Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-10-06

The Slaughtered Dead.
In the terrible bat righteous war In which the South
is engaged for independence and to resist oppression
and wrong, it is computed that $4,000 of our gallant
soldiers have fallen on the battle field, or sunk into
the grave from wounds received and diseases ~contrac-
led in the camp and on the march. This is q fright
ful n lumber, and their loss has carried sorrow and an
gulsh into almost every home in eur Confederacy.-I
But deep and poignant as rs the sorrow eccasioned
by t~heirfall, there's a halo Of light that shines upon
their graves, that tends to Hluninate their memories
andre the grim monster OF us boosted victory.
But another fearful enemy has been at work. des-
troy1ng the lives of our people, and CARRYING gloom
M sorrow to many and. many a home and heart
no" many hath he slain. since our northern enemy
commenced his wicked war upon us: Fifty Thou
eano' one Hundred Thousand? Perhaps more
perhaps less. But we KNOW Thousands upon thous-
mos have been laid in dishonorsd graves. and thous.
ands more will fall by the same cruel enemy, # they
ioiio" the fearful course they are pursuing. With a
popuiatlon oil eight millions of souls, it is not an ex-
traVasant calculation to say that at least two millions |
are in the habit of using Intoxicating drink. To s,rs
c1ten[ando of this two million, two hundred thous-
ana use them immoderately. 1t may not be that this
large NUMBER are commonly known as DRUNKAHDs-
Dut at times, atIeast, ifnot habitually, they indulge
70 excess. Ihls indulgence, it is well known, viii as
surely result in death as that effect follows cause.
These facts, then, being incontrovertible, we ask.
who can compute the number slain by intoxicating
drinks, since the war cOmmenced, 1t may not be as
large as that estimated in our armies, but If ALL the
deaths occasioned by strong drink could be accurate
ly ascertained, it would, we verify believe, fall very
little, ifany, short of it.
Ana what a heritage of shame and poverty, have
they entailed upon their widows and orphans How
dark the gloom that settles around their graves, for
tho crrco ~ Tod n~sfs fborA4 Tarilv tho land YnoOrDa
and the voice OF lsmsntation is heard all through our
borders.
This cruel and bloody war must have an end. Tbs
gore and carnage of human strife must have a close
q nd peace and quietude once more be restored to sul
country. But the ravages Of this insidious destroyer
are perrenial-they 60 on from year to year and from
go n~eration to genera1on--increasing in intensity
fearfulness and power! The gay, the happy, the in
nocent of this year, are the swollen, bloated corses o
the next. The afectionate, ~provident husband, ant
loving father af this year, is the cruel, reckless. i'm
p%rovident husband and father of next year. TIL
young, the rising generation, are being corrupted b.
: these cursed plague spots on community, and are fall
, ing into untimely, ignoble graves. The gifted, tn
intellectual giants of the land, are stripped of thei
greatness, and totter and fall into the grave Of tn
r d~runhard. Aye, verify, it may trutaiully be said, a
{ m ost every house has one dead in it, slain by AlcOho
And yet who makes an effort to arrest this terribl
8 oul-and- Notwithstanding seourge? Could none
: purchase a peace and independence to our country
= or could sacrifices and labor bring it about-ourm none
w ould be given free as water, and no sacrifice ar
labor be considered too great to accomplish it. B
who would contribute a dollar to stay the ravages
IS intenperance-or what moderate drinker give up h
!, glass, to cave his neighbor and friend from the drum
ards doom! How few Christians who indulge, W
" initiate the self sacrificing spirit Of 81. Paul, who I
= clarsd-"I If eating meat cause my brother to offend
A will eat no more meat while the world stands"
ButtAank Heaven, there is q scattered few who
!" d determined, while life shall last, to wage an uncol
Y p rom Using war against this monster evil. They
determined to warn their fellow-men from errors pa
whether they will hear or whether they will forbear.
) is that noble brothsrhozd of Sons Of Temperance
n MayGod increase their number, influence and ussf
n ness, until our land is freed from the last drunks
r and moderate drinker, and when the law Of the la
!" as well as the law Of God shall denounce and prOhi
d tn c manufacture and sale Of the Misunderstanding p
- son.