Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-30

their rights and privileges.
The following lucid remarks on the progress
Of incompetence, are from charge to tnr
Grand Jury Of the Myers Cour' of Philadcl
phia, OH the 7, h inst. by JOSEPH M'llvAlNE Esq
ct is usual for our Couts W EN- speaking Of
the #; nee uf keeping Tipping houc, %
ex ,.lain TO The Grand Jury i'se.il huence or
the peace and morals Of The oommu niiy, aad
2ausing to survey the melanr holy ,ra,rs OF the
prog'es of 'n,emperant 70 draw thence an
argument for additional vigilance in de'-t,i g
Of ndsrs, aud increased rigor IN enior ing the
pcra,ty. In doing SO they d.scha &c most
imporf ant duty, and they seldom fl tn Xci'e
IN the minds Of the Grand Jury correspond
ing zeal for this branch Of ne public service.
On the present OCCASION he subject vii! be
viewed under an aspect som what dit rent.
the act OF January, 1919, imposing PEN
atty Of so doHHs, upon he retai'er, Of v'nous
or spiii,uous liq.ors without iiceosr, aud sew
eral acts OF Assembly which invest this Court
with the control tavern llct nses, and whilh
pr, scribe certain regulations Tor the gosern-
ment OF keepers cots i'u'e he whole ar
NOR off nsive and defensive with Which Cur S
and Jurirs are sent forth 10 ares. the marco
Of int.mperance. In the use f The Sc mrans
they arc bound by every consideration OF duty
and Of ibteres, 10 be 'ig'lan: and aou'e. IL
Is -spe tally he duty Of the Court TO exercise
grea, caution in he granting OF IL enses, 10
check heir increase ard as Tar as rs consistent
wi Justice individ"als, 10 diminish their
numher--to listen wi h tentioL to every COM
plant of irregular coDdue' and rr"mp'ly 10 Wis
j. esch instance with II, a pr p ate discipline.
From this Vigorous cn-ope o. OF Courts md
l.. oE IL -
reasonably b. expected ccrr.iniy enough 10
kinde the ardor Of al concern in The admin
lstra ION Of JUSTICE Blu sui the benefit like
the means mus Of necessity be par lal- must
be confine 20 the vindlca,ion of exte'nal de
cency-i' cannot reach The radio al Gisessc IN
The moral constitution of the COMM, ity, which
has been so properly styled he p,ren' OF all
crimes. The un ,s,ist-d arm Of law the mere
force Of punishment haze utterly failed '"ry
musl ever fail TO check he evil In dth ince
If the Sc, il has coninu, 10 extend VITA por-
'en,uous rapidity i S victims /" a
"a IT, far exceeding he increase Of our p pu-
la,io"--unt,i a question has arisen 81 serious
urs, ncy: whether our cnuntry heucrtor' shall
really d, free, or shall yield 10 desporism
whic while il subdne> her energies aud *
acts IN enormous iibulc of her weai', Is an
nusly conducting thousands Of her citizens 10
an Ienomini"us grave.
"R Citing men are, not without reason,
alai med at re prospect before us. n" morals
Of h. ma ion tn stability Il GU" institutions /;
The character Of the republic, are all IN Jeo-
psrdy Were we old ihal an invader had land
I'd on our coast, or that malignant pes'ilence
was walking in darkness" rough the streets
Of our CITY, we should have no stronger reasons
for serious aLprehensioos Search for a mo-
ment The statistics Of lntemperance; AXE the
census Of its acknowledged boadsmen; make
out the yearly dill Of its NOR ally; bid your
po,r rates, md mad houses and penlient,aries
deliver their testimony; Call over the Court
,oli; aud inspect the Tenantry OF the Grave /;
gather, from hese sources materials for a his.
to-, Of all the desolation it has carried i"'o
famiies-of all The corruption II has spread
through society-and answer, then, whether
sword and pestilerce do MOI dwindie, by COM
d risou, into visita,ioDs OF mercy: whether the
cry # humanity, and 'he demand iof patriot
ism, be not unanimous for remedy. instant
aud radical For such remedy you will search
our sa,u,e book in vain But In the same
books you will find II recorded, that this poison
tree, Iutemperance-this moral uPas-which
corfupts the atmospheie-was p's"ied by me
permission, q, leas,, II not under the sanction
and protection, OF law, ahu the' o'') i'' "'@
removal of some truant branch which may
shoot too wildly from the parent trunk, are
Courts and Jurirs permitted to interfere II
you would lay the axe 10 the root oi 'hr tree,
vou mus, ascend beyond the source whence
Courts and Juries derive their Power-and IN
woke that highest and only absolute OF all earth.
" tribunals, public opinion. You mus enlist
the whole though, and fee ling and influence, OF
tho ,smnrraie IN tnr cause: yoa must troSn up.
on in,emperance in allits approaches; you must