The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-11-23


body, if We could credit tho confident
boast of prominent opponents Of the law
of 1852. Hero is a section /:
"Sec. 20. Any taverner may refuse
to sell any Intoxicating liquor to any
person who is unaccustomcd to become
intoxicated, and if any person so refused
shall be guilty of any d~isordcrly, tumult-
uous or offensive carriage for that rca-
son, he shall be punished by a fine not
exceeding ten nor less than two dollars"
What a remarkable privilege to con-
fer OH a " tarcrner r'
Mr.. Barber is divided in opinion "
as to the intoxicating properties of beer,
&c. In section 10, he says the " tavern
or " shall not sell any wine, ale, beer,
cider, or 0thcr malt or fermented liquor
which Is Intoxicating, to be drank by
any person not a guest as aforesaid in
any quantity exceeding, &c. IAN
guests, mind, can drink as they please,
and, if accustomed to become intoxica-
ted, it would seem, cannot be refused, by
necessary Inference from the terms of
the goth section. Again, in section u,
we find that groccrs (of which each town
may have any number) may sell ale,
beer, cider, aud any other beverage NOT
intoxicatingl Quc'c. Ought not the
Inspector of liquors also TO be required
to ascertain and determine, by some
practical test, what liquor is, and what
is not, intOricatiHg
The right of the farmer to traffic in
cider, without restriction, has been a
matter of much pretended concern with
many men like Mr.. Barber, who, u Je,c
uceks ago., advocated the unconditional
repeal of the present law. But what
now says Mr.. Barber ? The proviso of
the Goth section of his bill only author
ICES such sale I" in quantities EXCEEDING
ONE GALLON" The present law says
fee gallons. How important u differ
cncc. !
Mr.. BARRIERS bill makes the posses
sion of Intoxicating liquors, with intent
to sell without license, a crime. punisha-
bic with fine aud forfeiture, and author
ICES the search of suspected premises,
on oath of two credible persons, and the
seizure Of liquors found. But, while
thus clearly acknowledging the justice
Of this power, granted under the present
law. he has taken away, of course, every
motive for its exercise.
We have no doubt that many, on the
first reading of this billiard that it was
so expected by its author-will fail to
perceive that it does not aim to suppress
the traffic in Intoxicating liquors for the
purpose Of drinking as a beverage, and
that, in point of fact, one principal OBJ
ject of the bill is to encreasc the facili-
tics for tarcrm tipping. The donbc'
dcafing which we have charged, in this
case, consists in using, so far as possible,
the common language employed in a
prohiJitory law, and yet sufficiently
changed, and SO neutralized by ether
provisio ms, as to have the opposite mean
ing and effect.
The bill is entitled, San Act regu
lating the traffic in Intoxicating liquors
A more appropriate title would be, Al
Act to encourage tipping in tavern'
and groceries"
Mr. Barber is chairman of the com
mittee on the Liquor question, a major
ity of whom, it is supposed, will report
this bill, as all the legislation neccssar,
on the subject. There will, OF course
be a minority report. j. II. B.