The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-03-20 00:00:00

atarriages, an,6

•
BIRTUS.
On the I.2th inst., in Mansfield-street, the Lady Ulick Browne,
of a dnughte!,
On the 15th inst., the Hon. Mrs. Harbord, of a son.
MARRIAGES.
On the 11th inst., at Kir,ltdale, Mr. Chas, Charleten to Betsy,
second daughter of Mr. Robert Helton.
On the 15th iust., John Chasser, Esq„ C.E., London, to
Marion, second daughter of Mr. J. Grant, Birkenhead.
On the 15th inst., George, second son of Mr. George Cham-
hers, Slack's Farm/ Marple, Cheshire, to Elizabeth, eldest,
daughter of Mr. Peter LYthgee,-Of Pitt:Streef; Chester.

DEATHS.
On the /6th inst., at 55, Upper Pitt-street, Captain John.
Lowther, late of Clovilly.
On the 18th inst. at 11;Upper Frederick-street, in his 85th
year_, Mr, William, H. Jones, clerk. of St. Thomas's Church,
Park.lane,
On ,the 18th inst., Edward taylor, second son of the late
William Taylor,
Esq., of Seel-street, aged 45 years.
On the 18th inst., at Lower Bebington, in the 70th year of
her age, Margaret Maine, relict of the laic Aaron Wedgwood,
of this town, .

IHE DAILY TIMES, TUESDAY, MARCH 20,. 1860.

By Mr. ASPINALL—A large proportion of the men
had been guilty of.nlutinqus eundlict, arid soine of. the
detachments were without officers. The sth Europeans
were furnished the worst with clothing..:Every man had
his hammock when we left; there were on board 1,010
hammocks, and before leaving we returned 67 into store
as surplus. We mustered the hammocks on the Ist of
every month, and found 60, 100, or 200 .short; indeed,
the men threw them overboard to save
,themselves the
trouble of bringing their hammocks am to muster.
1 Several of the men were employed on active duty on
board, and they all lived. Everything iyas done by the
officers that poeld be done for the nien. tin 'our arrival
at LiverlicKti, fl gentleman from 'Mr. Ratlitone's office
came or} hoard, ring that F,entlernan made the arrange-
ments for removing the sick men ea the hospital,
By Mr. Laweaan—The officers were satisfied with
the ship. We were on the best terms with the officers
of the ship, and their conduct gave perfect satisfaction.
The water was supplied by the owners of the vessel, but
the casks were furnished by the Government. I believe
the crew's rations were stopped as well, as the rations
of the soldiers and officers. I heard of nO inconvenience
from want-of water, and there was no complaint,- - The
Men had tea alariliag and eTeniaq• t
By the ,Ip.nv—ln the Ist Light Cayalry draft there
was one death ; Foot Artillery, 1 ; , 3rd Bengals, 33 ;
3rd Madras, iq ; sth Bevels, 7 ; total, 52.
Patrick hi‘Cenn said-4 am a discharged soldier, and
came home in the Great Tesmania, j have seen the
dead bodies of some of the soldiers. who came home by
the ship. I saw this morning the bodie:smf MattheWs,
Murphy, and Holt, at the dead house. -They died on
board the ship in the river, on the 15th of March.
The CORONER—Now have you anything to say about
the stores and provisions ?
WintEss—Yes sir ; the buscuit was: bad the whole
of the way from Calcutta to St. Helena; the beef was
I bad, but the pork was passable. The.beef was awful
stuff, and the peas were so old and hard that the Hooke
cceild not mate soup of them for Soule weeks. The
pickles'were bad; there was no beer or grog for some
days as it run short; there was no bedding nor warm
clothing supplied to the men on coming on board. The
1 adjutant has spoken of clothing and the selling of it to
get drink, but that could not be the case with my regi-
ment, for we had no clothing since the 31st December,
1858 ; we were in arrears for clothing since 1858, and
we did not have any clothing from her Majesty's
Government since. I claim it from the Government
now, and the master is in dispute, before going on board
I claimed clothing or, compensation, but the command-
'ng officer denied my'
Idemand.
Mr. ASPINALL—That is they disputed your right ;
they denied your claim.
Witness—The regulation is that the clothing shall be
issued in advance.
Captain - Pond said the witness was discharged in
1859, and did not get his (clothing. He could have got
it if he .had been in the Madras Presidency; but net'
haying Fot it, the government would not give it to him.
fq ihe case of the 3rd rFgiment, the men had got their
clothing, but being discharged prior to the Ist of
January, 186 Q, the Government might take it from
them. They did not do so, however.
The_FP.RENAJI : The government should have treated
all the xegillioßt4 atilta.
The ConoNE4-,lNow, M'Cann, is there anything else
you would like to remark about the voyage or pro-
visions ?
Witness—No, sir. The beef and biscuit were very'
bad. I had a hammock when I got on board, but many
of the men say they never had a hammock. The com-
plaints about it commenced a week after leaving Cal-
cutta. f_Some mf the_ men_ might have " done away-'
with their hammocks; bqt I don't think they would do
it wilfully.. Some of the men who were reported from
the first as not: having lied hammocks, had hammoeks
supplied to them. As far ris the officers could, they did
everything they could to make us comfortable on board,
but in my opinion the ship was overcrowded.
To Mr. FORSHAW—The captain and crew did their
duty well, and we never had any etnarrels with them.
r To the JURY—I heard of plenty of stealing (luring
the voyage. • ,
To Mr. Aerneau,--.We were 'very much annoyed at
the Government, and we did not unz-,--1
erstand being
handed over with the elephants, .. .
To AirlawFonti--,I was a private. I was hospital
erderly comine. home. I was not ill. I had the same
provisions as ale test of the men on board the ship.
To the Suay—l saw some of the biscuits were
camped but .I met say what the stamp was.
Mr. ASPINALL—You were not a drinker ?
Witness-I drank my pay. (Laughter.) I know
there was a good deal of drinking going. on in the depot
at Clliasurah. Some, men in my regiment died from
drink—three died from drink and seven were sober men.
One of them, a young man named Millet,' never drank
1 more than a glass a-day.
Lieutenant Goschen said he believed Millet died of
fever which he caught during the march down the
country ; and that the young man was a steady character,
as McCann had stated. - •
Witness in answer to the jury, said that he had
sufficient clothing when he left India, but he had
to buy it for tlunaelf• He expeeted the Government
would have found him sufficient and proper clothing
before sending him on board the ship.
To Mr. AsPisratr..--Each man was furnished on board
the ship.llY the commanding officer, with two "junipers"
—brown holland and canvas smocks. Many of the
soldiers sold their blankets in expectation that they
would be furnished with proper bedding by the Govern-
ment when they arrived un board the ship, but they
, only got a bed and pillow. If I had not brought mine

of the committees alluded to were td
the handed in t
the coroner). I did not conic on board the ship till tlei
troops had embarked. It was about ten days or a
fortnight after sailing that we fotind out there Was
sonietbing wrong. A cask of beef was diseoter6d to be
bad ; the pork was all good. The 'committee of two
officers 'and the surgeon,condemned the cask ,of beef as
bad. On different occasions the beef and beer were con-
demned. The beer was occasionally short in quantity; and
some times it was unwholesome in quality: undlhad tube
thrown, overboard ;it was sour. The beef was generally
bad. On the 29th of December, a committee was called
to examine the biscuits. I hand in the report 'of the
committee, from which it will be seen that 36,947 lbs.
of biscuits were condemned and thrown overboard; part,
of it was kept as a sort of ballast, and put into the hold,
but the bulk was thrown overboard at the time. We
pia into St. Helena on the 22nd of -January in conse-
quence of this deficiericy in the biscuit. We got a fresh
supply at St. Helena, and there was siifficient to last to
the end of the voyage, within two days of our arrival.
Fresh provisions were laid in for the-sick in hospital at
St. Helena ; there were about 38 sick "in hospital at that
time, but-there were 54 who were also on the sick list,
but not in hospital, ;Probably the:greater part of the!
outside cases were scurvy cases. If we had not taken
in a fresh supply of water at-St.- Helena, we should have
run short of that article. -. As ,it was, on the 4th of
February, all hands were put on a reduced supply of
fresh i water,•-as a deficiency was discovered, in con-
sequence of some of the casks leaking. We had plenty
of lime-juice at St. Helena; there was never any
question of being short of that article,- and it was sup-
plied every day. Both officers and men had their supply
of water cut short when the casks were seen to leak.
Ori the 4th of February we closed the tank on deck
during night, but this was the only limitation 'we made.
then;;" lrfore" this'- each ' iiiati.- edull'd ' 'kink' from
it whenever lie, liked, as iheitit was a tap 04004'0 it.
The next stoppage was on the 10th of February ; we
had constant calms and unfavourable weather, and it
was thought desirable to make a furtheirOduetion. The
supply - was reduced by one-fourth, but the reduction
referred to the water used for cooking only. The tank
on deck was open 'all day for the nice to drink from.
gil the kill} 11l VehrOpy another reclectiori was' Made,
ow a4connt'of the 'leakage OT 'the 'casks, abd' ihe men
Were waieted"to abstain as inghh &a pOs'Aible froni drink
ing the water from the tap at th'e taiik. on deck, The
officers' fresh water washing allowance was taw away;
the soup was stopped in the euddy sonic time; and the
early tea and coTee allowance to the officers was reduced
at the same time. On the 22nd of February the allow-
ance of meat was reduced from 16 oz. to 12 04. to the
utoo. i ttecl 9111 f' ow. 'eqrilyalent 1 extra Os o and 2. OZ.
of 14;:414.0e i. qv+ ; Tt was ordeOd that if 'fair weather
came, 001111 41141w4t1cP Of 140 Olaulithe again served
nit: 0 the 6th or Titan!' the beer was run out, and of
flOilrSe the lisle WO stopped, bat we,issued grog for
three or roar days. We Were without grog or beer for
a few days, and we then re-issued some wine from the
hospital stores---;one dram being issued ,to - each man.
We get this Wine up to within two days, of onr arrival
Jo tott2.----,41* tiro, 01. ),tvgb,-'111),k4 isi:ll. of 'Wine was
stappb,a 'in:' vansetinenat of 'the t loing and rascality
of the men ; some bottles were stolen almost under
the nose of the commanding officer,. and the men got
drunk. All the step a ►es Oplieg to the officers as
weil,aq NI Teti. The ist dell 4 too place on the 13th
of myeroet,-ptir 44: a ,itlftet eM'harkation i two men
died'on tqa,.t '49,i,4R4 qiw mart durirtif that night, The
last death Was an' the Vith of March, 01100 days before
disembarkation, and the bodies were sent to the dead-
house. The . number of men who died during the
voyage was 52, but one of these was drowned by falling
overbeard,. . Noire, of the officers, or the vfo4lo and
ehiltir.pq 401. lq 19sy seTe4' Orin iiitcholera; many
by dyyht.ery ; sev ral'Of theitere'''fietitual. drunkards,
whOSe conkitutiiins 'Cotild 'ntit rally becauSe they were
worn out ft,,V aril*. 4 '}}''tO nnintbei, dipd from atrophy.
lisle 44.6,9r:f 4fill*diemel as far as j linow,; The
ale puce la§EN the whole way ; it was net particularly
good; but there was plenty of it, The Hine juice was
weak, but it Was. certainly not water. Tire report of
the committee on the 2nd of March was read, from
which it appeared that the vinegar, was bad in flavour,
not like malt 9r wine vigegar, w-as of a leaden hue, and
4ellTitM 4.. Ira- s4listanqg , the lime' juice was weak ;
pie . es good,hut apt considered a sufficient preventive
for scurvy, and the so-called preserved vegetables in the
hospital stores were refused by sick; men, and were
found totally unfit for use. The committee expressed ,
their opinion that the anti-scorbutics issued were not
calculated to prevent the appearahce of scurvy.
The general conduct of the men on the voyage was very
good. We had few cases of drunkenness, except on
Christmas Day, when extra grog was issued. At Chin-
siliall an oilier was issoed that any 'nail wishing for his
discharge might have it. The ceetractjfor bringing the
min home was, I believe, £6 a-head.
The ConoNER asked tire witness if be had anything
to sly to the court beyond what he had' already_stated.
The witness said he should like to correct a report
published in one of the papers regarding the watches.
He had heard it stated that the men were kept a week
on watch, and were not allowed to go down for meals.
This statement was totally unfounded. ' '
he CoAorien sakithat was not stated in evidence,
and need not be _referred to.
Mr. AsetNAIA said if any one should make such an
assertion hi court the witness could confect it.

The witness said he had only two months leave, and
wished to leave Liverpool as soon as possible.- He then
read the memorandum of all the guards and watches on
board the ship, and also produced the sanitary report.
By the Jury—l considered the soldiers' when they
were. embarked were 'more sickly than nsual. My
detachment, marched down .freali GwiiJior during the
iains, and we had 9 deaths mit of 400 or 500
men before embarkation. The men were obliged to
.buY their drink at the canteen at Cliinsurah, unless
they chose to buy the country drink, which was much
worse then that found in the canteen. hne of the crew
died on the way, and ohe officer suffered from.dysentery.
The crew had the same sort of meat as the soldiers.
AIL the. Anent men kept their wartne,lohing, but the
111+1.4 sold their clothing at Chinsurah to buy drink.
The pay of the men stopped on the day of embarkation.
I think the ship was properly ventilated. There were
windsails, air-shafts, and the ports were
.kept open. As
the cold weather came on the deaths increased. I don't
think bad food had anything to do with the sickness on
board. ' •

on board with, me I would have bedn like many others
—dead by -this time. . _
At this stage, Dr. Inman, Lieut. Prior, -.R.N., Lieut.
Burehier, R.N.,, and Mr. Brntypi,, (Kearns I3rown)
were appeint4a.bOard of survey, to survey and report
upon the remaining stores on board the Great Tasmania,
for-the information of the Seeretart of Stnte for India
in Council.
Mr. PRYTIIERCII, house surgeon at the Workhouse,
,said thine were about 1.113 men in the.hospital now; and
there tnight, perhaps,; =be one or two who could be
brought down to the hall in a car.
Mr. CARR said.• Dr. Gee- informed him that none of
the men ought to be brought out at present.
Mr. Pwrrntitcll said' he would go up to the work-
house and select one or two men who might be brought
down.
The court adjourned for a short time.
George Bradford was the first witness examined on
the re-assembling of the court. He said—l was corpo-
ral
in the 3rd Bengal European Regiment. I came home
in the Great Tasmania from Calcutta. I left Calcutta,
in pretty good health, and I was very well off for clothing..
I had every reason to find faith with the stores. lye first.
found fault - with, the stores about a week or ten
days-After we. left Calcutta. The meatp was...had, a
great deal of the salt, beef smelling. The biscuits I
were bad, and full of maggots. The peas that we had. I
were condemned; they could irot•be boiled by the cooks.
I was appointed corporal Of a mess, in which there were
nine privates and one corporal ; ar.d only one man and
the corporal had hammocks supplied to thent, oc had
anv place to hang them in. lyere consequently
without hatnnAoplts on Itoc, 0,611 kom tileg M
racles. They stole (hem from one. EknotlAe., I had no
place'to hang my bareineck, and had lay it an the
deck,or mess' tahk, or any Ow 1., maid fin q,
repot* till§ (Weer on duty,. but it, WAS rioi
remedied, and it continued in the same wav tin whole of
the voyage, I had no sickness th6'Seurvy came onone
about a, month ogo. The surgeon attended me, and
I Illid medicines from him. Every. attentAen was paid
to Ine, so far as I ‘ya;:, ritta,etced by the disease,
both by t 4 4ocior and the, other officers. We were
put upon a short allowAtiee, Of. I?ter.aboet three weeks
or .a Month hetore we arrived ln, port and we were
short of beef, too, about the same time. I never saw
any 'of tilq tt f that vas condemned thrown overboard,
it was put back in the hold again; but I 'dare say if we
had had none condemned we should have had enough for
the voyage. The beer ran out.
By Mr. ForshaW.z—My mess was close to tbo
luain-
hatchway ou the middle deck. 'Dr, men in my
mesa all ktoly hammocks.A 14k 4tinirnOck was stolen
from me seUgli (A 'the vs gage. It was a case of
stealing;mittnal and they stole not for a lark, but for
ectinfctrt,,

the ,Tury.—The ship was very crowded, but tlk
men could tell their messes very well. If the whole of
the hammocks for all the men had to be put un +bora
. .47 .
was not room for them.
A long discugiou 119.0 top)CpAacte, op the question of
prof:sec-4e, Mr,: F-orkhaw contendiug that it would be
much more convenient that the coroner should examine
the witnesses, that' the jury should then InA 40,y ques-
tions they thought necessary, wild t legal; gentlemen
follow by a cross-exat4tatimi at. OW witneaieii. The
foreman of the jury pro, 44 that such a course would
not tend to ellett' the whole truth, which they were; by
their oatils liottrid to ascertain. A discussion of half-an-

hour on this point ended in nothing practical.
The witness, in answer to a juryman, said nig got
lime-juice every day, and that it was spu‘, but tbai it
would have been better if OM 10 iotd more
To Mi. Asilinall complaint made to the
orderly sergeant was'' not attended tot the na lye my
iftitflo—comptiu to file 40 404 Ett any
time complain to Vic} gtani of* W4il( of books or
hammocica for. luy we
The incimiry Os adjourned at six o'clock until this
day (Tileoday,) •

LICENSED VICTUALLERS ASSOCIAT-1-0.

A special meetiu,g, of the committee of this Association
was held, yesterday morning, in the Asylum, 'West
Derby-road. The meeting was called for the purpose of
considering the Chancellor of the Exchequer's bill for
extension of wine and spirit licenses to refreshment
housei. Mr: H. Lumb presided, and the other members
present were—Messrs. Coward, Hornby, Porter, Cum-
min, Batten, Thornton, and Gaulton.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said that,
from the assurances which the Chancellor n the Ilx-
chequer gave the depotatioo that waited upon him, the
Licensed yictitallers did not expect to he again called
together on the subject, Those who had read the bill
now before the House of Commons must have been
struck with its importance as affecting most injuriously
the interests of the Licensed Victuallers. It would,.in
fact, destroy the very foundation of their business.
There was nothing whatever in the -bill that—could
possibly prevent every beer-hotise in the 'eonntry from
applying for and obtaining q *use tq sell wines. If
this measure
.was; alicNed tq pass, not fully would the
thin end. of the wedge be introduced, hot the most im-
portant art of their business would be entirely thrown
open. or his_ own part, he would say that he
had lost all confidence in the ,Chancellor of the
Exchequer.' In the interview which their deputation
had with the Chancellor he led them to understand that
the 16th: resolution would be seriously modke444----in
fact, he went so far as to give them a pledge that in
order to obtain a license apAlica4on to the magistrates
should be reggitiO °I lint now, when the hill appears,
no stwll application is necessary. The slight regulation
which had been introduced was 'quite' thutErCient to
protect the 'licensed victuallers, and they must 'therefore
give their most determined opposition to the bill.
Several resolutions would be submitted to the com-
mittee, and he had no doubt they would be. 'warmly
received. The first subject he wonld call. attention
to was a memorial froft-114e' licensed victuallers of
England tq the thane,ellor of the Exchequer. He
concluded by calling upon the secretary to read the
memorial as follow :

. .
MEMORIAL OF THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS OP ENGLAND
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE IRE CHANCELLOR OF

THE EXCHEQVER.
In committee on the Customs Acts, Mr. Icer Seymont pro-
pose§ to aid to the lath resolution a nroyision • -
" That it shall be lawful for. spirit merchants, on pappent
Of an additional lice,r4 fee of ;WCI glimeas, to sell spirits in
bottle 4 I•inlitaiaing not _less than one-sixth part of a gallon ;
such spirits no: to be consumed on the premises."
It is further proposed by Government virtually that every
retail, to be consumed on their premises.
person who chooses to apply for a license may sell wine by
we claim at the hands of ministers that protection in the
peaceable pursuit of our lawful calling to which every orderly
citizen and loyal subject is entitled. We represent interests
which directly concern upwards of fifty millions of property,
aid maintain upwards of one million of the British people, and
indirectly affect a much larger amount, and involve much
greater numbers. Yet it please kiarliainent o,nd Government
never to leave ns alone. We, are perpetually disturbed by
threats of change, or by Actual experiments. We arc, made
the victims of endless fiscal crudities, and'irksome restrictions.
No sooner are we 'settled down in patient stilmnission to these
inflictions, than our prospects are overclouded and our trade
materially injured by a renewal of the some restless tamper-
ing with its details. We have to submit to soldiers being
billeted cu; us ; to the discmtionary interference of the magis-
tracy ; to the domiciliary superintendence of the constabu-
lary and excise; to a partial restriction as to hours imposed
on no other class; to heavy payments for licenses, and virtually
to the burden of collecting from the people the greater portion
of the vast revenue drawn from beer, spirits, and wine. We
are bound by law to open our houses to every stiliaect who
chooses to seek accommodation ; we are made responpile for
the security of all property deposited in our premises; and in
return for all this we are constantly made the sport of legisla-
tion; or, what is perhaps even more hurtful, of the threat of ;
it. No trade can bear up against this perpetual tinkering I
interference; and, once for all, we earne Aly entreat that
there may be an end of it : that we may know 'the
worst, and be no longer made • the subjects of a coarse
of policy which unsettles everything and settles nothing.
It was distinctly NT •'the fancied private benefit of
the persons engaged to shipping, the colonial trade and
agriculture, that these powerful interests obtained for them- . selves a privileged protection ; it was withdrawn 'on the
express ground that it was injurious to the recipients, enhanced
the necessaries of the poor, and, by obstructing interchange, •
injuriously trenched upon the rights of other subjects. But
we sought no protection. Our privileges were thrust upbn
us by the legislature, not for our, • but for the public
advantage. We found the licensing "tifstom • we did not
make it. Had our trade been left free by the State—,had
Government not made the licensed victitalleis a mere conve-
nience of the magistracy, police, and revenue authorities, and
compelled them to accept a pm-ilegoil protection: as the only
condition on which sveru permitted to -carryon their busi-
nes., is would have been infinitely to our. advantage to have
started in trade in free competition, without being taxed by
l premiums for fur respective licenses—sinking sums
varying from £5OO ~ to the enormous aggregate
amount of upwards of £50,000,000. It is not pretended that
any other system would supply the commodities infwlaich
cleal, better or cheaper. These consist not of the neee ries,
but the luxuries of life. They do not embraoellie raw mate
rials of manufacture,' or obstruct the free interchange
Of trade.
They are composed of articles in regard to the distributionof
which restrictions, regulations, and 'magisterial control have
for centuries been recognised as essential to public morals,
good order, and the protection of the revenue. The policy
of Parliament made the law, created the privilege, attached that
value to the property we were forced to buy at the price t. which
it Was enhanced by the Legislature itself. Government
has tionipensated slave owners, proctors, chancery clerks,
even the palace court-practitioners. It has respected the goad
fortune of every sinecurist, recognised the title of the bene:
ficiary •of every venerable abuse. Are our vested interes.s
alone to be confiscated without compensation i Are we to be
deliberately robbed of rights purchased and paid for to the
value of many millions, and our claim to an equivalent con-
temptuously ignored I If it be for the public ad antage that
our privileges should be taken from us, let them be honestly
paid for. The law itself compelled us to sink our capital in
the investment. The law that strips it of its value must
provide for our reimbursement.

•
The-retail 'sale of spirits and wine is the prop and mainstay
of the business of the licensed victualler. Without Oka-profits.
the license yields, the business of the hotel, and especially of
the country innisepet, would be in great measure unprofit-
able. It must fall into the hands of a lower and less respect-
able class, **Ole, 'having nothing else to lose by the-loss -of-F.
license rendered valueless, and having invested no capital in
the purchase of the lease of licensed premises, enter into no
available recognisances to the magistrates to keep decency and
order, and give no security to the revenue to observe its lasts.
It is notorious that the edict of the Praetor Nautce Caupones
Stabularii, adopted by our law from that of Rome, had its
origin in the fact that unprivileged innkeepers, stablers. and
carriers in ancient times were found to be in league with thieyes
for the plunder of their guests. It is essential to the security of
the property, and to the accommodation, oi-the travelling public,
especially in country places, that the profits of i he hotel and inn-
keeper should be such as to afford guarantees of his responsibility
peconiarily, and his respectability morally, that he should be
selected-in-the first instance by the magistrates who know hiok,
and remain constantly under their necessary superviaion. To
pass the measures proposed by Mr. Seymer oncl the Chancel*
of the Exchequer. would destroy the profits of the re-speetable
innkeeper, and thereby niaterisity affect the travelling security
of foreign strangers, and the comfort of the community, Millions
worth of the property of the wayfaring public are daily entrusted
to the custody of licensed victuallers, who are by law responsible
for its safety, and by their capital enabled to meet the loss. Is
it wise to degrade the position of a class so essential to the public
accommodation, by the destruction of their profits ?,
If the real aim of the provisions we object to be to proclaim
free trade in the retail of wine and spixits, and to abolishthe
magisterial licensing system, let it be done honestly and openly.
Let the House of Commons know -distinctly that the broad
question is • put in issue. Let as know ishat as to be our fate,
and put us out of pain either of the suspense of hope, or of the
fear -of- ruin. Do not- nibble away our property- by inapee.
ceptible degrees, or in, driblets which surely exhaust us at last,
but do not warn us sufficiently to, prepare us to meet ow posi-
tion. The pretext of carrying out the policy of free trade is
transparent y disingenuous. It isnot free trade to, let one man
retail wine and another beer, while each is prohibited from
vending the other. It 'is not free
trade to prevent one man
from selling less than one-sixth of a g.
allon of spirits, and to
allow. another to do it ; to require a license from the brewer,
but none from the baker ; partially to restrict the publican in
his hours, but allow the grocer to keep open if he pleases, the
whole four-and-twenty. The measures equally of Mr. Seymer
and Mr. Gladstone are a virtual acknowledgment that the
vending of fermented liquors is a case totally exceptional to
that of any other business requiring restriction Mid control,
for the security of the revenue, of public Mier,' and of social
morality. If the principle of fl'ee t. AO- •is *mired in
reference to this branch 4f enterprise, why is it constantly
conjured op to he thrown at the licensed victuallers'? If °At
business is to be subjected to the competition common to other '
trades, why are we alone taxed heayily every year fox a
license?. Why have we to ask and to pay for leave to earn a
living, when the butcher and the baker are left to, trade with-
out impeclinatot 3 There is a sound distinction raised by the
legislature betwixt ontaxed nemosaries, and the taxed luxuries
a-sonitasl ctohjeofurrepvrenejuudte,l2tl Ito 6:
.gurf liffr,arieherionlefi,lomtiedthtoe
wstateexccierapvi
be treated as coming under the category
ebrdnuln-tonll .othets .
callings, whenever we plead the exception in our favour
Ore there not a sufficient number of our establishments open
for public accommodation, and to guard it against the evils of
monopoly? Is titers any pretext for imputing social inconve-
nience to the present system 1 The complaints of the com-
munity are all the other way, that there are too many of us,
tkat the temptations to debauchery are already too great, that
the present amount of competition tempts too many to anordi- ,