The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-07-04
THE LICENSE.

THE LICENSE.
an ApoIoay FOR THs COUNCIL.
Mr. Ep Ton:
Deer Sr.-You seem desirous that
vour r..def. aoatside the Corporation" should
~ informed Of the conduct Of the Mayor and
Aldermen relative tothe License. regret how
ever, to be compelled to say that you have not
placed such facts and truths before that class o.
your readers ~ to enable them to arrive at cor
rect conclusions relative to the real merits vt the
conduct ofthat 90 called sshonora5le" body whose
acts you designate - s'mean"-itis quite possible
that had you done % they might have received
verv different Impressions and have arrived 81 con-
illusions widely different from the general Ten
dency Of your remarks. It's but just 10 the read
ers Of any periodical that facts relative to the true
merits Of any topic discussed in its columns, es-
pecially when that topic is one in which the pub
lie feel deep interest-t is but fair say ID OIL
but especially in such circumstances that the
facts and truth Of the case without peryersion and
without exaggeratlon should Be presented before
them. With these preliminary remarks the JUS
tice and truthfulness Of which you will readily
admit, permit me to lay before your readers =
statement Of facts relative 10 the case before Us
which seem. to have escaped your attention.
The citizens generally are aware that some
weeks (perhaps about two nonths) previous 70
our late Charter election . petition was opsnlY
circulated for signature in the different wards ee
the townrequesting the Mayor and Aldermsnssso
prohi5s' or so 10 raise the License on the sale Of
ardent sririis as to amount to prohibition, this
petition was numerously signed sometime prior
to the occurrence Of the election. In the mean
time and when il was generally understood the
Rtsitiqn EQxl be presented 70 Tie neW board and
a. ordinance passed in accordance NTH lhe rsshes
Of he petitioners the CaAaExR ELEcrIoN OCCURRED
and majority Of the council elect were those
whose names had been appended to the petition
before the election. At an early session Of the
Council the petition was prs.ented signed BY ose
hundred and 1rty- sir nanass or about three times
the number Of the whole vote cast at the elections
At 4 subsequent meeting another petition TO the
same purpose was presented signed by one hun
dred lsdies. On this occasion a Resolution was
offered to raise the "Grocery License" to $3.50.
This proposition moderate IS it was when the
prayer OF the petitioners is taken into the account
was rejected by the casting vote Of the Mayor
who although signer Of the petition had since
the election changed his opinion a. to the legality
OF its prayer. A few days after this vote had
been taken in the Council Handful printed at
the Gazette Office was posted about the streets re-
Aecting in severe terms on the conduct Of the
Mayor and Aldermen in declining to grant the
prayer Of the petitions and calling public meet
ing 10 demonstrate. This meeting occurred about
2 weeks after the issue ofthe handbill may ask
Mr.. Editor, Why you did not then vindicate the
action Of The Council in rejecting the prayer Of
the petitioners and in sustaining the old ordinance
you could not plead ignorance of the action Of
the Council or of the state Of feeling out Of it.
The meeting occurred but exhibited very diff
ferent temper and spirit from that indicated in the
handful. 1t was large meeting and q respecta-
BILE one, ministers Of the gospel were in atten-
dance and they with the justly esteemed profess
sor Of our College, gentlemen whom few will ac-
cuse as being fanatical, and others whose opinions
on municipal questions are generally received
with respect were the speakers. They remon-
strated in firm but in temperate and respectful
language. This meeting the minutes Of which
were presented to The Council induced two Of
the Aldermen 10 change their vote and instead Of
voting against raising the License to $3.50 they
urged the passage Of an ordinance raising it TO
$1,000. With this statement Of facts leave your
readers TO their own conclusions, simply express
ing my surprise that you did not sooner enter the
list As an advocate Of the License system-a sys-
tenn as ignorantly supposed long since condemn
ed by every friend Of Temperance.
Respectfully yours &c.
Davenport, June 28ih, 1850. L.
P.S. think Mr.. Editor you were in haste in
condemning the Mayor and Aldermen Tor rejecting
. proposition never made 10 them As body, the
only capacity As you are aware in which they are
empowered to enact or change any ordinance.
Had the proposition however been made and that
Of the character referred to in the two last azetes
and had they refused TO accede TO il would they
have done any injustice to their constituents or
have done any violence 10 the law and constitu-
ton of our state! Would they not rather have
eirmed the right Of the voter and not the tax-pay-
er to enact and require obedience to law. L.
REMARKS BY THE EDITOR.
Had the author OF the above communication
been open TO conviction or as candid as ue have
been in treating the question Of corporation 'icen-
ses, be might have saved himself tho trouble Of
appearing in print. Any candid man, willing TO
yield point when satisfied Of its incorrectness,
would never have mentioned the word "mean'' as
used BY ourself, after the explanation we gave in
our last Of the circumstances under which we
used it. Under the same circumstances we
would repeat it, aud could we forge expletives
thrice as indignant, would use them.
We by no means accede 10 The inuendoes and
ips;naa4iona con&aipad In Tia 6es& naEax<arh