The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-13
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Metropolitan Hall was cro,-dss n uunuay nisut,
49, d;sat d;.ai audience. to hear Mr.. PH,Irp s
~, af ,asu tne consiitutionality and expedien
quors in Virginia Vi ihlohicalng IL
mr. "HiTE proceeded to show ths, the sr,ror,.
Court OF the United States had decised ,ba, ,hs
ia" Q. sIale pronioifing the sale of LIQUORS was
upon the traffic for one hundred .rd se,, -a
had been prohibitory In It's lasure-,hs, Ia;yi
upon this subject, was no new feafnre in -;
legisiation-that the Maine law, in lite peculiar fer.
turr, did not originate in Maine but tbst ~ c.
gress OF this country had adopted the fea,pys. ~
prohibition and the destruction of the lauors ves
ago, IN reference to certain Indian terr.ories or
possessions.
That other subjects had been acted upon by vir.
ginia. with legislation similar to that now asked in
regard to the sale of intoxicating lquors-the sale
OF obscene books had been prohibited by law-she
sale OF lottery tickets had been prohibited by law
even by the fundamental law, the Constitution
Other instances were cited, but these were most
prominent.
Mr.. WHITE argued that the reasons IN favor of
prohibiting the sale OF Intoxicating liquors were
much stronger than the for prohibiting the
sale OF lottery tickets, though they were good and
suihcient-aud that the Legislature had stronger
ground for believing that the people were in favor
OF prohibitory liquor law than that they were in
favor OF the law against lotferies-and yet that the
authorlties did lot stop moment TO enquire wheth-
er the people desired the law, or were ready for
its execution against lotteries Now, said be.
we are told the people not in favor of the pro-
hlbitlon OF the sale of liquor, notwithstanding the
TACT that they have met In primary assemblies all
over the State, III opposition to the traffic and by
means OF organized societies, have been fighting
tor years against intemperance and the licensed
trafac, as great temptation to intsnperance, and
at this very time, signing memorial in every
section OF the State, to the Legislature, asking &C
ton at the hands of that body on this subject He
gave Instances of great unanisnity in many counties
in opposition to the present license sys;en1 Among
others. he stated (what have learned from other
reliable sourcee) that upwards OF thirteen hundred
e0!:rs OF Richmond had signed this memorial, and
pTe0!ceed that majority OF the voters OF Richmond
will put their names to this memorial
Mr.. WHITE then asked, when such evidences Of
popular opposition had been given against lotteries
and gambling, and many other practices which are
sternly forbidden by the present laws of Virginia.
The speaker stated that the farmer and others
the owners Of slaves in he counties and in the cities
were beginning to understand that the grand cause
oil so much mischief among their slaves is the grog
shop at the cross roads and near the factory That
eTstandlng this, they were determined if posi-
bic, TO have this cause removed That the teInpta-
ton to the negro to steal should no longer be re-
cogniSed by law for the sake of the mere pittance
which the liquor traffic added to the State revenue
II, indeed, 1t added anything, when we consider the
cost OF Furnishing crime and supporting pauperism
directly resulting from drunkenness. And ii the
State treasury were filled to over flowing with mo-
ney derived from the licensed liquor traffic, would
l!dt De compensation the siaNelOiQSr5 OF Viz
sIcia tor the loss OK their property which loss could
be directly traced to the grogshop. The farmer
loses his property with which the slave buys the
liquor, and then In TOO many cases he loses the
slave because OF the liquor he buys. The slave Is
rendered dishonest lazy and impudent and often
diseased and killed by the poisoned article of
Whiskey he buys steals.
Mr.. WHITE pressed the view that The Legislature
not asked pass law to go into effect arainst
the wishes OF the people generally, or ia any couu.
N latz zI1rbin oh, .al-,xJ
for IN the memorial now ia circulation from
which the tubiOined is an extract:
your petitioners therefore pray your hOnOra-
Bile body to enact law, prohibiting within this
Commonwealth, the sale or barter of any intoxi-
eating liquor, except for sacramental, medicinal
and mechanical uses, under such penalties and
with such provisions, as will make the law etFectu-
al; especlalty providing, that all Intoxicating H.
quors found TO be kept tor sale contrary to law
shall be destroyed; and with further provision
that the law shall not take effect until it snail
been submitted to the voters of Virginia. at the
polls; when, ii majority of them in every county
and city shall approve the law, IL shall be in force
throughout the State; but if approved by majori-
ties in only of the counties and cities shall
be In force In those counties and cities only And
your petitioners will ever fray, &C.
1t fs asked, said he, to submit this matter to the
people Not that the eopse shall noks the law, but
that the Legislature, the only tribunal constitution
ally authorised to do so, shall make the law and
submit 1t to the people for their approval or dis
approval. SuDlnH IL 10 tnem 10 say whether they
will accept its provisions, just the free school
system, bills for internal improvement and acts
oi Incorporation Of various kinds are submitted to
the people to embrace their provisions or reject
then,-in which case these laws do not become op-
erative or in force until the people have complied
with the respective conditions embraced in these
laws II the people want liquor sold in their coun.
ties aud cities, they have under the law now
asked. Ifthey don't want it sold, they ought not
to have it forced upon them by refusal Of the
Legislature to allow them to reject it.
We have never listened to a moro powerful or
effective argument on the subject of "prohibitory
law" than that made by Mr.. White last Sunday
night. The speaker is man of no ordinary cali
bre, nor is he common place orator. His speech
just the kind to take an audience, interspersed
with wit, sarcasm and anecdote, and whether all
who heard him were willing to aduiit his premises
or not, we venture to say that there was not one
who was not delighted with the intellectual en-
tertainnent the occasion furnished. In our brief
notice OF his remarks written entirely from memo.
ry, we have not attempted 10 follow him otherwise
than in substance, not being situated as to take
notes at the time There were very many strong
points made by him which we may take occasio n
to allude to at future period.