The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-10-02
LOCAL MATTERS.


ATTENTION MxcHASIcs.-A meeting Of
your Institute will take place at Odd FslowS Hall
tonight. Az matters of Importance may come up f.r
action, you should be present by all means.
TEMPERANCE MEETNG.-A large and
respec,able meeting of citizens Of both sexes was
held at the Universalist Church last Friday night
| to hear an address by the Rev. CHARLES II. READ
of this city, on 1.-THE traffic In ardent spirifs The
ladies turned out In full force the OCCASION ant
| seemed perfectly delighted with the remarks sub
mted to their consideration, on subject which %
vitality affects not only their individual happiness
but those of their families and friends.
The meeting was opened with feeling and apl
propriafe prayer by the Rev. ROBERT RYLAND of
this city, who earnestly beseeched the aid of Di
vine Providence In pushing forward the great tenn
perance reformation.
The opening address was made by Mr.. THOMAS
]. EVANS, in which our present license laws were
discussed and compared with prohi5itory law
He commended that 1t would be as reasonable to for
bid mans drinking spirits at his own house,
forbid his drinking at the store of another where
it was purchased but could not be drunk A. has 9
license to sell intoxicating drinks to B. b be car
| ried away, but not to be drunk where cold. Ans
what is the effectt Why B., the purchaser, shall
| his family, but he may take it home as the Law
| says and, In the phrenxy of intoxication abuse
and maltreat his poor wife and helpless children
who are not the cause of his Madness Much
". fs.,u w,
| the Maine law has been called. He doubted /
out of ten who denounced II, had ever read II
How many present had read II This law did no,
prohibit mans drinking intoxicating beverages
but from selling such drinks But then the latitude
| from which this law originated IL objected to-
principle to be rejected because it comes from
the North l take it, said the speaker that tbs
| which is good should no more be objected to be,
cause it had its origin in the North than bae
in the South All the friends of temperance asked
of the Legislature was to let the voice of the PEG
pie be heard. If they demanded a prohibilory
law. it was the duty of the Legislature to pass IT.
If they did not wish 1t, the temperance men would
not endeevor to force it upon them.
But 1t has been said that ProhibitoTy law, ii
passed, could not be executed. The speaker ask
ed If the law prohibiting the issue of small notes
was notiexecuted; and answered, "unquestiona5ly,
because sustained by public sediment" He had
| heard the Attorney for the Commonwealth charge
the Jury to take legal steps to prevent the circu.
laon OF small notes. and in short time after, had
known the Sheriff to pay off Jury Ia shinpasters.
Why was thiss Because the bar, bench, Jury and
officers OF the court were all guilty of violating the
law and there was no one left to least the first
stone: Public sentiment was not then with the
law-but since a change in the public mind,
witness the effect: Small notes are unknown, and
| the law rigidly adhered to.
The same remarks viii apply to the sale of lot
terry tickets Is not the law to prevent the sale OF
lottery tickets prohibitory one? And yet does
any one complain of in Certainly not-because
public sentiment ripe for it's passage, and there
fore sustained it.
One of the reasons urged against the prohibition
of the sale of Intoxicating drinks is that tho en-.
gagged in it will be thrown out of BUSINESS and left
to starve Well if any class OF men can only sus.
tain themselves by poisoning their fellows let them
starve. But noif that be the only objection, and
the passage of the law can be secured in no other
way, the friends of temperance would enter into
| bond with approved security, to support all the
rum sellers and their families, the remainder OF
their lives. They shall not starve. We will give
| them roast beef and 81 per dav, and then save
money for the State, out of the vast amount now
| expended in supporting pauperism, Furnishing
| crime and enforcing the laws now trampled upon
| by the votaries OF intemperance.
II the sale OF ardent spirts were proper traffic
why had the law thrown around it many restric.
onsinot applicable to the sale of any other article
| Why was the dealer required to be man of good
| character, and would probably keep an orderly
house2 Why was he required to get certificate
| of character from the courtl And why was he re.
qured topay an extra license for the sale of the ar
ticle? Did not these restrictions show conclusive
ly, that the Legislature has control of the subject
that it has the power to say by whom the article
may be sold-and If it has the power to select
the sellers, has it now the same power to prohibit
| the sale altogether2 THE speaker here read sec.
tions from the code the subject of licenses and
| remarked upon them with great force, pointing out
their Inconsistencies and proving by argument that
they were detrimental to the wealth, health and
happiness of the State.
MIR. Evans reminded his audience that the friends
OF temperance, last winter, sent petition to the
Legislature, asking the passage of bill by which
the voice of the people could be heard for or
aprohibtory law. This petition, though signed by
| $4,000 persons, was given the go-by. Since then
an election had been held in the Harrison Congress.
sional district, composed of five counties in which
| the friends OF temperance opened poll for and
against. licensing the sale of liquor Four of those
counties voted against the license and one in favor
OF It, In the State forty three counties had refused
| to grant certificates to merchants to sell ardent
| Spirits and eighteen had refused licenses to ordi
| naries.
The County Court of Mason having refused II.
| cense TO Mr.. Ysgher, who proved himself to be a
| man OF good character, under that section of the
| law which says :" If sober man, who would prob
ably keep an orderly house, ETC., should apply for
| a license, the Court may grant 1.-THE word may
having heretofore been construed to mean shall
| that gentleman appealed to Judge Summers, who
gave as his opinion that the subject was entirely
being satisfied with this decision Mr.. Yagher car.
ried to the Court of Appeals the highest judicial
tribunal in the State, and that body decided that
according to the wording of the law, the County
Court had full discretion the matter, and could
grant or reject the license as to it seemed best.
After an able review of the laws governing the
sale OF ardent Spirits and the effect Of such traffic
on the morals OF the people, Mr.. Evans apologised
for having said so much; and introduced the Rev
| Z. H. Read as one who, though known to the au.
dience, yet was in this case not so well known to
them as to himself he having found him. when
ever called upon, ready to meet any demand made
| upon him in behalf of temperance
Mr.. READ then rose and addressed himself with
his usual clearness and force of reasoning and
beauty OF language to the subject before him. "The
Traffic in Ardent Spirits" He commended that tn at
which is 'or0ng cannot be legislated into right nor
that which is base and degrading In its effects, be
made by law noble and elevating, and all efforts in
this sort of legislation are full of contradictions in
consistencies and absurdities as had been shown
this evening The history of our legislation on this
subject was abundantly illustrative of what he had
asserted As minister of the gospel here for five
| years, he could not be accused of meddling with
politics. His commission was different, "Go We
into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. and he deeply regretted that there were
those OF his calling who had greatly mistaken Its
aim as to make it subservent to politics but, said
he as private citizen, tax paying Citizen interest
ed In and affected BY all that goes to promote or
mar the peace. purity, health, wealth, and morals
OF society, have my opinions and on fitting occa.
| sons, am not backward to state and defend them.
In regard to legislation In general he co nsidered 1t
asound drton that every organized society which is
hit to exist inherent right to enact laws
both rcndrtory and prohi5ory, for its preservation
| and improvement. Upon this principle, he took his
stand and with it was willing abide under all ctr
cumstances The opposite Of is sbsurdity, for what
l ID eocety wifhOut a RacavAinr thia