The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-11-04

Inc treemen hhu rlBnt 10 expcct moro
just and equal laws The ten gallon act
had passed without being thought OF. II
was an act that answered no good purpose;
it could not accomplish its object. The
incorporate did not buy their rum by ton
gallons, and indeed many of tho groccrs
bought by less quantity. The act did, as
The gentleman from Bristol said, grow out
of the temper OF the times. Some persons
had lost their discretion, and had asked tho
Legislature and-the Civil Magistrate to as
sst them, in Whatever they had or might
do. He was in favor Of the principles Of
the bill and moved that the first section
might pass. The -.ond he thought re.
CURED amendment.
Mr.. Ho,ce said he was no, anxious 10 rc.
tain the old act, and cared but little as To
the passage of the new one. As il was
law. il had better remain, and not be re
pesled. II there was no law on the subject,
and it should now be presented for the hrs,
time to the Assembly, it would DO qnte
jmnaterial whether the amount was from
four In twenty dollars, or from hvo to my.
Nothing that has occurred under he preI
cnt law has shown that it was injurious 10
the community; the Town Councils have
not, he believed, in any instance, ekacted
higher price for a license than they might
have demanded before the passage Of the
law proposed to be repealed. The gentle.
man from Newport says. they may demand
more. and for himself he WUs not quite sal
ished that the highest snm - too much.
lie considered there was nothing IN ,he ar
gument Of the gentleman as To the unequal
operation Of tho act The Councils grsut
ed licenses aud charged for them iu pro
portion 10 the ability Of The applicants to
pay. 1t was not a tax on The licensed, bni
u contract voluntarily entered inIo; bar
gnin which they we've bound TO tuhl. Tho
business of Que grocer might euable hlu
10 pay fifty dollars, while tIia, Of apolhct
would mol afford more than fiyc. The pricr
was To be regulated by circumstance !
The act Of January. 1880, was passed to |
make liquor at retail dearer than. ii other !
wse was, and 10 rcdoco the number Of re-.
talers OF rrm, gin md brandy, snd ho be /
lieved 1t had, in measure, accomplished !
ita object. it operated like an outrag |
cons Iufrncton on the liberty of.ho people, |
the gentleman ought to show il. II the all I
stract principle was correct in taxing the |
retailers Of less thaha gallon, then this law |
was: nnd the repeal OF tho proposed Law !
would call for the repeal Of all tho license
laws that had been passed.. lie was not
prepared TO go with the gentleman iu The
excitement recently got up against tho Ii |
, cense law, ond by rcpealing all law allow
tho free use Oi lQuor 10 those who pleased
to purchase it. lie was opposed to the |
proposed act.
Mr. Cross was opposed TO the passage OF
the bill. Tho gentleman from Ncwpor !
had said that the act of January had occa |
stoned great excitement in Westerly. That
was not the fnct. IL was true that some OF
the most respectable uIen in that town had
advocated the passage OF that law; QUO oi
tho gentlemen who last represented the
town advocated Its repeal Thoro had
been an excitement in this town, but it was
in consequence of Tho injudicinus measure
of the Council (of which no was mombsr)
IL refusing, on the recomme ndation or u
bou, forty frcemcn, to grant my licenses
The retailers Fixed the law as it stood, as it
ohvia,od the difficulty of which thoy com.
planned, which was, farmers purchasing ar.
dent spirits by tho hogsheod and selling /,
10 their laborers by tho gallon. II was for :
The interest of tho grocors. Tho law ho !
considered had good effect on the roven. I
ne. and disregardlcss of all political con- I
affecting himself he should act /
as he thought best for the interest Of the I
State, and vote against the proposed law.
Mr.. BaH said the courtesy OF tho genllo =
man from Bristol, Mr.. liowe,J should in =
dnce him to wihdraw bis opposition 10 the :
bill, for tha, gentleman had declared be vas
not anxious on the subject. AZ his obiac. (
ions did not contlic, with single principle, .
would be no more than courteous in him q
o withdraw bis opposition, even on the re " =
luest Ta single member. Tho gentle !
nan from Bristol admitted that ffts dullars ="
night be eXorbitaut, hut contcnded that | ~
hat sum never had been cxacted in any 70
Instance. lie did not know how that fact !.
vns, but, be II as it may, he wus opposed TO v v
llving that sum on our statute book. held
N in terror to our retailers. That law on -
langcrs our town councils by subjocting y
hem to be influenced by ,rcn over jealous u
won in good canse..- We are frall and "
creatures. and often liable 10 be - -
influenced BY improper means. by our &C. , =
lnainiancc, by friends, ond particularly by :.
hose who hold important stations in society "
The gentleman has said, il there is any "
hing in abstract principles which rocs u
.ainst the act Of January, 1880, il operated p,
qnnly against all 1icense acts He really
opcd the friends Of the proposed bill, wauld ri
ot lose their reason, if the advocates Of To
nmperonce did. There wss n vast differ CO
nee between selling by the gallon and by &c
he glass, and the effect was entirely differ. M
Mt on the community. Where ardent ~
pir,s were retailcd by the glass, all who W W
ad the propensity, went aud drank, and it y, =,
AS no more than right that those who had Nv
&c privilege 90 10 sell. shonld pay for il. isl
here was precedent for this in our early qu
story, and he considered il nropcr. and en-
st. and right. Among tho FIRST acts of al
,r colony, il is TO DO found, that one man =
as licensed 10 entertain company md to m
II strong waters, and ons man 10 practice cn
physician. BY that law, proper per. p',,
ms, men of responsibility. were placed in -,