Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-05-29
The Agony Over.

NV~Ass snS SuthC u uuiOCI Vi JuSuCco III
the county having been summoned for
the occasion, granted license to applicants
to retail ardent spirits in the County, BY
vote Of seventeen to thirteen, as follows:
For License. VIM. D. Anderson, James
Bell, WIN. Beard. S. B. Brown, r. G.
Bickle, DR.. Bruffy, G. M. Cochran, B.
Crawford. H. Edison, jr., Robt. Guy,
Vim. Guy, B. F. Hartman, J. M. Hupp,
A. NJ. Moore S. Mcclure, !. r. Syrcle
and L. Woodward.
Against License.-W. A. Bell, D. Black
wood, J. A. Cochran. n. Massie, Mr..
Morrison, John R,meI, T. P. Wilson
YIN. Wilson, Alex. Walker and James
Wilson.
B. F. Points, Jas. Crawford {Presiden)
Elijah Hogshead and D. II. Hogshead
were absent.
The question Of granting license had
been discussed by its opponents at every
cross-road and store in the county, where
any thing like an audience coul2 be con-
vened. p. S. White, the great Mogul of
the Temperance party, exhausted his fund
OF anecdote aud ribalry upon the people.
and our talented friend, r. p. Kinney Esq.
occasionally mounted the stump. to convince
t.em that the County Court had the discre-
ton to grant or refuse license vested in
them. Considerable excitement existed
throughout the county on the subject, and
the opponents oflicense,t to make assurance
doubly sure, employed Mr. Kinney to ap.
pear in their behalf and argue the princi-
pie Of law involved, and to present petit
tons. which had been gotten up and sign
ed by nearly every man woman and child,
who favors the movement, to the Court to
refuse license. At an early hour on Mon
day morning, the people began to flock to
the Court House, which was crowded BY
the :ime the Court was organized. After
some preliminary business. Col. Baldwin
arose to ask for certificate Of license for
John T. Arnall, of Waynesboro. Waving
been informed that Mr.. Kinney was re-
tanned for the purpose Of enliehtening the
CouIt as to their powers in the premises,
he went into discussion Of the policy in
dicated by the statutes on the subject, and
the evident meaning Of the law Makers
The question being purely legislative. did
not come within the pursiew Of a judicial
tribunal. The policy Of the Legislature
evidently was TO grant license, because the
tax had been fixed, and the conditions Of
issuing certificate prescribed. Had the
policy of the Legislature been intended to
stop the traffic in liquor, they would have
passed law prohibiting the manufacture
Of liquor, and the sale thereof in any guam
tity BY the distiller, without q tax. The
result Of refusal to grant license would on
~ be to concentrate the trade on the dis
tillers, by which means the quantity Of IL
quors manufactured il the County would
be greatly increased the amount consum-
ed no less, and the State would be depri,-
I'd o: the revenue arising from this source.
And then :he law recognised every mans
right to have manufactured in the County,
as much liquor as he..could End the material
for, and sell it in any quantity, without IL
cense. Thus the evil Of iniempersnce
would be extended. the retailing of liquor
increased, and The sources Of revenue less
ened. From these reasons, and others,
which our space Precludes US from noticing
Col. Baldwin argued that the policy ofthe
Law was to grant license.
Mr.. Kinney succeeded Col. B. in a very
ingenious argument, confirming himself 10
discussion Of the power Of the Court, which
he considered absolute, over the subject, but
did not touch upon the points raised by
Col. B. as to the policy Of the Legislature.
He desired TO discuss the question Of the
power of the Court under the law, and then
to leave the responsibility Of action with
them. Atthe close Of his remarks, he laid
on the bench numerous petitions from males
and females, upon which he made pa
thesic appeal 10 the Court in behalf Of wo-
man and her right to protection, which gave
rise to applause on the part Of the friends
of temperance.
Mr. Skinner followed Mr.. Kinney in a
chas,e and forcible speech, discussing the
law and its merits, and the constitutional
pointinyolyed--denying that the Court had
absolute power over the question. To
which Mr.. Kinney briefly replied.
Col. Baldwin, then, ar0se, and delivered
a most eloquent AID powerful argument
denouncing the demonstrations Of applause
by the audience, and handling deservedly
rough those who had SO far forgotten OF
mistaken their duty, as to petition a judi
cial tribunal with view Of forming and
its opinions by popular demon
He recognised no mob influence
mo influence Of any popular assembly,
however respectable, when it was intend
ed to operate on the decision Of a Judicial