that only So vote,
root the colOred question, when nearly four
~. that number must have been present.
MS happen to know that our present very
'ion, cicnt NJ. w. P, who is a National man,
,ers, old fashioned acceptation of the tenn,
m immediate attention to the illegal acti,
the Grand Division of Massachusetts,, a
nothing appears in the proceedings of
Grand Division at its next session on tn
P. ject, we may fairly presume that no
re- has followed the offensive resolution al
last July.
In conclusion, we trust our spirited
'ght, rem in Charleston, Georgia and elsewher
the may feel aggrieved at the action Of the
ac- Division of Massachusetts,, will not SC
IT, dress in a rash and improper manner,
'hei they think proper let them pursue the
days method to a definite result, either satisi
of or unsatisfactory, before inviting the
to participate in our little family di.
over ments.
com. Our Thanks.
Our list of Receipts this week SHOW
Court the friends of our Paper have been ex
Il in themselves to good effect in procurino