The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-02-03
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permitted :ho .:"rpn. o. temperance houses.
which, before i.s enactment could rot be
done. withou. tic violation Of law and incur
ring it, penalties.
In 1882. a law was passed confininc the
time for granting licenses 10 The terms Of the
courts. 80 that no licenses. except for keeping
Temperance houses. could be- procured during
the recess
In lsI4. the license system was reviSed.a
new act was passed. and all former laws re-
rea!ed. This act took the business Of grant
ing licenses from the courts, and provided
for the annual election OF county commits
soncrs, to whom tn" sole power of granting
licenses va. committed. They were author
ICED to license 'one or two persons In each
town. to sell for medicinal. chemical and me-
chanica! purposes only. so that they might
continue the genera. license system "a before,
or they might restrict The sales to those pur-
poses. az they might think proper. This act
made a distinction between inns and taverns.
Tie former were tcmper;.n: g, the latter tip-
Sl,nc houses. The commissioners could grant
licenses to both. or TO neither ofthem as they
chose The coVmiS>io'crS we're elected hy
the vol erS in town and ireemen's meetings.
This act =, far in advance OF anything before
Il brought he temperance question, every
wear. 10 the bal lot box. and forced its cOnsli-
sration unon tn. whole community. Inns
operated very Is, IRA Llyin promoting temper
ance principles. =.
To this system. how 'vor. 'hcre were o"'ec'
tions. One was n want ofu rliorm'tv among
the counties liz some. lire,.'cs we're gram
eli, Will. IN 81 cr+. the sale wa. - '~'r!'''".-
The former mono.,oiiz''lhir rum ira W az
supplied the latter. Though the Chs imp
tion Of alrchoic drinks. under the ope,.' VI
Of this law. was diminished: still it was :"
easily pva,l"!. that it proved inefficient to ac-
sompli>h the object i sired.
in 1915 all pre-. ous laws on this subject
were repealed. tn" business Of cran:in. H.
censes was restored t. The courts. By the
provisions of The Law of that wear. on the first
Tuesday Of Marrh annually. all voters in
town ard frccmans' ,n,e'ine>. throughout tn,
State, were cai!ct! ';.'oa % vote ji~caS'. or
noi,csnso, In case the State went for license.
It was made imperative unon the Judges TO
license all who should apply. scic s"s'ntn'd a
g06d ncr0' 4'lr'uc'"F'. on their paving there
!or. the sums required Nv the law. II the
State went no ir,a>s. the Judges were only
authorized To grant licenses to sell for melci
nal. chemical an'i mechanical purposes. and
TO such persons on!y.a ~ shall he appreciated
BY the boards of civil authority. These
boards were authorized as in 1871. to license
inns and victuain: hou-es. in which the sale
Of wrre ard all d,;.irl srir,uons Liquors was
prohibited.
This law was IN Improvement. upon the
one repealed. and remained on the statute
hook till $50. fou~ years in succession. TIE
voter, in town and t:tr.ner's meetings. thro'
eat the entire STATE. ~ p:c'>e'! their opinions
on this question. q. the ial'n. box Every
wear the vote was a.air.t licensing In 1873,
owing +, = mistake, :hc 'otc was proclaimed
she other way. In on" own, giving large
majority =. >!nst .;''rns:ne. tie consta'l e re-
surnai that M ;or:'v in favor ofi'. The vote
Of the Stat. va; 81 nearly t.!,ncetl. that TIL,
mistake cayc m.or''y OF a very few votes
in its favor. The na.rr" consequences i"s-
Lowell. Durin. ti, yea, The state was Hood
81 with rum.
In 1850. ar g.. vas ra;.ed. r., "e.'ng all
former laws, and providing for the 81. " o. N
soxicatinc liquors for medicinal. chemical, an.
mechanical purposes only. and, with the cx-
sept;on Of cider. rroLi;i:n: their sale Cor
al other objects.
This is believed: 70 -; I'll" FIRE. absolute pro
Ai5ltory law enacted tv arv Of The S.atrs-
II takes precedence OF the Maine Law, which
was passed in 1851 1t wax no; however c.
quail to that law, because it wanted its s,rin
gent provisions to insure its execution.
This law was also repealed in 1852 and
new one passed, entitled An a.. to prevent
tho sale ofintoxira,iar liquors for the purpose
Of drinking" Til: law, as originally passed,
was more stringent .han the Maine law. All
persons were prohilie. from manufacturing.
furnishing, or uiv:'. away any ,pri,uous. or
Intoxicating liquor. except the manntactur-
er OF cider, who WAS permitted TO make and
cell the same IN quantities not less than five
gallons. for medicinal, chemical. mechanical
and culinary rrrT o,es only The time Of
this acts going into operation was submitted
to the frcemcn. The act was to take ctlcc.
on the second TUESDAY, OF March, 1853, unless
. majority Of the irermc... q: meetings to be
holden i'll every town III the State fer that
purpose. voted ESQ In .;.at ease il was to
take effect on the first MONDAY in December
following. which worl.l he after another Sos
ion Of the General Assembly. This act was
intend'i, by IL friends. TO accomplish the OBJ
ject Of its cnatIncnt /. Wa, 50 stringent &
90 comprehensive in It's provisions, that It a
wakencd an opposition. not encountered r.
any previous law. Tie lines between its
friends and rs opponents were distinctly
drawn. The vu.arivi Of B.cchus were most
thoroughly aroused. They saw their god in
danger. Their strongest champions took tn:
field, and the S;a:e VII probably never be-
fore SO thoroughly canyas>cl. No arguments,
no m ANS were spare: to defca, the law. ty
delaying it, :;;,in. ciiii,.c', Ill after another
session of TIE General Assembly. But thu.
vote was taken The result was a deci,le,I
majority III favor u Ike Avs taking effect at
she earliest period
Though fiic''. the opposition to the law
was continued. In 1858, the Legislature
passed an act, witch very much crippled the
Law Of 1872 B.: tina: act, a construction is
given to the w0r;!>. give away" which. in
many cases, defeats the enforcement OF the
law. The rerea! Of tie 2cd and 25th sections.
known as IN: Mine: amendments, WAS, to say
the least, unfortunate.
At the !a'' ses. ion Of The legislature, the
committee. 10 whom. III" si;,j"ct was referred.
with much care and labor. prepared bill in
addition to- aud il. amendment of. the present
!aw. lis provisions werc ius;;":ons. The a.
meh'.'n"n'S were 'trE n"''ts-arv. and COM
mended themselves 70 all. friendly to the law.
without them. SON" portions Of it cannot be-
enforced with sahty. M approximations
were entertained. bu: that they would read;.
y pass both branches Of the L"yisl,ture.
The Senate passed item But, "horribiie
dic'n." they were defeated in the House,
we can wait another year. But the !ators
u that committee mist not lie lost. The
IfieNt.2 OF prohibition must SEQ IN II that m