Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-03-31
WEDNESDAY, EvENISG MARCH o, is5a.
: PROCEEDINGS OF CITY COUNCIL.
HANN,nAL.r March Doth. l9r

fresent-hls Honor, L. IL. Selmes, a. u.
iano, II. WestfslI, A. J. Settles, I. Brice, r
O. RulTner, F. Schneider, J. d. Bowling A .
IS. Richards, II. Martin.
A resolution was offered to repeal the 18Th
section Of an ordinance in relation to markets and
marketing, so as to allow merchants and grOoers
to sell marketing during market houn, but net
to lny.
Mr.. Bowling and Mr.. RObards opposed the
resolution, on the ground that the market house
is the proper place for retailing marketing. II
was not desirable TO encourage the establishing
of small fish and fresh meat stands at other pla-
ces than the market; and the profits Of the gro
GERS are large enough already, without any et-
fort Of the Council to increase them.
A motion 10 lay the resolution on the table till
next meeting was carried.
| Mr.. Martin presented petitions with about
seven hundred signatures attached to them, in
GLIDING about three fOurths Of the legal voters
of this city, besides majority of the ladies,
praying the City Council to prOhibi. the sale Of
intoxicating liquors within the city and to grant
no more licenses to dram and beer shops. Mr..
Martin made an eloquent appeal 10 the Council
in favor of granting the prayer of the petitions,
and moved that the fourth section of the ordi-
nance in relation to dram-shOps be suspended
for thirty days, in order to prevent the issuing
Of any more licenses, giving the Council time to
at their next meeting the necessary
ordinances TO carry out the wishes of the petit
TONERS.
The Mayor said he had given orders to the
Marshal 10 grant no more licenses at present,
as these petitioners were our masters we must
obey and one Of the Council remarked they
we're our mistresses too.
Mr.. Hawkins, the Marshal, remarked that it
would be his duty 10 grant Licenses il he were
ap piled TO, in the absence Of any alteration or
amendment Of existing ordinances.
The Mayor thought there would be time
enough BY next Monday to thoroughly digest the
matter. He had given orders that no unexpr-
ed licenses should be renewed until after the
next meeting Of the Council, on the 4th Of
April. and none would expire before the 9th or
! 9Th OF next month.
l
be obliged to grant new licenses, if application
were made before the expiration of the old
ones.
Mr.. Settles was Of opinion that the only dam
ger to be apprehended was that the dram shop
keepers, fearing the passage of prohibitory
ordinance. might obtain new licenses in other
mems names
i Mr.. Selmes suggested that resolution be
drawn up suspending for 80 days SO much of
the ordinance No. 81 relates to granting licen-
ses 10 am-shops.
Mr.. Westfall thought the resolution should
, inclIde beer-houses.
} Mr.. Martin then offered the following reSo-
luton:
RESOLVED by The city council ofthe city of Han
/, nibdl, that much Of ordinance No. SO, entitled
IAN ordinance in relation TO Groceries, Dram
shops and Beer Houses" Approved May 20,
1852, as relates 10 granting licenses to Dram
shops and Beer Houses be and the same is here
by suspended for 80 days.
, T r. sELMEs Mayor.
Approved March 30, 1863.
Mr. Bowling said that before taking vot,
= he wished to state that he considered the procee
dings were illegal and improper. 1t would b,
> n conflict with the constitution OF the State ant
the State laws. If the State in the constitution
recognized the traffic, and by license authoriz &c
i an individual to sell, he could not see how thu
i city could prevent him. He thought the obiec
q of the majority of the petitions was TO suppress
low tipping shops, that had been selling with
. out license, to the injury of the business of re
spectacle men, who procured licenses. H
knew of respectable men who had not been abl
to keep up on account of competition of mel
selling liquor in little shanties without license
j. He considered liquor = necessity for many men
i as much SO as drugs in drug store. Some o
d the druggists keep liquer as a medicine. |
6 would be hard to deprive man of it if he wan
r. ted it and would use it moderately, or for Gull
II nary purposes. He was opposed to injurin
u the business Of respectable men, by excludin
all without discrimination from selling liquOl
e though he vas for putting dSwn sach hsussi :
s were . nuisance. ..
l. Mr.. Cane said he md been u.lsY the SAN
T. impression with DIR. Bowling, that pFOhibtor
s. City ordinance would be in conflict with III
&c State laws. But on close examination he va
% now thoroughly convinced that special authorit
"A had been conferred in our charter 10 RESTRAIN
:. suppress and prohibit dram-shops and tIppliu
m houses, and that we have full power to do so.
5. Mr. Robards remarked that as Mr.. Dowlin
: had stated, he thought the council could have 7
DC right to pass an ordinance conflicting with Stat