Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-02-24

monies arising from lorleltures growing
Out Of Legislative enactmenis now in force
upon our Statute books.
Sir, | have yet TO learn, that monies
arising from this source, are not as good,
and will go as far. in promoting this object.
as a fund created by any other method, am
frank 10 confess am not able 10 discover
the least shadow Of difference. and until
further evidence, am unwilling TO yield
the point. This bill proposes 10 repeal
that portion of the act incorporating the
village Of Racine, which authorizes the
trustees thereof 10 grant licences for or
permit the sale Of spirituous liquors. The
board Of supervisors for the town, will then
possess the authority heretofore vested IN
said board of trustees; this will produce a
uniformity in the operation Of the law. If,
however, gentlemen have any objection TO
this section Of the bill, shall not be siren
uous in urging it. consented to its inser-
ton at the special request of the member
Of The Council who resides in that village.
He assures me it will meet The wishes of
the people residing there.
The bill further provides for the repeal
Of the ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and
fourteenth sections Of the act, to which this
act is amendatory. think, by reference
to those sections gentleman OF house will
readily coincide with me in The opinion,
that they are virtually dead letter upon
our Statute books. The ninth and tenth
| sections, provide where any person shall
be convicted for any violation af the pro
visions of that act, il shall be the duty of
the justice, 10 transmit forthwith, TO the
clerk of the board of commissioners, certi-
fled copy Of tho record of conviction. to-
gether with n statement OF The offence COM
milted, and the clerk Of the board shall
cause the persons against whom such con-
v!ctlon was obtained 10 be notified to sp-
pear on the first day of the next sessions
OF the board, 10 show cause why his L.
cense should not be revoked, &c. The !
eleventh, and twelfth sections relate to The |
two preceding ones, and are Immediately |
connected with them. Now, sir, it is evil |
dent to me, that in the passage Of the pres.
ent bill, we supercede the necessity for
the existence upon our Statute books, of
the provisions contained in those sections
A clearer and more summary mode is here
pc n,cd out for enforcing the present ex-
else laws of our territory. Suppose, UNI
der the existing laws, an individual should
possess moral courage enough, 10 enter a
voluntary complaint for any violation Of
this law, and on examination before the
Justice, the offender should be convicted,
and record thereof sent up to the clerk,
is there any probability Of the evil being
speedily remedied? 1t is usual, believe,
for commissioners 10 meet twice in year;
and is there any law TO prevent the often
der from practising this violation from day
10 day, possibly for six months, or even
year, before he can be brought to justice
| see no propriety in Legislative enact
ments, where their operations are rs slow
and tardy, and attended with as much I'm
certainty, as under the present ex else law
suppose we admit for argument, that the
present law is all sufficient TO ensure the
punishment of the offender, if enforced, is
there any moral certainty that it will be-
Is it any where made the duty Of any Of
our public officers, to see that the law is
complied with! There 10 blu. one answer
to this question. Now, sir, according TO
the old adage, what is every body's bust
ness, is nobody's. Our experience teaches
US that when law is framed in such
loose manner as to require the inlcrposi-
ton of individuals in their private capacity,
to bring the offender to justice, the infrac-
tions Of that law, will, in nine cases out of
ten, pass UNDECIDED and unnotced. Such |
is the odium, consequent upon all, or most
prosecutors, growing out of the baro pos
sbili,y Of its being done 10 crafty a spir, |
of revenge) that private citizens are almost
universally deferred from action, for fear of
subjecting themselves to this obnoxious
CHG rye.
have :hus endeavored, Mr. Speaker, TO
explain the bill IL its details and to answer
some Of the principal objections urged
againsl il, Ell us dwell i2r II Few moments
on the great objects of this bill. The most
careless and indifferent observer, must lave
noticed The fearful progress, and rapid
strides OF intemperancc, within our limits |
for the las. two, or three years. Every
town ard village, new has grocery upon
almost every corner OF lis streets. Con-
tnual drinking and iippling are seen al
most every where, and disgraceful scenes
Of inlemperance, are of frequent occur
renee. Our territory is fast losing the
fair reputation it has hitherto had for tenn
perancc and sobreiy, many Of our most
valuable citizens, both old and young, ure
contracting habits, that are ruinous to them
selves and their families. Our present
excise laws are entirely imperative, and
are trEated with rdculc and contempt
What is to be donel Shall we shut our
eyes and do nothinga Sh Il we fold our
hands, and sit silently by,while this moral
pesll.ence is increasing with fearful rapid
lily? Have we no duties to perform on this
subject, as The representatives Of the peo-
pie, as the guardians of The public we.faroi
Most certainly we have. We are under
the most solsmn obligations 10 do whu, we
eau TO check this evil. We are called
upon by every obligation of duty, by the
ties of humanity. to do all tina, in US lies TO
prevent our citizens our fellow beings, from
being drawn within the vortex of intempe-
rance. Sir, as look upon this subject, this
evil is within the reach of the correcting
influence of this legislature, and that the
present laws furnish no ADEQUATE remedy