The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-02-08

Thi. law. of whirh W. hat week pubIi'led an
abstract We tod,y give IN fl ou our first p1Ee
among tie legislative rr"'e" lin;. Tie law /.
short, anil with but one or two exceptions. strict.
" to the point.
The exceptions alluded to are to he found in
tie forth section, which reads rs follows:
1.-THE provisions Of this act shall not extend to
druggists or physicians who shall sell or give away
any Of the said liquors in good faith for purely
medical, mechanical, or saerdmentdi pHrpo'es'
This section virtually repeals the whole law
Sec. provides that there shall be no liquors sold
in less quantities than one quart, except iJr med
cal, mechanical, or sacramental purpose, and
none Of the liquor to be drank on the premises
where sold Sec forbils selling /, at all to per-
sons under Is years ofage. Sec g. relates to the
manner Of nfjrcing the the law and ofimposing
and collecting penalties. &c But sec declares
that none Of the provisions Of this act shalt ex
tend to druggist. and physicians" who can sell
and give to whom they please, and such quantities
as may be desired, without any other restrictions
than that they sell it or give It away in good
faith for purely medical, mechanical or sacramen.
tai purposes
All, then, that is necessary for doctor or drug
lat TO open groycery t. to have a somewhat
elastic conscience or an extra amount Of credulity
so as to believe that every man who calls for a
"wea drap o',he cra,her," really does need it as
Timothy did for the stomnch's sake" or that he
wants it to mix paints stain boards, or stew oys
tiers, and he can sell it by the drlcin, horn pint
or any other quantity that may sui, the purcha
ser, with all the good f,i,h' imaginable. lie i,
not responsible for any evil that may arise from
the liquor he may sell; and can rest satisfied thai
it was cold for the purposes prescribed by law be
cause he had the word Of the purchaser for it,
The question too, may arise, What constitutes
a physician or druggist The former might bC
restricted to such a. have received diploma from
the faculty OF some medical institute or if nothin,
better, simply n certificate Of membership Of tn,
Fox River Medco Chrurgical Society but as t,
the latter there is no defining him. There ia bu
one qualification which seems necessary to max,
q druggs, in this country, and that is. tha. h
must keep on hand aud for sale drugs Now, ther
We should like to know whether our liquor vendor
do no, already, and always have, possessed thi
Qualification Are they not constantly sellin
, drugs, and the meanest kind tool Certainly the
are.
, Bu, seriously; what assurance are We to hav
that those who are now engaged in the trahe wi
9 not connect with it small drug s,orel They ca
then go on selling in tie old way. Or that doc
tors (for there are enough Of them) whil not opc
n doggeries and dose i, out as they pleese. Fo
. any man who is 80 devoid Of feelng-so lost
" humanity, as to engage in the traha, will have n
:. computations Of concencc from evading the Law
o lie will take delight in doing it successfully. VIII
d 10 to Judge whether he gives man glass Of
y quar- in good or bad hithi
/ II was ,hi, defect in the law which caused N
d lIiss TO move ii. reconsideration in the house
D. was in favor Of placing heavier restrictions upc
+, druggists and physicians. For making them r
A. sponsiLle for all tie evil which might result fro
ID the ,rahc M Tar "a they are concerned, Ms well
u imposing fne upon those who openly make Il
"A retailing NJ arden, spirits trade.
,r But there seeme To- have been too in,u, in Il
hi house who wanted little to keep up steam. nj
ID who were unwilling to carry bottle, and dcel