Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-10
FOR THE sPIaIr OF THE AGE.
Supplemental the Appeal to the Soldiers
of the &. s. Army.

lone tne HluSIrlOus huSD, the IounuSi oho
school of Medicine, a signer of the Dec
~laraticn Of independence, the friend and
fellow laborer Of Washington and Amer
lean Envoy to the Court of st. James, in
justice, if l did not give to the public a
few of the many arguments and lllustra7
tions by which he sustains his opinions OF
the evils of intemperance, which l merely
enunciated in the Appeal referred to. He
enumerates a frightful list of diseases en-
gendered BY spurious liquors, among them
the following: /. "a sickness of the
stomach and vomiting in the morning. 1t
is known by tremors in the hands, inso-.
much that persons who labor under it, are
hardly able to lift a tea cup to their heads
till they have taken a dose of some cordial
liquor. 2. A universal dropsy. This dis
order begins first in the lower limbs and
gradually extends itself throughout the
whole body. | have been told that the
merchants of Charleston, s. c., never trust
the planters, when spirits have produced
the first symptoms Of this second disorder
upon them. 1t is very natural to suppose
that industry and virtue have become ex-
tinct in that nan whose legs and feet are
swelled from the use of spurious liquors.
8. Obstruction of the liver. This disorder
produces other diseases, such as infa>
nation, which something proves sudden
ly fatal the jaundice and a dropsy of the
belly. 4. Madness. 1t is well known in
every township where spurious liquors are
sold. 5. The palsy and apoplexy com
plete the group of diseases produced by
spirituous liquors. When a predisposition
to them is produced by other causes, they
are rendered more certain and more dan
gerous by the Incorporate use of spirits
/ have only named 8 few Of the principal
disorders produced by spirituous liquors.
Every species of isiammatory and putrid
fever is rendered more frequent and more
obstinate by the Incorporate use of spirit
nous liquors" 81 do not think it extrav-
agant to repeat here what has often been
said, that spirituous liquors destroy more
lives than the sword. The ravages of war
are confined to one part of the human
species, viz men but spirits act too Of
ten upon persons who are exempt from the
dangers of war by age or sex"
Let us next turn our eyes to their effects
upon property. Amongthe inhabitants OF
cities they produce debts, disgrace and bank,
ruptcy. Among farmers they produce idle
ness, with Its usual consequences such as hou-
ses without windows, barns without roofs,
gardens without enclosure, fields without
fences, hogs without yokes, meagre cattle,
feeble horses, and half clad and dirty chill.
dren, without principles, morals or manners
This picture is not exaggerated. | appeal
to the observation of every man in Penn.
sylvania, whether such scenes of wretch.
edness de not follow the tracks of spirit
uous liquors in every part of the State."-
IF we advance a step further, and exam
inc the effects of spirituous liquors upor
the moral faculty, the prospect will b
still more terrible. The first effects O
spirits upon the mind show themselves il
the temper. | have constantly observes
men, who are intoxicated in any degree
to be peevish and quarrelsome after awhil
they lose by degrees the moral sense
They violate promises and engagement
without shame or remorse. From thes
DEFICIENCIES in yeracity and integrity the
pass on to crimes of a more heinous ma
ture. 1t would be . dishonor to hama
nature, only to name them" | will hel
intercalate, in illustration of the Doctor
opinion of the moral evils of intemperanc'
an Eastern story, viz: A young mans GOO
Genius, or Guardian Angel, told him thu
he was fated to commit one of the %followir
crimes, viz adultery, theft or drunken
ness, and that the best he could do f
him was to give him choice. He cho
drunkenness and under its influence COZ
United all. Truly it is a breeding vi
and its children are Legion ; and this m;
be the reason why the Inspired Write
have recorded more denunciations of
than Of any other crime, except that
idolatry. Why it is more suggestive a
propagative Of evil than other vic
is easily accounted for. Most otl
violations of moral law are commit
VITA malice prepense and aforethoug
but when you superadd to the native t
deroy to evil the stimulant of a poison
or drugged draught, you intensity the {
position to mischief and "FaciIis deScen
4VerRi."
Ifthe influence ofintemperance in we
ening and ~deranging the Moral Facult
be as great as the Doctor afirms, we
prepared to understand how it is that
Incorporate Army must become an I'm
ciplined and feeble army, for discipline
consequently efficiency imply moral
straint and self government. Sir w. Sc
in his life of Napoleon, in comparing