The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-28 00:00:00

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' PRO-
POSED CONFERENCE AT NOTTINGHAM.
(From the Birmingham Advertiser.)
An important meeting of delegates, appointed by
the licensed victuallers throughout the kingdom, at
the suggestion of the Licensed Victuallers' Protection
Society of Birmingham, and other societies of many
large boroughs, will assemble at the central town of
Nottingham, on Tuesday, the Bth January next, for'
the purpose of determining on an address to both
Houses of Parliament, and of adopting such mea-
sures as may fully expose the monstrous injustice
certain contemplated changes in the laws relating to
their trade would inflict upon them, and of organis-
ing such plans as may tend best to preserve their
interests. "*

It appears that two most important innovations (for
such they are) are sought to be effected with respect
to matters of vital consequence to this great branch
of trade, and we feel called upon to make a few re-
marks thereon. In the first place, then, it is an-
nounced " that it is in contemplation to apply the
clauses of the Metropolitan Police Act to large
towns." The effect which the extension of this Act
to all large boroughs will produce, has been thus
briefly, and, in our opinion, correctly:described:—
The peculiarity of the Metropolitan Act, as affect-
ing the interests of the trade in country towns, is this
—that all houses within the boroughs proposed to be
included, must be shut up at twelve o'clock on Satur-
day night, and not to be opened until one on Stfinday
afternoon ; thus driving persons requiring accommo-
dation during that period to coffee-houses, or others
of a disreputable character, or to such as are situated
without the borough, and not within the jurisdiction
of the magistrate. The effect of this must be obvious
—it will deprive the established trade of a consider-
able portion of its fair and legitimate business, and
have no other result to any party than the injury
of the present proprietor of houses situated Within
boroughs.
We give place to no public journalist in our advo-,
cacy of the proper observance of the Sabbath, and, if
we thought this measure likely to do away with any
portion of its desecration, it should have our warns
support. But to us it appears but a choice of evils ;
travellers and others (a numerous class, it is to be
feared) make this day too often subservient to worldly
cares and worldly business, and, unless a general law
be passed prohibiting Sunday travelling and Sunday
trading in toto, it is idle and worse than useless to at-
tempt these partial forbiddings. Driven from decent
and respectable inns and taverns,,the keepers of which
are well known, responsible, and ofteptimes most
worthy and conscientious persons—the traveller, the
wayfarer, the hungry, and the thirsty, must resort to
some coffee-house, or perhaps low place of light and
disgraceful character, for the necessary rest or the in-
dispensable refreshment. Besides, by the law now in
force, all licensed places of public entertainment, such
as hotels, taverns, &c., are closed during the hours of
•Divine service. But, as in immediate connexion
with this branch of our argument, and most intimately
connected with the working of the prohibitory part
to which we have just alluded, what, we ask, will be
thought of the following clause, which is also to form
a part of the new measure ?
It is proposed to empower whosesale dealers; or
any persons taking from the Excise the requisite
licenses, to sell wines and spirits in so small quan-
tities as a reputed quart bottle (actually less than
three half-pints).
Shut out, as would be the case by such an enact-
ment, from inns and taverns, on the Saturday
night and the Sunday morning, the traveller or
the public-house visitor, at the very next door
could and would be received as a guest,
a friend, or relation, and there might legally
obtain wines and spirits sufficient to satisfy the wants
of nature, or administer to intoxication. Let us here
remark, however, that beyond the abuse of the pro-
posed privilege, the advantage (?) goes not a step
further. At these new " wine and spirit, vaults,"
which would abundantly start into legal existence ire
all the squares, streets, and alleys, hamlets, and vil-
lages in the empire, where would the occasional fre-
quenters find either proper security or necessary
accommodation ? We ask, is the publican, with
these fearful odds against him, still to be expected to
furnish extra accommodation at all hours ?, Is no
reduction contemplated in the amount at present paid
for his licenses ? Are all his burdens to remain ?
Are soldiers still to be billetted upon him ? and is he
to fight against a host of fresh opponents and enemies,
shackled as before ?

Leaving out of the question the moral effect of
opening a multitude of new gin-shops in every quar-
ter, without requiring the sanction of the local ma-
gistrates, it is a fact well known that, from the arti-
cles wines and spirits (both, let it be remembered, in
a cold, wet, and uncertain climate like ours, in con-
stant requisition) :is derived a very considerable por-
tion of the profits of the licensed victuallers:-..T0 re-
duce these without a manifest and imperative public
want as regards their supply, would be such a wanton
exercise of legislative power as ought not, and must
not, be tamely submitted to. We are gratified, then, to
find thkt, sufficiently alive to this wholesale jeopardis-
ing of their interests, and determined respectfully,
yet firmly, to resist this attempted inroad upon their
first sources of legitimate profit, the licensed vic-
tuallers of England are about to respond to the call
of their brethren in Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds,
Sheffield, and other large towns, and send delegates
to join them in conference, on Tuesday week, at N ot-
tingham—then and there to discuss calml.yjsuid dis-
passionately the proposed new enactments.