An address to the Voters of Wilkes, 1830, Wilkes Co. NC
******************************************************************
File transcribed and contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
Denise Stewart Sanders

USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the 
Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message 
remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in 
any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than 
stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor.

The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file 
permanently for free access.

******************************************************************.

An address to the Voters of Wilkes
October 5th, 1830

We the subscribers have for many years believed that the custom of Publick 
Treating with ardent spirits by candidates for the General Assembly and for 
congress, during the Electionaring Campaign highly improper, & degrading to a 
free & independent people that are constitutionally entitled to a free & 
unbiased suffrage. And that many under the influence & excitement produced by 
that habit have voted differently from what they would have done, had their 
minds remained susceptable to that cool & deliberate reflection that should 
accompany that important act, on which, in a great degree, our prosperity & 
happiness as citizens, and as a nation, depend.  If these be facts, why is it 
that a practice, the reverse of Patriotic & moral duty has not been abandoned.  
Is it because, there are some unworthy of this important trust, and wish to 
initate themselves into popular favor by frequent treats of whiskey, hoping 
thereby, to produce such excitement & prejudice in their favour, as to influence 
Votes.  And that others whose general deportment and capability would otherwise 
intitle them to a prominence, pursues the pernicious example, for fear, their 
competitors would get the assendency. Be this as it may, it is a comentable 
fact, it is the common practice of the County.   Politically we think the custom 
productive of many evils, particularly on days of Election; there are many men 
among us too fond of spirits, and some of those indifferent to the choice of the 
candidate, and when identified they are fit subjects for the Electioneer.  The 
antidote to excitement is soon administered, the man becomes aroused, his 
meditating faculties impaired, and thereby the desired effect is accomplished. 
And the converts under those circumstances, often become noisy and turbulent to 
the annoyances of others that wish to exercise their Electorial franchise with 
that discretion & patriotic zeal, that would redound to the publick good.  We 
view the custom as encroaching on priviledge & liberty, in as much as its 
tendency impairs the mind, & renders the voter, incapable of exercising his 
judgment with firmness and discretion.  And fear that is a growing evil, and the 
time not distant (if not supressed) it will assume prominent features of 
incapability of self-government.  The Government depends solely on the 
Inteligence & virtue of the people and to them it is a solemn pledge; and any 
notorious custom derogatory thereto, should and of right ought to be, abhord.

In a moral point of view, this subject needs no comment, its injurious effects 
are too obvious to be denied, our publick record will prove the fact, that a 
great proportion of Indictment, for assaults & batterys, Riots, affrays, took 
their origins from the use of spirits, and very frequently from candidates¹ 
treats. The costs of those indictments, are paid by dependents, otherwise become 
a county charge, and it is a heavy ton on either. When it falls on the 
individual, it frequently deprives him, together with a helpless family of the 
ordinary means of support, and leaves them in a state of wretchedness & despair.

We could here speak volums on the improper use of spirits, but suffice to say, 
that it produces discord in families, distroyes the peace and harmony of 
settlements, corrupts morals, encourages vice.  In fact it is every thing that 
is diametrically opposite to religious & moral virtues and we sincerely hope, 
that the progress o this monster, will be assailed for the future by candidates 
withholding their publick treats, which if it does not entirely subdue, will 
retard its progress in a good degree.

We wish not to be understood, as reflecting on candidates, particularly that 
have heretofore pursued the custom of treating.  It has become the order of the 
day; and the community generally gave a silent consent, without reflecting on 
consequences and candidates, to ensure success, thought it impolite to withhold 
their little pittance in that way.  Therefore it is considered as an Error in 
common.


But we request them, particularly those that have been successful in their 
election, to reflect a moment on the influence of example, encouraged and 
sanctioned, by conspicuous & influencial men, intrusted with implicit confidence 
as legislators, whose publick acts, moral & polical, should be commendable 
examples for the community in general.  Then say if they pleas, whither the 
money that they have expended for whiskey and Brandy, in that way, could not 
have been more judiciously applied.  In the last electionering Campaign, there 
were nine candidates, six for the Legislature, and three for sheriff, and from 
best information, the average amount expended for spirits, was not less than $35 
which would be the sum of $315 which anually and priciously appropriated to the 
education of poor children of the county, we think would cause a different, but 
most happy effect. We would be rearing pillars to support our Republican fabric, 
instead of Instruments for demolitions.  The scholar is enabled to appreciate 
its value and the imencity that it costs. In doing this it would produce an 
attachment to government (if properly administered) the most happy in the world, 
and would stimulate them to support and defend it in its purity.  We believe 
that Erudition and moral virtue, are its substantial props, without which it 
could not  be sustained. That illiterature, and improper use of spiritous 
liquors are most powerful machines to subvert it.

If the amount expended by candidates, in Wilkes the present year, is no more 
than an average of each county in the State the aggregate would exceed $20,000 
Expended and for what?  Let the deliberate and reflecting minds minds imagine 
that they behold on days of Elections, a disorderly and intoxicated mob of 
people throughout the State apply they answer.  We will only add, had that sum 
been appropriated to internal improvements & defusing knowledge throughout the 
state, it would have been highly commendable.

Under these considerations we wish to be instrumental in trying to put down what 
we consider a publick nuisance.  Therefore do humbly solicit and intreat all 
those that may hereafter become candidates for any office where the Election is 
vested in the people, not to pursue the common custom of Publick treating, if 
they do, we solemnly pledge ourselvesto withhold our suffrage from them, that we 
will not support any man whatever that will resort to that made for the purpose 
serving his Election.

Copies of the foregoing will be submited to different churches in the county for 
deliberation, and it is expected & believed, that members of every Religious 
denomination together with the moralist, will concur in opinion that no good 
results fro publick treating. That it is a harbinger of folly & vice & should no 
longer be countinced and manifested the same by subscribing their names 
hereunto.


Samuel Curtis, Reuben Fields, Elijah Coffey, James Stuart, Larkin Coffey, David 
Campbell, Able Harrison


Source: THE LENOIR FAMILY PAPERS (#426) in the SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION, 
University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill