Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-03-10
Meetir,r on "wednesday night Of the Citizens

The Hastings Court OF sdld city
On motion of Mr.. Tilden, Mr.. VIM. l.. Saun-
ders was called to the chair, and John w. Stone
appointed Secretary.
Mr.. Samuel Booker then offered the following
resolution
Resoired. That it is inexpedient to nominate
candidates for the office Of Justices Of the Hus-
tings Court of the city of I.ynchburg, pledged to
refuse or grant license for an Ordinary, and that
If is inexpedent to make nominations in this meet
ing for Justices for the corporation of the city OF
Lynchburg.
Mr.. Booker proceeded at considerable length
TO advocate his resolution.
Mr.. John i. Iilden offered as IN amend.
ment to Mr.. Booker's resolution, that the word
inerpedient be struck out, and the word erPedient
be inserted.
Mr. Irving arose and spoke in favor of Mr..
Booker's resolution.
Mr. Jacob Robinson then obtained the floor
and spoke at considerable length sustaining the
amendment as offered by Mr.. Tilden.
Mr. Booker having obtained the floor spoke
again. sustaining his resolution first offered
Mr.. Tilden arose invoking this meeting
to adopt the resolution amended.
Mr. Kirkpatrick obtained the floor and proceed
ed with a speech relative to settling the ques-
ton, and moved that the meeting adjourn sine
die.
Judge Wilson then arose and
Mr.. Kirkpatrick withdrew his motion with
the privilege of renewing it so soon as the Judge
was through.
Judge Wilson proceeded with lengthy
speech in favor of Mr. Booker's resolution.
Rev Mr.. Pritchard having the floor made
a speech at considerable length in favor of the
resolution as amended
e. Mr.. w. NJ. Davis offered, as ia substitute
for the whole, the following Preamble and Reso-
luton
Believing that the Hastings Court of our city,
in granting licenses to sell alcoholic or vinous
liquors, had previously acted, either under mis-
taken construction of the laws laid down for their
guidance in the promises, or from want of due
consideration of their import, very large num-
Der of our citizens presented to the last May
Term of that Court highly respectful memorial
praying their woishps: "To grant no license to
keep a Hotel or Ordinary, unless they had before
them the most ample and unquestonable evil
dence that such an establishment was required
by the wants of the communty-that the house
and equipments of the applicants for such license
such as would meet those wants, and es-
pecially that the applicant would act in good
faith under that license, by keeping, really and in
truth, house where food lodging and all the
usual comforts, and accommodations of a hote
besides, those of alcoholic and vihous drinks
could at all times be obtained when properly ap
piled GRAND that he would under no crcumstan-
ces use such license disguise for keeping
mere tipping house" The memorialists further
prayed the court to grant no license to sell ar
dent vinous liquors. not to be drank where
sold, to any applicant, whose character and
standing in the community, were not of them
selves sufficient assurance, that the terms of
the license would not be exceeded-that the laws
would suffer neither violation nor evasion at his
hands" The prayer of that memorial was IA rea-
sonable and Just one--for- in the honest opinion
of the signers-it sought nothing more than the
full measure of protection which the laws, shaving
reference to its object, manifestly intended to
secure to them. But the Husting Court thought
differently, and the action of the May term re-
suited in gain dotting our city from one extrem-
ity to the other, with numerous establishments,
which, although wearing the legal garb of Hotels,
possessed scarcely solitary characteristic en-
titling them to such classification save the "a
bility to furnish at all times any amount of al
coholc or vinous drink-much to the detriment
of the good order and good morals of
city.
We do not,for a moment, question the integri-
ty of the Court as to its present action upon this
subject,-but holding as we do opinions thereon
directly adverse to those of that body, and be-
ieving that we have a perfect right to claim the
full benefits of all the protection, which the laws
guarantee to us in the premises and that from the
past action of the Hastings Court consti-
tuted, we cannot expect the amount of legal pro-
lection which we believe ourselves entitled to at
their hands; and further believing that the right
to elect pubic servants, also involves the right
to elect just such servants as in our honest opin-
ion, will best promote the public good, we feel it
to be our solemn duty to make an effort to elect
such Court will administer the laws, accord
ing to what we believe to be their true intent and
meaning: therefore,
BE IL Resolved That it is expedent to nomi
nate, to be voted for at the next city election,
Board of Aldermen, who are opposed to the wide
latitude, heretofore pursued by the Hastings
Court, in granting license to sell alcoholic and
vinous liquors, and who are in favor of requiring
all of the qualifications, and of enforcing all of
the restrictions upon applicants for such IL
cense, as the laws appertanng to the subject
either set forth or imply.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick then rose pressing his motion
to adjourn sine die. The question was called for
and put; the vote stood II to | Is.
Mr. 1ilden then moved that we adjourn to
meet on next Wednesday night, which motion
was carried, with but few exceptions, unanimous
ly. WM l.. SAUNDERS, Chm.
JNo. w. STONE, Seo'y.