Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-03-14
pom THE XIRgINIAN.


The friends Of law and order thank the Nir-
gnan. most crodialy, for the very able aud con
elusive exposition of the license laws a. they a.
feet the liquor traffic in this city. which appear
ed in it, issue of to-day. II is conclusive anu
overwhelming on the point il touches, ana mus
carry conviction to the mind OF every one ho'
blinded bY passion of interest. Permit the ha-
thor of this article Me~srs. Editors to address a
lew words TO the practical branch Of the subject
the election of ant license Justices for the cor
poration.
II IL i not the purpose, il is certainly Ii man
fest effect, of the arguments addressed 10 the
public. by the enemies of "A rigid construction oi
the license laws, hs they relate to ordinances IN
misiify and misrepresent tho whole question:
There Is no proposition before the people u
I.ynohburg to enact the Maine liquor law, or any
new law whatever. The las making power be
longs to.and should lac exercised only by, the lie
gislative branch of the government. Nor Il
there nny proposition to draw a egal,or othfr sort
of distinction between the 'rich and the poor, or
the high aud low" as II was strangely argued by
a grave member of the indiscriminate license law
men. at the meeting on Wednesday night last
The friends Of temperance would not be guilty oil
such manifest folly rs To claim for the Hastings
Court of this city, the right and power To hgis-
tate upon any subject and much less would they
be guilty of the wickedness of seeklng,ln the nd
mini-trntion of the laws,a discrimination III favor
Of the rich over the poor of this community lhe
only discrimination they seek to accomplish II
that between legal aud an illegal trafie-those
engaged in iegdiized and those in an unie gdfized
calling How it is possible for any good citizen
to oppose such object as ths,is passing strange
indeed
The sole object of the friends of temperance
is to have executed. according TO its plain letter
aud spirit, Il law now upon the statute book, aud
which they believe has been heretofore grossly
4 It'll. tI,a oft
eityto the great injury of the morals and good or
der Of this community. They seek to draw between
hotels or odinarics, called for by the wants and
necessities of the public, and the numerous res
taurants and tipping shops, which are not OF any
public necessity Whatever the same pal
paJie distinction which the lar, itself dra,os, in
ieords as expressive as language can make az
This is what they seek to accomplish III the cleo
ton of Justices for this corporation. They de
sire to elect men who have the good sense to dis
orninnto between bona fde hotel or ordinary
ON the one hand, and restaurant and tipping
shop the other; and they want Court who,
seeing this obvious distinction. will have the
irnness and dsinterestedness to draw IT, in
granting licenses to sell ardent spirits to be drank
where sold.
The law eoniempIates the licensing Of only
bona fde hotels; and is there a man in his senses
who does not know that the Courts heretofore
have granted licenses to hundreds who do not
keep, or intend to keep, such house as the law
requires There are but five bona fde hotels or
ordlnarics in this city. Every man knows and
will tell you this And yet it is well known that
more than fHy pretended ordinaries are licensed
by the Court Where are they kept Who
can find them They are to be found upon
every little alley and bypath in this city, IN the
shape of liquor shops, where free negroes, slaves
and contemplate white people resort to procure
liquor! And yet men of high responsibility and
intelligence oppose the abolition of this monstrous
evil grown up under the particular patronage
aud protection of the Hastings Court of Lynch
burg: aud those who seek to withdraw from them
the protection Of violated law, are slanderous-
" denounced rs the advocates of outrageous OPP
preston and odious distinctions III society!
The author of this article is no son OF Tenn
perauce, nor advocate of the Maine liquor law
but he Is in favor of faithful execution OF the
laws IA they exist and have existed for years up
ON the statute book, and is in tavor'of electing II
Court who will do that thing, unbiased by favor,
friendship, fear interest. If we can't get such
n Court without pledges, he is in favor OF exact
ing pledges. We simply want men who can and
will distinguish, ms the law distinguishes, be-
tween hotels aud grog shops. 1t is AN easy
matter NOX POPUII.
Lynchburg Monday 18th.