The Sun.
London, England, 1818-07-15 00:00:00

tin of Order, tie opitnan of the company tieing apinst the
topics he wished to urge, be gave them up.
Mr. HoLMEs cob! ended that Mr. Beaumont had
much over-rated the sums said to be given for licensed houses.
He doubted Whether 10001. was often given fur a house that
sold eight butts per month; the ordinary price was 4001. or
3001. But ht had entirely left out the other and greater part
of the profit which arose from spirits. He therehre held
out asielosion, when he sivel that the profits arose from beer.
The :sleeting should therefore pause before thee eau), ti a re-
solution that one penny per pot in beer would be saved by
abolishing the licensing system. The sums given for estab-
lished public-houses were not for the license, but for the
good-will, the custom having been increased by the last
occupier; tit4d he had a right to make saeli a profit by his
industry. The persons most injured by the licensing system
were the publicans and the brrwer4 !—( Loud roars of laugh-
ter.).--It. was wrong to implieate the Brewers in the licensing
system ; they had nothing. to do with it, and as to mix-
ing noxious drugs with their beer, it had been shewn that
only one great Brewer had been convicted in six years;
and instead of a monopoly, it bad turned out that there was
the most active competitiou amongst them; while those whose
houses were of the greatest magnitude were of most be-
nefit to the public. Was it then necessary to attack the
Brewers because the licensing SyStCM was an evil. He denied
that the profits of the Brewers were so great as had been
stated I,y Nlr. lie,usmoot. For wear and tear, casks, &c.
there ote.:lit to, he an addition of es. 6d, per barrel, which
would reduce their profits to only Is. a barrel. The Brewers
wished the licensing system to be reeked, and it aught to he
known that the worst Brewers were the greatest purchasers
of !muses. He then gave the following statement, sheaving
the proport Om of public-houses belunging to brewers in towu
and conniiy:—

..... .
ID Lon,kw, the number. ~f Licenced Houses was 4,2.17
Of ‘s Web there wen: held by Brewers

• Fiee, liciuses
In the Cnitntry
nelotigipe; ti, firCIVitTS .

Free 'lnuit.,
The greatest proportion of Brewers' houses in the conktry
in those counties which were nearest to London. lie would
wish it to be enacted, that no Brewer should hereafter bold
the lease of a public-house; that is, after the present teases
had expired, which by opening competition would cure the
el complained of, by compelling the small llrewers to make
good beer.
desultory sort of debate ensued, in which Mr. C. PITT,
Mr. LEM .time, some Publicans, Mr. JAG°, and others, ex-
pressed their abhorrence of the injustice done to publicans by
caking away licenses on account of the political principles of
the holders, and recommended a Petition for a law that no
titan should be so deprived without trial by Jury.
Mr. BEAutkinNy then replied to the rations ob-
jections that had been urged ; and Mr. D. KINNAI an recom-
mended that no time should be lust in taking the business
out of the bands,of corrupt Magistrates. Other• Resolutions
were then agreed to, stating it to be the opinion that, beer
would be sold at bd. per pot if the trade were free; that the
extra price was equal to a levy of 850,000:. on the industrious
classes, and 4,000,0001. on the inhabitants generally; that it
be recommended to introduce a clause into any legislative
proceeding-that may be adopted •to secure to the puhlican the
right of trial; and that a deputation of the Committee do
wait urn the Nlemints for London, Westminster, antLthe Bo-
rough, Sir Francis Bartlett, and Sir Samuel Romilly, Sir
Robert ‘t ilson, and Mr. Waithinan, to request them to fa-
vour the Committee with their powerful exertions to obtain
for thy British Public a free trade in beer, and an ameliora-
tion of the present system of arbitrary licensing.
These being all Ilnatiinlowly carried, and thanks
being voted to the Chairman, the Meeting broke
up at five o'clock.