The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-17 00:00:00

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THE' LIdENSING SYSTEM.

To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled-
The humble PETITION of the undersigned MAGISTRATE°,
acting in and for the Parish of ST. JAMES'S, WVI"
MINSTER, Sheweth,
That the present discretionary power of licensing. Public,:
houses is wholly ineffectual for the purpose of keeping sueLl
houses in good order, but that it has a most pernicious effect D.
rendering property insecure, and in producing monopolies in the
supplying of the Public with Beer, and consequently of en-
hancing its price, and reducing its quality. It is ineffectual for
the purpose of checking disorders, because Ist, it yields but
one measure of punishment for the most trifling fault, ;or the
deepest crime, viz. the refusal of the annual license : because,
2dly, the power is only in operation on one day anima*
whence offences committed soon after that day are not cogot'
zable under the above power for nearly a year in which time,
if the misconduct be not forgotten or forgiven, punishment is
easily eluded by changing the' tenant because, idly, it the
licence be forfeited, it is not the tenant whO materially sutler',
but the house owner, . who may be innocent. It renders po-
perty insecure, because the grant or refusal of a licence is de:.
pendent upon the uncontrollable will of the licensers, who, 11
is proved, have sometimes refused upon corrupt motives, gutd.
by such unjust refusal a Victualling-house, provided at gretr
cost, may not only be rendered worthless, but an estate may we
depopulated for want of that necessary convenience.
It produces monopoly, and consequently; enhances the price
or reduces the quality of Beer, or both, because the large sums
paid to individuals for the privileged or licensed stations, can
only be repaid by such means. In this averment your
tioners are supported by the-Report of the Committee of your
Honourable House on the price and quality of Beer, made in
1819, which says, " That a Breweiy supported' by purchased
licensed houses must deteriorate their Beer ; that the practice is
increasing, and thatthe pool. must be contented with such liquor
as is retailed at licensed houses, whatever may be the quality,
the price, or the measure.
The excess of price hereby occasioned, your Petitioners re-
present, operates as a poll-tax upon almost every man in the
country ; but it bears most heavily upon the most laborious
part of the community—one penny per, quart additional wring-
mg from them a portion 'of their earnings sufficient to pay for
their rent, the clothing of their families, or the support of
child ; and, in the aggregate, amounting to in annual levy 01
above four millions sterling—to a revenue equal to that of the
British Government no longer since than in the reign of George
the First. -

Your Petitioners therefore.submit, that their. power of con-
trouling miscondUcted PUblic-houses, and of licensing nevi
houses, as the public wants may require, ought 9ot to be On'
fined to one day in the year. •
They also submit, that the refusal of licences, nd the pep!!
decisions of Magistrates against Victuallers, ought not to be
exempt from appeal.
They further submit that; with. due precautions adoptedsl"
check misconduct immediately, and to prevent the opening
Public-houses in improper places, .the right of a free trade in •
Beer may be restored, with incalculable advantage to the ill'
dustrious classes, and-without any danger to the public peace
or morals.
They also,submit that,. if it be deemed expedient and just
with
restrict the opening of new houses, which might compete
those already established, that end would be most beneficial
accomplished by imposing a.iduty,, payable to Government, o
the licence to such houses. '
Your Petitioners submit the above propositions to the ,w";
dom and paternal care of yOur Honourable 'House, in the OP
that your Honourable House may restore-to the Public, gerl;
rally, the right of a free trade in Beer, to the Victualler,
particular, the: protection of laws instead of the wills of in
viduals.—And your. Petitioners wilLever pray. . ~.• •
• (Signed) J. 1% BARBER BEAUMONT,
SAMUEL -JACKSON,- -
'GEORGE ALDERSON.