The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-07-08 00:00:00

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facilitie Aenness being afforded by a continual
increase of Licensed Houses, for the sale of Ale and
Spirits, within the said Borough, is one main cause of
such alarming demoralization of a great poi don of its la-
bouring population.
That the prohibition against Selling Ales and Liq
in the Morning of the Sabbath Day, has had, undoubt-
edly, the effect of considerably reducing the number of
disorderly and criminal cases brought before the Stipen-
diary Magistrate„ for adjudication, on Monday mornings ;
as has also the plan, pretty generally adopted, of paying
wages on Friday evenings ; but that, notwithstanding
such diminution of Police cases on Monday mornings—
from the above two causes, it is a lamentable fact, as the
records of the Gaol and main Bridewell will amply tes-
tify, that depravity and crime are still alarmingly on the
increase throughout the municipality.
Tbat your Petitioners have noticed, with unmitigated
surprise and doubt, the great and unnecessary increase,
annualiy, of Licensed Spirit Houses within the said Bo-
rough ; and beg to state, that more than 300 new Licenses
have been granted within the last few years, through pri-
vate and political interests. which ought not to possess
any sway whatever in a matter so seriously involving the
morals and habits of the community.

That the number of Licensed Victuallers within the
said )3orough is 1400; whilst in the almost equally popu-
lous Towns of Manchester and Birmingham, there are
only about 600 in each town, so licensed ; and, from
some unaccountable cause, no disposition appears to exist,
with the present Magistracy, for decreasing the number
thereof in too thickly licensed districts, by removing
some of those Licenses to enlarged and extending neigh-
hourboods—but that, on the contrary, numerous new
Licenses have not only been granted, but upwards of 200
more Licenses are now being applied for.
That your Petitioners humbly conceive, that such con-
tinual increase of Licensed Spirit Houses is not only a
great cause of the numerous infractions against the laws
prohibiting the sale .of Spirits and Ale at improper and
untimely hours, but bath also begot, and is secretly be-
getting, a- fixed habit of drunkenness, in all ages and
classes of society—males and females, that cannot be
otherwise considered than as mainly productive of that
systematic increase of vice and of poverty which your
petitioners most deeply deplore, and now set forth.
That your Petitioners have hailed, with high satisfac-
tion and heartfelt pleasure, the gptsfifying disposition
evinced by your Hottourable House, for the amelioration
and improvement of the condition and wends of the peo-
ple, and therefore most earnestly
Pray that your Honourable House will be most gra-
ciously pleased to take into consideration this their
Petition, for a suppression or discontinuance of ,:he
increased grants for new Public Houses within the
said Borough. in order that the intentions and de.
sires of your Petitioners may be thereby promoted,
by a cgnsequent diminution of irregularity and
habitual drunkenness within the said Borough.—
And )plir Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever
pray.