Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-10-14
DRUNKEN OFFICIALS.

The Macon Confederate &c TkcGrubL
very properly remarks: If there is any
one evil more than another whose con-
0emnatlUn ShoU!d he written with pen
OF fire, it is that OF drunkenness in officials
OF the government. In words that burn
and sentences that scorch like flame il
should he made 20 recoil upon the
hearts OF those that practice such Il terrible
wrong. 1t is mOmstrons vice that feeds
upon the soul till al the springs Of life are
poisoned with IFS bHne It is cankcr
that subsists upon the moral sense until il
saps the very fountain of the heart Oh
Which private worth and publc virtue ale
based. Our cause has suffered more re
verses from this one evil than all others
combined. When circumstances have
conspred to give us victory, like a mid
nigh: thief it has stepped in and robbed
lis OF the laurels we might SO easily have
won. Oar armies have been dcmoral:zad
by its pornicious influence, and our gen
erals the victims of its prey, when the ad-
vantages were mainly on oar side.
Oar remarks are hot personal With an
eye to the common veal we forget men,
and the motives that some times rrclnpts
others to vent their spleen because they
have pretoXt for doing so. 1t is high
time that the public mind shonld be
awakened to the momentous issue at stake.
By the force OF example we should i'm
plant seed in tie popular heart which may
spring up into prolific branches whose
fruits shall be "a healing to the patton"
It's intimated, and we can scarcely
doubt the imputaton, that oar late disas-
rer in Virginia is mainly attributable to
this cause. Il is p&infU! 20 think that the
salvation Of orr cause.-the vital interests
OF great nation should be hazarded in
such way: that heads reeling with the
delirium of whisky shonid have control OF
armies in the hour Of battle. And why
is this! Have We not good mon enough,
of high moral character, of temperate
habits, combining the other qualities re-
quSite TO great captains, to Lad orr men
IN battle! Where was an army ever safe
in other hanls? What people are secure
with their destinies coufded to the keep
ing Of men whose brains are constantly
darkened by the orgies Of Bacchus? High
moral worth should be the chief standard
in the scale OF military protermcnt-so-
briefly the first requisite to promotion.-
Al otOiH q oOIGHli!, wa iilii5 OA"'IlPlC, AtO'
only for the good of the private in the
ranks, and for the whole country, but for
The benefit Of those who aspire to high
places, should be made Of every officer
whose conduct Dies not strictly comport
will! high sense Of morality. 1t shonld
he understood thai, without this requisite,
other high Qualities betitting one for COM
mand would have no weight with our au-
thorities. The scale Of excellence should /!
be graduated according TO ,hDsa degrees
that give tone, dignity and character to
people. With less high standard no ma
ton need ever aspire TO tr &c greatness
The virtues Of people are tie standards !
by which they arc adjHsed. As they !
lower that standard III that proportion they |
cease to communal the respect of other |
nations
Aside from moral advantages in other
respects, the odds are too great against Us |
10 hazard an engagement at any time un-
der the lead of drunken and imbecile otfi-.
GERS. We cannot afford to confront the !
numerical strength against us, unless all |
the moral power on our side is brought to !
bear i'll our behalf Our hope rests in |
making up what VIC lack in physical by
moral strength. Ii both be against ue,
then indeed We are in deplorable condi-
ton. IT. Is high time an example should |
be made Of some One-3nc!l All exampIe |
as will eradicate this evil, root and branch, |
from the highest to the lowest. Who it !