Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-03-23
From the Nashville Wing.
1rississippi s.GaIlon Law

The 4 Anticipating bill recently passed Dy
The LEGISLATURE of Mississippi, Is ALREADY
| I-a,,-, ibroughout the State the s'Gattoa
| Ta,r.,, owing TO the fact that the act lnhioits
the vending of all vinous or spurious liquors
! in less quantities than one gallon Inc law
receives the general appreciation OF the ailssis-
.;r,,T ,ress though we discover there arc
tetr miserable loafers connected with our yo-
cation. who are disposed to croak over their
s.jnvaded rights, as though they had lost the
| o,Iv means of keeping their spirits mp. We
should like to publish the law IN Iuii, LOT 'he
| benefit Of those around US who are disposed 10
| think that our last General \ assembly franscen-
ded their authority and anticipated public sen
/ timents by passing the tennessee ripping
| House a ct; but we cannot spare the room.
particularlv since an abstract will answer eT-
| ary other purpose. There is just about mich
/ difference between the two acts as there Is be-
| tween gallon and quart. The InhibItions,
the penalties ana the guards thrown IN and
around the Mississippi statute are threshold
more numerous and severe than the Tennessee
act; and if carried out by the grand jnrles OF
the state will be productive OF a pr"portIona-
bic amount Of good. Let Us examine Its pro-
visions:
Section | repeats aHIaws licensing Tipping
houses. inn keepers, tayeTns and ordinances 10
retail vinous or spurious liquors. Section
enacts .sthat it shall not be lawful for any per-
son to sell or retail any vinous spurious Il
quors. in less quantities than one gallon, nor
suffer the same or any art thereof, to De drank
J used in or about us or her house" Section
inhibits inn keepers from omeIing .>,loT 10
1hcir guests gratuitously, or without special
charge. Section prohibits candidates from
sstreating;" which is held to be bribery and
punishable as such. Section 5 fixes the PEN
allies for the violation OF any of the foregoing
sections at $3.50 fine and one weeks imprison
ment for tho first offence; and for each Subse-
quent offence at $500 fine and months
Imprisonment. The imprisonment may be ex-
tended for the first offence TO one month; for
subsequent violations, 10 three months. Sec
ton 6 relates TO the vending of liquors TO
groes and Indians. Section valves the name
of the prosec utor on all indictments or present.
ments for the foregoing offences; ''nor shall
any Indictment or presentment be quashed or
abated for want of form; but this act shall be
in all cases construed and enforced as a REMEDIAL
ACT" Section makes it the duty of each
ma gistrate and constable 10 give information 10
the grand Jury of every violation of this act
within their respective -'beats;" and subPH-
mas are to be issued by the clerk, twenty DAYS
before the meeting of the court, summoning
the magistrates and constables of the county
to appear, personally, before the grand jury
for this purpose; their failure to obey punisha-
bic as a contempt OF court. Section requires
inn keepers to give bond with security IN the
sum of $1,000 not to violate the provisions
this act, and at the same time to take an oath,
s.not TO sell or permit TO be sold his house, or
on his plantation, any vInous or spurious IL
cuors in any quantity smaller than one gallon,
and that when SOLD IN the quantity OF one 4dt-
lon not permit the same TO be drank in the
house. or at the place where. soldr' The last
five sections 90 to ID nchsive,) relate to the
duties OF the grand jury, the courts and dis
trict attornies. They authorize tax fee Of
$50 10 the A Attorney; fine of $3.50 to be lev
led on each witness who may fail or re use TO
appear; and other proceedings not necessary 10
be recapitulated There Is also in the third
section a direct provision against the violation
s.of the plain intent and meaning of the act by
evasion, subterfuge chicane of any sort; and
stfch act of evasion, subterfuge cbicane,
shalt be held and deemed as serious an offence
a0aicsf this act as a violation of its letter, and
be equally punishable under the provisions OF
the same.''
Such is the policy of gallant Mississippi.
The act NAV WEI be aptioned-"For the sup
preston of Tipping Houses, and to discourage
and prereyat The odioUs rjce Of DRUNKENNEss;'' for
if the penalties just recapltulated be not
equal to the task of extirpating The Slammed
invisible spirit of rum'' beyonn the confines OF
the State, then indeed hath justice lost its pow
er, morality its influence, and the pe1JtentlaTy
its terrors. The act is founded upon the true
principle that ''every inordinate cup is unbies-
sed and the ingredient devil;'' and no guaro
which the ingenuity of legal experience could
suggest, has been omitted to carry out the be-
neyolent objects OF its trainers.