Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1855-12-13

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County, was seleated for President; james s. Mar.
tin, Ell b, Talley, Edward L. Aice, Of New Castle
county; Robert J. Lowber, John Hobson, John Me-
DoWei oil NE MT county, and Edward Watson, Charles
" hickman, John Morris Of Sussex county, Vice
residents; and 3. 7: Akin Of New Castle county,
Edward Potts Of Kent county, and Noah Conaway
Oh sussex county, secretaries. The following Pre-.
ample and Resolutions were presented to the meet
ing, and rend by the Secretary:
WHEREAs, In a republican form Of government.
which, by the Constitution Of the United States Ia
guaranteed 10 each Stats In this Union the natural
o. us citizens TO personal security and the free
anu iuil enjoyment OF property should be protected
not ohy from the wanton aggressions ofindividuals
put MISC from cruel unjust and unnecessary laws A.
mong which must be classed an Act passed by the
OF delaware at its last session. under tho
utle OF AN Act for the suppression of Intemper-
ance, whereby our rights and interests are greatly
ana inJurlously Affected In the exercise Of our un-
doubted privilege, we have assembled together for
ne purpose OF placing be ore the people, for their
eonsiaerauoni our solemn protest against said law
and our reasons why il should be repealed at the ear
Hest possible period, Therefore.
hssofvsa, That all sumptuafy laws prescrb-
ing 70 the people what they shall or shall not eat
urnk or wear, or otherwise interfering with their
private and domestic concerns, are unwarrantable
abrdgments of liberty, difficult Of execution because
fepugnansto public opinion, and wholly
oy reason OF any necessity for their enactment now
OF heretofore existing in is community that the
legislative power Of the State extends only to mat.
Veis OF political and general concern and we con.
sider the question rs to sumptuary laws was we'll de-.
neu ana settled by the trainers Of the Constitution
| o. the United States. When II was moved to ena-
bic Congress % act sumptuary laws, Mr. Ellis.
iar as the hS . hss, sc.n,say = - s.;sg s--
reasonable it Is provided for in the power of taxa
| tion." "Mr. Gresverner Morris argued that sump-
tuary laws tended 10 create landed nobility by FIX
.hg in the great landholders and th,ir pOsterity,
law Of necessity is the best lawn and the
motion was rejected by eight States to three So
| thought and decided such statesmen as Madison
FRANKLIN, Roger Sherman, Hamilton, and other
great men oil me convention who framed the Consti
| tuition of the United States,
| =. hesotOsd, That the "Act for the suppression
OF lntemperance" is a sumptuiry law unnecessa ii.
creating new class Of offences out Of acts hither-
to considered innocent and indifferent, and punish.
ing them with degree of severity which should only
be lniicted for the punishment OF crimes Of great
magnitude, while at the same time 1t denies to a
se SiaSs q etlEena the right &c prosecute the bust
ness IN which they have been engaged for the pub
lle accommodation, and has greatly decreased the
| value of the property
3 ResofVed, That public houses for the entertain.
e' vi eraVeers and citizens cannot be kept and
Mainialned in the city of Wilmington, or the towns
and villages OF the State, without the privilege of
selling sprituous and other liquors; and that II the
present prohibitory liquor law should be considered
remain in force beyond the sesson Of the next Leg
stature, nearly all of them will be closed to the
great ineonVenie nee ofhe public, without any coun
| tervailing benefit.
A. ReS0fUed, That the law, If fully eemplied with
by the liquor dealers would not as we believe ma.
telay il at all, decrease the general use of ntox.
cating liquors by our citizens, because it is well
known fact that in view Of the execution of its pro-
Visions many persons who are in the habit of us;ng
liquors, have provided themselves an ample supply
and do now and will hereafter, drink and treat their
friends at their own houses instead Of the hotels;
anu also, that club rooms have been established IN
many places, which will doubtless be continued and
| their number increased, where eneh member oonri.
butes an equal share of money for the purchase of
q9or and to which he resorts at any time be chooses
anu aThks as often and as much as he peatos; that
the acllity of obtaining supply Of all kinds of II.
quOrs from the States in close proximity to ours Is 80
great that the principal il the only effect of the
law VIII be an unjust discrimination against our own
liquor dealers in favor Of the dealers Of other States
o. hes0fUed, That the repeal Of tho liquor license
| law, has reduced considerably the revenue appro.
prlated for the support Of Free Schools which fund
might be greatly increased by judlcous law grant.
| ing such licenses
tionable, inasmuch as IL authorized nnv nerson N
institute and carry out system Of espionage into
tue affairs and acts Of their neighbers and even 10
make hmdayis OF their mere belief that its proyi.
s,GnshaVe been violated, without any personal know
ledge 81 their eWn, whereupon warrants ere issued
and all persons named by such informers are CON.
PEELED to appear before either the Mayor of vii.
mngton, the Justice OF tho Peace, Courts of Gen.
erai Sessions OF the State witnesses on complain
| OF winch in most cases. they are wholly Ignorant
ana where, Il hearing is continued from one time
to another, giving the right and the power to The
magistrate " TO detain" that is, to imprison the
witness until final hearing can be had of the case
| in which he is called upon to testify; n practice
Which can only be justified by extreme necessity
and which ought never to be resorted to- except In
cases OF crimes Of the highest grade. That for the
carrying out and executing such provisions of the
law, there has been organized in this State A hand
| Oh men known as the "Carsun League or Temper
ance Alliance" actuqted as we believe by a byot.
gu anu blind zeal, and an over estimate of their
4 n.ul- q a.
who have in their employ n number Of reckless and
wicked men acting as spies and informers, and
ready tOr their pay to descend to any meanness TO
carry out the command Of their employers That
snih course of conduct meets the disapprobation
OIL all nigh minded and honorable men, and that
such means for the enforcement of tho law is tacit
ADMISSION that is not sustained by public opinion
q HsSofVea, That the section Of said which pro-
vides that when intoxicated persons are found in
public rluces they shall be denied bail imprisoned
until they become sober, then fned rot less than
Ten nor more than twenty dollars, besides costs and
W failure 20 pNy such fine and costs shall be COM
nltted mot less than one day nor more than two
days Tor every dollar Of fine uapaid, is cruel and
unnecessary, and has already In many cases pro.
uuced much misery, want and suffering In innocent
anu helpless families, who, while the husband and
father was in prison compelled to beg or starye
Ior want OF his daily labor to procure their daily
,oou whereby the poor are made poorer, and pub
nc expenses Increased, which must be paid by add-
tional taxation That we hold, that all puuish
ments should be visited alike upon offenders equally
guilty, whereas by the provisions Of this law, the
man who Is able to pay his ne is scarcely punished
at oil while the peer man is deprived of his liberty
and degraded among felons for no crime, but for
the indulgence Of mere frailty which Is misfor.
| ishment y f PNN
g. RssoIvtd, That the dealers in spirituous, vim.
Temperament are Wiling 70 submit e and s5as Syy
the provisions Of rea iona bio law containing ali
necessary restrictions and penalties for the preyen
ton of drunkenness and disorder in their houses and
places Of business and recognizing the right Of the
Legislature to select subjects for taxation for the
support OF government or promotion of education;
are content TO pay literally for their privileges and
they also admit that licenses should only be granted
| in society.
.. ResOtUsd, That, believing, as we do, that the
act toI the suppression Of Intemperance,n If not
unconstitutional, is wholly nexpedient, and against
the opinion of majority of the people and the best
interests Of the State will use every honorable
enort to induce Legislature TO repeal IL at its
next session and substitute in It's place a just and
reasonable license law
The preamble and resolutions were unanimously
adopted.
The President then addressed the meeting at
length, in an eloquent and effective manner, and
wls followed by other gentlemen in neat and appro.