Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-31
COMMUNICATIONS.
FOR THE SPIRIT oP THE AGE.
Honor to whom Homer"

you hdu ATTENDED, the daily sessions of the
otate Convention, you never would have used
some OF the language that is found in your
late editorial On the liquor question. It is
true, the proceedings which we're had on that
SUBJECT were unique enough; but many mem
hers Of the Convention steadily aimed At a
total suppression of the vandal act OF con
verting corn, rye, &c, into whiskey, at both
our second and third sessions, as their votes
viii show. Any man who will examine the
proceedings on the subject in question, will
lind that the Ordinance which was finally
adopted was q compromise measure. Various
ordinances, more or less stringent, had been
presented, when Mr.. Berry offered one which
was understood to be Mr.. Graham's BILL
This proposed no tax at all, but it contem-
plated the suppression of the distillation of
grain from and after March goth. Mr.. Cor
rell offered a substitute which proposed tax
alton as the remedy. This substitute was
rejected, and there was a prospect that
Mr.. Berry's bill would pass. To this Mr..
Badger offered an amendment, (which was
adopted, allowing all surplus grain to be dis-4
titled. This destroyed the force Of the ordi-
nance and drove many fronsits 1t was then
that Mr.. Giltner brought forward his substi-
tute, as a compromise measure. Efforts wosa
made to amend it, 50 as. to prohibit the dis
~tillation Of grain from and after the middle Of
March. These efforts failed. 1t was then
manifest that the only chance to do ANYTHING
towards suppressing the evils in question,
was to take Mr.. Gilmers bill. Indeed. those
who desired to suppress the distillation of
grain at an EARLIER dav were notified that
they must take the 18th of April, or fail to
accomplish anything. In this state OF things
their votes were wisely cast, as any friend Of
humanity must admit.
During the discussion Mr.. Ravner was
absent looking after his interests in Hartford.
On his return, he was thoroughly converted
to the measure of entire suppression. A
great change thus for the most that he had
done before was to favor a bill for taxing
whiskey. Not knowing what had been done,
so far as an effort to fix upon March goth
as the time for the distillation Of grain tc
cease was concerned, he got some one tC
move for the reconsideration of the vote BY
which the Ordinance was adopted. *
stated that he desired to fix upon an earlier
day for suppression. AS the friends Of III,
bill knew that the very thing which ne pro
posed had been rejected, and that the enemie.
of the Ordinance might talk out the time t.
the close of the session, they voted agains
reconsideration. A few voted for it, anon,
whom were the sworn enemies of exc.
-o-neasIa tC ppr ess.<a rtax or. do 4nyts Il
against the distillers. And of these you say
All honor to them" Why, my dear 81
you honor the very men who did their utm0:
to defeat every measure that was brougt
forward to suppress the evil. Is honor Of
them because they voted with some who We
sound in the faith Why, their object W;
anything else than to make the bill mo
stringent.
| was present all the time; and I kno
Ny N1
bill deserve infinitely more honor than do
number who voted with Mr.. Rayner for a +
consideration. Messrs. Graham, Badger ar
Rufin did more for the measure, though the
fna ly voted against it, than did Mr.. Rayne
tosay nothing of such delegates as all the tim
both by precept and example, favored tt
whiskey-1nakers.
1t is meet that Mr.. Schenck receive homo
To him [ would award praise. Bat Mr.. Ra
ner did nothing-absolutely nothing-tor t
cause. And as for some of the " few" W
voted with him, you had better withdraw t
"honor" bestowed, unless you desire
praise those who regard you and all Ter
perance men as fanatics. ], and many W
voted with ME, for Gilmer's bill, are as true
the cause which you advocate as you q
yourself; and yet we are censured, While {
emies to the cause, and drunkards even, q
greatly lauQGU, DGcauSeu Luey CldlCeu
vote with a "few" who are sound in t
faith, with the view, as | know, of tryi
to thwart the whole measure.
Had you not better change your terms q
phraseology? | think so.
A MEMBER.
The above article from GA Member
the Convention, is inserted with great pie
ure, especially as it relieves some Of the t.
friends of prohibition to the distlllerl
whom, it appears, we have placed in q ia
position, and shows the cloven foot of 9th
who by their votes on side issues, we
supposed to be friends to the measure, bu'
reality were its bitter enemies.
1t seems to be very difficult to arrive
the correct status of some of the memo
of the Convention on this Distil!ery gu
ton. We know our Correspondent was
right, and was truly and sincerely a Pr'
bitionist-but there were many others Y
"wired in and wired OUT so much ths
was difficult to understand them. Our V
of the matter is this The Ordinance pa
ed is a miserable failure, on the part OF
Convention t0 come m to the demand