Star.
London, England, 1831-06-21 00:00:00

NEW BEER TRADE

THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS AND THE

To osse of the New Oases.

LITTII 111.

auxx 20.

Notwithstanding the reverence with which we English
mention " a Jury of our countrymen," as the most equita.
bit tribunal for settling disputes between man and man, and
the deference all manner of persons pay to a verdict delivered
by twelve honest eitisens, yet is this feeling crested rather
by comparison with the un-Saxon foal sestentio of the Jus
t►nian Code, than any belief entertained of sage immaculacy
residing in the minds of persons who happen to be pricked
annually as " Jurors for our Lord the King." So just is
this solution of our fatuity as regards these inquests, that
we frequently find different juries cnming to opposite con-
clusions upon the same evidence, and often witness applies.
dons to our Judges for new trials, in consequence of such

erroneous decisions ; what is more, we sometimes observe
those grave magnates reverse its tom, the solemn determina-
tions of unbiassed dozens, pronouncing " to the best of their
judgment " upon pious testimony, which has been sifted to
the dregs for their edification by opposing counsellors. I
also recollect one case of the foreman of a jury (vireo 1800)
being tried, and himself convicted by another jury, for hav-
ing performed his duty offensively to the magistrates of that
period, though he acted humanely and justly, according to
general opinion. Many more cases might be adduced. to
prove that juries are but men, and that justices do not shake
of their humanity upon receiving the commands as eel as
such, in granting licenses, in. keeping the peace, and exer-
cising the other functions of magisterhd antbority,—so con.
genial to our natures is the power of controlling the actions
of others. Hence, we can perceive nothing very won.
derful in the late important interference of a Grand Jury or
two (which always includes a portion of magistrates) in mat.
ten not falling exactly within the sphere of their duty as
jurors, but tallying exactly with the resentment they must
feel towards a measure of policy, which deprives them of
the only patronage they possess as magietrates. In this
view of the case, the petitions lately presented to the House
of Lords (only) may be candidly set down as the opinions of
so many biassed individuals venting their spleen against the
new Beer Traders, and the act of parliament which con.
'dented them such. Thus do the two petitions from Bogner-
set, one from Worcestershire, and another not named, pre.
sented by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, lose their vital
sting, and become the mere harmless effusions of the per-
turbed persons whose signatures they bear, though found
sufficient to rouse a few of " the House" against you ; and
this in such a manner as, I must own, being accessory to
the other, menacing annoyances to which you a►e now sub-
jected, may in time bring about fresh enactmentafor crippling
your trade; unless the evil spirit of misrepresentation be
met with the flambeau of truth, and the pawky whinings of
a few half-English souls among us, experience manly
rebuke.

At Warwick Assizes, the quo amino of those persona, was
rendered still more flagrant by the counter-charge of the
learned Judge. He had " heard of no tumultuous u-
semblages, no riotous proceedings, no special commissions,
in this part of the country 1" yet did the Magistrates retire
from his presence, and assert that " the late Beer Ad had
the effect of increasing Drunkenness, Gambling, and
Dostichersc..,
Yes, yes; the Magistrates find that their contend over
public-house property is fast slipping through their fingers i
but the truly inefficient means they have taken to avert that
necessary event, will have the contrary effect of making
them, (according to a homely phrase,) " cut their own
throats—" a piece of personal retrlbudon here on earth, wbkh
actually betel the clanfratais Witsldee of Licessing
Magistrates last year !

Doubtless, a jury of infalUbles returned a good family 'M-
illet i but, for my part, I happen to know that the disclosure
of certain licensing corruptions led the way to this hapless
as of justice, which he is said to have performed with pre.
chime which his profession ambled him so execute equal to
the tact of a C This simple ought not to be
lost upon the Somerset petitkwers, nor be thrown away upon
those of Worcester, nor, indeed, on the Greenwich junto of
cheerless wishes; for it is, indeed and indeed, a way of
Awing of that is quite in keeping with the miseries entailed
upon the coming generation (see my first letter for them by

name) by the adulterations to which licensed victuallers an- I
necessarily driven, to reimburse themselves the money paid
for obtaining their licensed houses, or for tbs transfer of
them from band to hand. And, let me ask, are such

abominations to continue P Is the law whirl inflicts
all this misery upon a population of millions of hard-work-
ing mechanics, any longer to deform the statute book P
Rather, I should apprehend, that an enlightened Adminis-
tration and a reformed Parliament will extend the beneficent
provisions of the act which created your trade:—fa what
way this is to be done, let us ingulrelhereafter. Before we
gull 1, the lords' petitioners," I may as well tell you of a
fact connected herewith, that comes exactly within my put.
view, as regarding one of the many satellites of the licence
vendors. A neighbour of mint—a very strict church-goer to
chapel—who is something of a secretary to a bench of
licensers, and has thereby much talk to interpose, upon the
usual perambulatory visit to the hotiies of persons applying
for licenses, expects twenty pounds to be deposited at
his office by every aspirant " victualler." and he inva-
riably receives that sum, or mote, at his fee. Will
this man petition, think you, my ancient friend. Indeed be
ought, or he will lose his fees ; and if he do, it will not
avail him, I guess; none but silly feeds: and:arrant knaves
will hereafter give fees for new licences to poison the public,
those hams they already occupy Wig reduced to the con-
dition of anstre—l mean Will Shakespeare's-" dumps so
dull and heavy." So you perceive, Sk, that' those grand
jury petitions, view them how we may, do Doer carry much
weight with them. Although we nay not, nader all the
circumstances, treat them as so much waste paper or takes
parchments, I think the Lord Chancellor's remarks, on the
14th of April, have shamed these petitioners a little; and
we may upset to hear him tell those magistrates, 'wh:n
next the topic is broached in his house, that the proper mode
of answering a circular sent by a Secretary of State, is not
by petitioning parliament. Though his Lordship may not
exactly employ the language of King Arthur to his Cour.
tiers, this is no reason why I should not, exulting as I do
at the bile I have created, in public adakeratets, as evinced
by their mouthpiece of the daily press.
Petition me no petitions—
The man who frowns to-day, skill lose his bead,
That he may have no face to frown withal."

MR. PITT'S OPINION OF THI CRIMINAL
LASHI.—" So deeply was Mr. Pitt convinced of the
improper severity of our laws, that, to my know-
ledge, that distinguished person had it in contem-
plation to submit the whole of our penal code to the
revision of some able lawyers, for the purpose of
digesting a plan to diminish the sanguinary nature
of its punishments—so inconsistent with thejustice
and humanity for which dais cenutry is peculiarly
.illstingaidsed."—Mr. Wilberforce's speech in the
House of Commons, Feb. 9, 1810.