Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-10
A Righteous Measure.

By authority of the Congress of the Con-
federate States, President Davis has proclaim
ed Martial Law lover the City of Richmond
the adjoining and surrounding country,
to the distance of ten miles. Also in the
cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth" Among
the regulations, the following order is en-
braced:
All distillation of spirituous liquors is pos
itively prohibited, and the distilieries will
forthwith be closed. The sale of spirituous
liquors, of any kind, is also prohibited, and
the establishments for the sale thereof will
be closed"
And the orders to the Provost Marshal of
the city embrace the following:
"AIl distillation and distribution of spir-
ituous liquors is prohibited by the Proclama-
ton of the President. The Provost Marshal
will take immediate and effective steps to en-
force this order, and all persons found trans
crossing, either by the distillation, sale, CIV
ing away or in any manner disposing OF
spirituous liquors, win be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law"
In abiding to this measure, the Richmond
Examiner most forcibly and truly remarks,
that " the arrest of distillation, and the stop
put to the sale of alcohol, is an act for which
all people who are in earnest about this strug-
gle will, this day, either in their secret hearts,
or with their lips, thank God with a deep
and fervente exclamation. What motives may
have lately impelleG respectable men to en-
ploy their talents in excusing the great
Accumulation of Desolation in this land. we
may not enquire out this we know, that the
sophisms which only the best ingenuity can
bring to their side Of the question, if ques-
ton there be, are so shallow, so himsy, so
sorry, are such bare pretences, that uninter-
ested minds cannot consider them with pa
%tience, and disdain an answer. If one would
waste the time in suggesting the palpable,
conclusive reply to every one of their special
pleas, nothing would be easier than to finish
the argument on every pointthey may please
to make as with a demonstration not less
complete than that which proves two anG
two make four. But in the conscience nc
man differs from another upon the propriety
of putting an end, at this time, to the con-
version of grain into poison and its retail tt
an unhappy population. Let us hope tina
the proclamation of the President in thi!
point will be enforced to the letter of the law
and, further, that every barrel and Jug o
whiskey now stored in Richmond may il
three days be emptied in the CUTTERS"
And yet many. members of the State Con
v~ention Of North Carolina did higgle an
bubble and tergiversate for weeks and month
about shuttin g4down the foodgates Of dist
lation, that were consuming the main pro
and stay of the nation and of the people,
And these are the conservative patriots t
whom we are to look for protection from mi
itary despotism, and oppression of ever
kind. 1t is terrible to do some things, bu
most terrible of all to interfere with the hol
calling of whiskey ,makingl From such d,
tenders of cur liberties, GOOD Lord delive
U.s." But thank Heaven, all in authority al
not of this timid, trucking breed. We hay
president who has the nerve to do what
right. God grant that he may soon exten
this regulation to every city, town and neigl
borhood throughout the Confederate State
1t will not then be long before we are a sobe
a free and Independent nation.