The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-02-02


prosecutor. Care, however, must be Ia
ken no to push this power to extremes;for
the criminal Justice of our county may
fail of answering its proper purposes, if
that, which was intended to punish the
maleyolent, be made to oppress the honest
and sincere although, perhaps, mistaken
| prosecutor.
1t is scarcely necessary to 60 over the
list of crimes, in their order, which come
before our Courts Of criminal jurisdiction,
from murder down to the simplest mis-
demeanor-If anything out of the ordin-
ary course should arise or if any thing
connected with any offence charged,
should create any difficulty in your minds,
the Court or District Attorney will give
you every information in relation to these
definitions or the facts necessary to con-
stitute them, or any thing else connected
with your official duties, with much
4 pleasure. Vi
Yet there are some subjects as the
moving causes Of crimes, in relation to
which the Court desire your attention for
short time.
A reference to the calendars Of our
jails and penitentiaries-to the dockets
of our Courts of criminal jurisdiction
to the lists of paupcrs crowding our aims
houses, poor houses, and infrmarics, will
show that intemperance is the grand
channel through which they are supplied
with victims. 1t is the great sin of our
land, and brings in its train more disease,
misery, crime, and death, than all its other
auxiliaries put together,
Taverns, it is true, must be licensed
according to law, but they are only to
be licensed "to accommodate the public,
and entertain strangers and travellers. y
The granting of tavern licences is com
mitted to the court of quarter sessions of
the proper county, and if we are proper
ly informed, we will not err in licensing
either improper persons, or unnecessary
houses Our knowledge of the localities
of the county, and of the necessity of hav
ing houses of entertainment in various
parts of it, is necessarily limited. Hence
the act of assembly requires that each
person petitioning either for the grant or
renewal of tavern license, shall procure,
and produce to the court the certificate of
twelve citizens of the township, setting
forth: "That such inn or tavern is ncces-
sary to accommodate the public, and en-
tertain strangers and travellers, and that
such person is of good repute for honesty
and temperance, and is we'll provided
with house room and conveniences for the
accommod alton Of strangers and travel
ers." But this precaution of the legisla-
ture seems often little better than dead
letter, or at best, is too frequently treat
ed as a mere matter of form-a thing of
course. The votary of intemperance-
the encourager of neighboring custom, to
drink to their own ruin, himself often
reeling amidst his kindred Bacchanalians,
receives from men, esteemed by the COM
munity to be of honorable and high
minded integrity, testimonial which
should only be given to the sober and hon.
est petitioner for license. If the citizens
will only exercise the proper frmness,
and we may add honestly, in the behalf,
it will save the court much trouble, and
the public, percbance themselves, much
misery. But it is lamentably too true
that men having good regulations for
yeracity, will subscribe recommendations
for tavern licenses, containing statements
which they would utterly repudiate il
called upon to satisfy under oath.
Connected with the vice of intemper-
ance, and often its associate, is that oi
gambling. An offence prohibited by law,
under severe penalties, both in the par
ties engaged in it, and on the innkeeper
or house holder who permits it on his
: premises.
= If there we're no gambling houses, VIC
(. would have few gamblers, and fathers
: would not have to mourn over the blight
ed prospects of their sons, usefulness, ouI
wives sit weeping away the night which
, should be devoted to needful repose, ii
: waiting the return of beloved, but in
! fatuated husband, from these sinks o.
e pollution and ruin The tavern keeper
who suffers such nuisance about hi
S premises, besides subjecting himself t.
t fine and Imprisonment, forfeitS his license
r and is incapable Of being again licensed
s for time. Tavern keepers must learl
S to keep orderly houses, and not sutfe
r tipping, gaming, or carousing about thel
: premises. They arc cmphatieally licen
y sed to accommodate strangers and trav
elers, not to be lures for neighboring Gus
: tom, nurseries of intemperance; or den
y in which gamblers carry on their rob
! berries upon the weak, the inexperienced
e or the infatuated Whilst the court vii
:. sustain tavern keepers in their prope
pursuits, they will visit, with exemplar
. punishment, on their heads, all violation
. of the law, and of morality, and hol
them to strict account. We tctHnot n
r neaU the license of a single taUe,W keep
!. aei,O,1 zee hare reason 10 6cljeue, 1)ermI
r gambling or hxsbitWal intenpcraa,ce a6o'
8 h9S house. These evils are sapping tn
> morals of the community, and they mus
L. ko1