Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-10-18
Liuuor Laws Of southern origin.

silly Cwattle, That the prlnclple VI proulOition
and legislation on the liquor traffic is of gan
kee northern origin, and therefore objection
able to be adopted by the people of the
South. The writer remarks this objection
would have no force, even if it were based on
fact but it loses all claim to consideration
when we find that directly its opposite is his
t~orically true" He then proceeds to show
that all the principles of the "Maine Liquor
Law" had been introduced into Virginia
while Maine was "a bowling Wilderness
that they had laws prohibiting the liquor
traffic generations before Maine had any
laws at all Nay, that laws far more often
sive than anything contained in any of the
modern enactments, are to be found in Vir-
ginia legislation a century and a half old
1t may be news to some of our readers to
learn that fogging comen was chosen by a
Virginia legislature as a means, when neces-
sary, of suppres&ng the illegal sale cfliquors.
If legislation for the suppression of the IL
quor traffic be an evil, then Virginia is res
ponsible for that evil fit be aggression and
tyranny to prevent a man from making his
neighboF drunk, then Virginia set the exam
pie oflegalizing suchoppression and tyranny.
The early inhabitants of Virginia discov-
cred the evils arising from the traffic in the
means Of drunkenness. At as early a period
as the year 1914, they had become satisfied
that hat trade ought to be restrained, and
thereupon they enacted a law similar to the
much abused Maine Law of this day. TaOo
hundred and ten gears ago, ard about a cen
fury before any settlements of white people
had been made in what is now the State of
Maine, a law containing provisions to the
following effect, was adopted in Virginia =
No innholder, ordinary keeper, or victualler
was allowed to sell any wines or strong Ii
quor, but strong beer only-and no debts
made for wines or strong drinks shall be
pleadable or recoverable in any court of JUS
tice in the colony.-Henning's Statutes, vol.
l, page 2S7. In February 1915 the latter
part of this act was repealed but in l647 it
was re-enacted, because, as the act states,
" it is again conceived very useful and prof.
table to the welfare of this community"
But this legislation did not satisfy the
Fathers ofthe Commonwealth" They deem
ed it necessary to adopt the principle which
has been deemed the browning abomination
of the Maine Law. We allude to that provis-
ion which authorizes the destruction of IL
quor under certain circumstances. By an
act Of November, l645-same volume, page
2 Q00 - e, rnoskoI 4LoA 46ouo IoJ 49, ooooA
abuses committed by ordinary keepers and
, retailers of wine and strong waters, there
> was, therefore, q schedule of prices adopted
| and set forth, which were to be paid for the
several sorts of wines and other liquors, and
9 then follows a section that would be " aw-
fully operative" in this good time, fit were
e now in force. 1t is in these words.
, And if any person or persons retailing
wines or strong waters as aforesaid, shall
4 fraudulently mix or corrupt the same, upon
4 complaint and due proofe made thereof before
two commissioners, whereof one to be Of the
2 quorum, The said commissioners shall, by
warrant under their hands, command the
0 constable TO sTAvE THE SAME, and lfany shall
take more than such rates set, they to be
. fined at double the value Of such rates SO ex-
D acted"
1t would seem that two hundred years ago
the liuuor-dealers and drunkard-makers we're
e pretty much the same sort Of fellows thai
they are now. They were very troublesome
and not a little rascally-" mixing and cor
rupting" the draughts they furnished to Their
/" customers, and charging more than the Law
e allows" What think you would be the eli
re feet of that same staveing' process in thes
- days of v~erdigris and coculus indicus! 1t i
W not at all uni kelly that the Maine legislator
a borrowed the idea of destroying the liquor ur
ne lawfully offered for sale. from the acts s
Ill faithfully registered by Henning!
he All the foregoing extracts, says the write
Dis in the Examiner, are taken from Henning
us first volume. The second, containing tn
he legislation from 1860 to 1852, furnishes man
ey examples of similar enactments. All so
fe. show that free trade Ia liquor was never a
he lowed in Virginia. Some of these acts reg
ill late the rates to be charged by ordinary-kee
ito ers some of them point out the mode
lie. which license was to be obtained and son
ly, designate the articles which they were require
or allowed to furnish. The most importal
Jay of these is the act of June, l676-vol. 2
the mage 3Sl-and which provides that
BIT whatsoever shall presume to sell az
nj soyte of drinke or liquor whatsoever by reta
under any colour, pretence, delusiOn or su
up tie evasion whatsoever, to be dTunEe or spe
the in his or their house, or houses, or upon /
ath or their plantations from and after the ten
me. day of September next, and be thereof la
fully convicted, shall pay to the informer
each time hee shall soc offend, and bee there
Is lawfully convicted as aforesaid, one thousa
on hounds of tobacco, wherein no wager
' in iage shall be admitted or allowed, any a
,ro law, usage or cuStonae to the contrary n
withstanding."
We proceed to quote the concluding port
lere of the article in question, in the writer's o.
"" language
me- IF would be tedious to enumerate, far i
ness to copy, all the many old laws on this 81
lver iect. He who is not satisfied by the exa
orb. pies already given, can refer to Henin
~statntes for his own edifications and v
and there perceive that the olden times, legiS
IS Of tors of Virginia had no matter more at he
flor than the suppression ofthe hurtful and p
judicial trade in intoxicating liquors.
.""" will furthermore discover thar they were
mes very s~queamish in the choice OF means
attic which their end was to be attained. lie
ID in perceive that when fine and lmprlsonentW
r;n not effectual, the Cavaliers of Virginia
not hesitate to apply the lash tor the cor