The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-08 00:00:00

THE PERMISSIVE LIQUOR BILL.

In London, on Tuesday evening, a very large meeting
was held at St. James'. Hall, as a "great demonstra-
tion" in favour of Sir Wilfred Lawsm's "Permissive
Prohibitory Liquor Bill." The great hall was filled to
overcrowding, and by a veryrespectable class of people,
and the platform was occupied by a large body of re-
presentative men among the advocates of the temper.
ance movement. The Ven. Archdeacon Sandford
occupied the chair, and among those present were Sir
Wilfred Lawson, M.P., Dr. Brewer, M.P., Mr. M. It.
Dalway, MP., Mr. G. 0. Morgan, M.P., Mr. T.
Whitworth. M.P., Dr. Manning, the Titular Arch-
bishop of Westminster, Mr. B. Whitworth, Mr. S. Pope
(Recorder if Boston) Mr. J. G. Richardson, the Rev.
S. H. Booth, and Mr. J. H. Raper.
The Chairman, who was received with loud cheer-
ing, opened the proceedings in a short speech, in the
course of which he expressed the greatest delight at
witnessing so large an audience, winch had been
brought together to support by their influence the pro-
posed Permissive BilL
Sir Wilfred Lawson then, amid prolonged applause,
came forward to propose the first resolution :
That this meeting is deeply impressed with the fact that
an alarming amount et patieerism and crime is caused by
the drinkmg system of the nation, fostered by the legalised
facilities for the sale of inn-Matting liquors. That the
moral, sanitary, and social evils of the wide-spread intem-
perance are not confined to the immediate victims, but, with
the consequent increase of the rates and taxes, have become
an intolerable burden to the community at large, calling for
efficient legislative action to remedy this deplorable condi-
tion of the nation.

He proceeded to give an account of the rise and pro-
gress of the now combined opposition to the " Liquor
Laws," and he declared that to his advocacy of his
prinicp'es might be attributed the opposition which led
to his seeming political death at the election before
the last; but this apparent death turned out to be only
a case of suspended animation. (A. laugh.) He
warned the temperance people not to suppose that be-
cause he had beaten the public .MA of Carlisle the cause
of temp ranee wieild be irresistible, for it was nit so ;
wed to lie suc,fistul the cause must be backed up by
the people. He dwelt upon the fact that the de-
mand for change in the licensing laws had been made
as showing how remarkably the temperance cause
was making way, and in allusion to the late dis-
mission on the beerhouse question in the House of
COMIDOIIN he pointed oat that the beerhouses had
no friend except the hon. meniber for Nottingham,
who divided on the question arid was supported by no
one. (Cheers). That discussion had shown that the
beerhouscs were doomed, and yet the Home Se rotary
himself etated that, as compared with the beerhouse
keepers, the yinblicans committed three offences against
the law ti one minor c 035 by the orb, Ti. Now it we
apparent that these great law Lreakers must kw de at
with by the Legislature, and to tile advocates iif doe
temperance cause both publichourie said beerhouse
keepers were tarred with the same brush. There were
proposed changes in the law, but none would satisfy
the people which did not render the liquor traffic harm-
leas to the people, amd no drinking shops should be
forced upon the community against their will, where
there was a majority of two to one against the presence
of this great moral taint in their midst.
Dr. %fan ll ill g, in seconding the resolution, said that
Sir Wilfred Lawson had acted nobly in the support of
those principles which he had asserted on behalf of the
people—namely, that the deadly poisonous evil of
drink should not be tnaintaineil among the people
against their will, and they oh, iuld give him their testi-
mony that he was the representative of their views in
the course he was adopting. (Cheers.) The advocates
of this measure would meet with two great objections.
They would be told that this was an impracticable
measure, and that this was an extreme Measure.
As to its being an impracticable measure he (Dr.
Manning) did not know why that which was
found practicable in America should be impracticable
here. There were, he believed, ten Stateain the Ameri-
can Union whioh had adopted, not a Permissive Bill,
The next young lady says : ' but a Maine Law, and one of these States had, within
I write to say that I should be very happy to form an at- the last few weeks, renewed that Maine Law by a
quaintance with you I hope money will be no object. as! majority of two to one. (Cheers.) He did not know
have only the ,mall suns of £2OO a year. If you .i. .sh to see that th it which had been found practicable in some of
me, will you please come over to Roche Abbey to-sloe, ow, our colonies would be impracticable here, nor could he
and meet me hy the old abbey at three o'clo,:k. Will you
say why that which the Scotch practised in some parts
please wear a green tie, and a cane in your hand, and you
will know me by wearing a bite dress. I shall have aft iend could not be adopted in some parts of England.
with me, but I can disperse sic) with her whet I meet you. (Cheers ) And, moreover, he knew that in Ireland,
Sir, I hope you will not decline the offer, as I shall be there in what he might pronounce some of the most tumul-
i( all is well.—l remsin yours, though unknown, —. tuous parts, pastoral authority had effected that which
The next lady writes a very passable hand, and com- an Act of Parliament had effected in Scotland. So
mences thus:— much for this objection respecting the impracticability
warner Lambert: The under singed quite feel disposed as of the measure, for what could ho done in other coun-
you call it lam considered by my friends grant looking tries could be done here. Then, as to this being an
and they think I shall make a good wife. lam the title "extreme measure," he answered that it was an ex.
twenty-two and dark If W. L. answers this pleas send carte treme remedy loran evilwhichwas extremealso. (Loud
Ite visite address by letter. cheers.) Pile measure was sinly extreme because it was
The next letter is couched "in characters uncouth and necessary it should be commensurate with the evil with
spelt amiss," but is very explicit notwithstanding : which it dealt. (Cheers.) The proposal of this mea-
seeing your advertisement In toileys paper seeing that you sure was that two-thirds of a population should have
at wanting a partner for life and as iam wattle); the same the power to say where drink should be sold, and this
my age is eighteen more pitcebirs when we meet if it urn be
was h h
a fair proposition. There might be sonic who
conveuient to fon to meet me Sunday the foul, at alf psst
two at E, clesall l hurch the top gate at the wed. en i I shall doubted whether the use of drink was an ef il, but
have on a violet dress black j it:let velvit Isimuet black and there were none who could doubt that its abuse was
i due if you cant come wilt you pleas to write, an eviL (Cheers.) Well, then, he contended that the
The lady next on the list writes very determinedly, present system by which drink was sold was inseparable
and evidently meant to secure the luckless Lambert trim its abuse. (Cheers.) If he was asked what the
for her family if she could not get him personally. She present system was, he should answer that it aat one
says : mu limited by prudence, that it wais ineffic.ently guarded
sir,—l with pleasure saw it adverti,ed in the /tidependost by police, and was sib abandoned to itself that the police
to lay you was MI wants if a partner and would he obliged never iuterfered until compelled by some outrage on
if you will acpt Sits A M A—, till, dark hair, dark eyes, the law. 'Then, too, it was a system in which an
am' what the world calls good looking (age 23) or my sister enormous capital was embarked for the personal in.
who is (24. good looking. A widdow no children
us' fortune Mr. terest of those who traded in it. Then it was a system
at her own disposal willed to her by her late lband
it—, or if you would Prefer slight youlig lady my friend in Which the . Government was largely interested for a
Miss C. SI. C—, who is at present residing in sheflield, but revenue. He proceeded to refer to a petition set out
is scotch, light hair, blue eyes. and affectionate will acept you by some inhabitants of India against coming under
please to answer in Tuesday independent and you shall hear English rule, because of the fear with which the
fearther from sic—Please not delay as I shall I e aucouse to people viewed the introduction of drinking; and
know which you prefer. it said that if the Government obtained a revenue
The next letter betrays a scornful and characteristic from this source there would be no hope that the
disdain for orthography and punctuation. It is as custom would ever be relinquished in future
follows : time. THs was in August, 1852. This, he said, was
My dear fees Iv Sean in to Day None Paper you Wanting the character which the English hail obtained. Pass-
A wi:e I shall be glad ior a good husborn But I should Be ing on to speak of the free trade principles of Man-
very Glad to now you age firs 2 I should like to now Whether
cheater, he utterly repudiated the Lotion that free
use Good temper My age is 24 years and a little ',lcons
trade in drink binfuld be allowed. Give the people
for Lite and if you are Really in Wants Oi A Wife I should
be happy to seay you after you Have Sent you Liknes and cheap houses, he continued, give them cheap food, and
then I will meat you at my sisters and then We Will talk the give them cheap instruction, and you improve their
Matter Over. Short aquantress Sons times mikes Leg morals and raise them socially; but once give them
nepenthe [Repentancel Bet I Would M. 11( you Comforable cheap intoxicating drink, and you debase them. Drink
Wile! Liv and A Little After lain Dead Weakly !acorn—
and drunkenness formed a great public nuisance, which
PFL Excuse my Elting PS Assert by Nest Post
was sapping the foundations of society and destroying
Othi r letters are from " a publican's daughter the foundations of our social order, and therefore de-
twenty-three years of age and as no objections to 'it a
straying our social peace. (Cheers.) How wasa
Partner if booth sides sues tgether ;" hien " the
great public nuisance to be remedied ? The will
daughter of a respectable farmer who will be glad to
of majorities was now a great principle, and by
make you welcome any time you come if we can make that let this evil be so tried. It was a nuisance
things right," and several which bear the appearance to all, to the rich and to the poor. A poor woman
of having been written for the purpose of heaxitig the was ill, and a substance to deaden the 'sound was
supposed advertiser. plated before her house ; but the guests of the public-
Al r. Lambert, the complainant, was called, and was house came at midnight, when the house was closed,
being examined, when a conversation took place be-
and played their noisy, drunken gambols about the '
tweets the legal gentlemen and the bench AA tO whether i
por woman's door. The police, on being appealed to,
wane arrangement ii,11.1 not lie emit., to between the 1
i sail there ivai, DO 0ir01,,, • ill law. The poor man who
parties. Eventually an apology was accepted. said tile
desired to keep his sun from vice and his slaughter from
defendantr, got off on paying the costa, amounting to taint, had no remedy for the evil which floated in at
his door from the neighbouring publichouses. Bin had
not these people the same right to protection as the
estate.owner who cooled limit the publichouses on his
property? (Cheers.) After entering into further
arguments, he said if this measure were passed it
would be the means sif eradicating the evils deadly
poisons hail engendered among the people, and would
restore to those who had lost it the moral light which
was the great security of our institutions. He resumed
his seat amid loud cheers.
Dr. Brewer, M.P., followed, and maintained that a
measure like this was quite compatible with true
liberty, and others having addressed the meeting the
resolutiod was carried, as was the following
That this meeting calls upon the Reformed Parliament to
act upon the conunomsense principle that " prevention is
better than cure." and adopt some efficient measure to
remedy the grievous evils of the liquor traffic now licensed and
sauctoned by law ; and this nierting pledges itself to
give earnest simport to those statesmeh who bring fore anti
such a remedial measure, which must, of necessity, Include a
permissive veto to be exercised by the people.
A petition to the Executive was also agreed to, and
the proceedings closed with thanks to the chairman.

PUTTING AN ADVERTISEMENT IN
TILE PAPER.
At the Sheffield Town Hall. on Monday, three
young men, named respectively George Herd, silver-
smith; Joseph Fidler, silversmith; and Arthur
Harrop, of Broomhsll-atreet, were charged by John
Wilmer Lambert, auger filer, St. Mary's-road,
Sheffield, for 'that they did unlawfully, maliciously,
and knowingly, and with intent to provoke a breach of
the peace, cause to be inserted in a certain public
newspaper called the Sheliqd Independent a certain
false, scandalous, and defamatory statement of libel of
and concerning one John Wilmer Lambert, and against
the peace of our Lady the Queen." Tne advertise-
ment complained of was as follows
To single young women —A young man wishes to meet with
a partner for life.— Any young lady feeling disposed, apply
by letter, Wilmer Lambert, auger filer, St. Mary's road,
Sheffield.
Many answers had been received to the advertisement,
and those given below are average specimens of their
spelling and diction :
Ape: 5, ISC9 Sir—seeing Advert isensent In the Indepen-
dent that you are in Wants a psrtner for Ifs so i holler my-
self as a Candate. But Befoare there Is much More caress-
poniimc I should like an intearew with you. listen the
adress....

on Wednesday morning a deputation waited upon Mr.
Bruce, the Home Secretary, to present to him a memorial
respeothig the Permisaive Prohibitory Liquor Bill.