Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-02-07
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
(Dsferrcd Debate.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Breaches Of Ihe Peace.
Section l. Be it enacted By He General is
sembly Of the State Of Tennessee, That all laws
heretofore passed establishing ordinaries and tip
pling houses, licensing aad authorising the sale
of vnOus or spritnous liquors by the small or
any quantity to be drank al the place. premises,
OF plantation where sold, be and the same are
hereby repealed.
Sec 2. That hereafter it shall and may be
lawful for any free white person or persons TO
vend retail or sell vinous or spirituous liquors
in any quantity provided the same is not to be
drank at the place, premises or plantation whera
sold; and provided further, that this section
shall not repeal or modify any law prohibiting
the sale of spirituOus or vinOus liquors TO any
slave slaves, or to any free person Of color or
on Sunday.
Sec g. That it shall not be lawful for any per-
son or persons to buy vinous or spirtuous liquors
in any quantity for the purpose aud intent Of be-
ing drank as a beverage at the place, premises
or plantation where purchased.
Sec 4. No person shall carry TO any court,
muster election. public speaking, or to any other
place of public gathering OF the people, vnOus or
spirituous liquors TO be sold or used as a beY-
erage.
Sec 5. That if any person or persons shall di-
rectly or indirectly yeRd sell vnOus or spirit
uous liquors in any quantity, with intent for the
same OF any part thereof TO be drank or used as
a beverage at the place, premises or plantation
RI where sold, or in any other manner violate the
second. third or fourth sections Of this act, he,
she or they. their aiders or abettors, shall be
deemed guilty of unsdemeanor. and liable 10
be presented or indicted as in other cases Of mis-
demeanors, and punished by fine or imprisOn-
ment or both. at the discretion Of the court try
ing the same.
Sec g. That in all cases arising under the
provisions of this act. the Attorney General may
file bills of indictment ey oticiO, and IL shall be
the duty of the grand juries to send for witnesses
ia all cases ia which they or either of them sus-
pect a violation of this act and it is hereby
made the especial duty of the Judges of the Cir
cult and Criminal Courts, at each term TO give
this act in charge to the grand jurors.
Sec 7. This act shall take effect from and af-
ter its passage. provided the same does not in
teriere with any person or persons that now have
4 license 20 retail vinous or splrituous liquors,
before the expiration Of the same.
Mr. Harris moved to strike out the inquiSito-
rial power in the sixth section. He was opposed
to giving grand juries the power 10 send for wit
nesses. With this amendment he would support
the bill.
Mr.. Brien said he was not welded to that
measure or any other. he had bestowed geOd
deal of attention to the preparation of the BILL in
order 60 make il as perfect a. possible, so as TO
meet what he conceived 20 be the wants Of the
times. The inqusitorial power was engrafted
upon our present laws regulating the sale Of
the bill now under discussion would not be
stricken out. He desired that the bill should be
taken up by sections, and acted upon. He was
not partial 10 his own work but regarded it as
good law as could be adopted. The first sec
tion of the bill was already a law, so far as the
action of this House concerned having on
Yesterday refused 10 reconsider the vote passing
on its third reading the bill 10 repeal the tipping
law.
Mr.. Nixon offered q bill In lieu Of the bill pro-
posed by Mr.. Brien, being modification Of that
bill--the modification consisting mainly in stri-
king out the third, fourth and fifth sections.
Mr.. Cavitt moved to lay the bill in lieu upon
the table.
Mr.. Wilson, OF Marshall. said he was not pre-
pared to vote upon this motion, because be did
not understand the difference between the two
bills, and perhaps others were similarly situated.
Mr. Bren explained the provisions of the bill
proposed by himself and also the provisions Of
lhe'bill offered in leu,-the material difference
being that his bill would prevent people from
gathering in crowds on public occasions aud
drinking liquor, against which Mr.. NiXon's bill
made no provison-and expressed the belief that
the. original bill would better meet the wants Of
the times in the shape in which il was introduced.
Mr. Nixon said he did not like to talk about
liquor, neither did he like TO drink it--it was
dangerous thing, politically and socially and
IL was 10; good thing for members of the lie
much with. He was opposed 10 the fourth sec
tioa of the original bill. which prohibits man
from taking a bottle of liquor TO public gather
ings for the reason that a man had a right 10
take liquor 10 such places TO drink as a beverage,
provided that ia so doing, he did not transgress
upoa the rights Of others. lie cOntended that
the Legislature had no right to pass law con-
tanning such provision.
The House then laid the bill in lieu upon the
table.
Mr. Cook said:
Mr. SiEAKER: In the question before this
House for its consideration feel great interest;
and / am persuaded that no question will be
brought before this House during It's present
session in which the people of Tennessee feel as
much interest as they have shown they feel in
the settlement of this-for during the past year
almost every man who was before the people
seeking TO represent them in this House, was
forced to take some position publicly relative
TO the .'Tipplng Laws" and they are now anx-
ioasly awaiting the action Of this Legislature
up, this aH-importaHf question; Important, be-
cause it bears upon every Individual in this
State, either directly or Indirectly; important,
because Il will bring either "tcedi OF ,rOe" upon
the rising generation as well as generations TO
cone. Aud il does seem 10 me. that by doing
what the the people expect Of this body, we will
not only DO much good TO the present generation.
bat more good 20 those Yet - come. And l say
this because the evil effects of the "Tipling
Laws" or rather Of ''the traffic in ardent spirits
as a beverage have already seized upon our
present population; aud il is much more difficult
60 remove the rice they have already fallen into,
than To keep them out OF one into which they
have never been initiated, and hence any law We
might pass prohibiting the sale Of spirtuous
liquors as a beverage will do more for coming
generations.
And any change to be radical must be by de-
grees; for when We take a lingering glance over
the records Of time, We there lind that all the
great changes for good which have been wrought
upon man. through the various agss which be
has been rapidly borne, have been brought on
him By degrees; aud are thereby convinced that
any style Of order made for his government
must be gradually brought upon him, and that
there ispo such thing as working great change
in the taWse OF any people ia a day, but Il
must come by experience, which is slow. We
daily see that change in mans dcaiag and
intercourse with HE fellew-man, as we'll a. his
conduct towards HE Maker. must he gradually
wrought upon him. We have striking iluslra.
tion of ths reasoning in the Bible--we are there
= informed that man by sin lad become dead, and
that some ransom had % be paid FOR his redemp-
tion--and that Jesus Christ the only Son Of the
Almighty, willingly bore the 'crown Of thornsi
the 'cross and death that man thereby might be
enabled 10 see eternal life. Yet We know MIN
listers OF the Gospel for centuries have been al
most daily painting 10 the people, IN lhc most
striking manner, Christ Cncihed,n and pont-
ing b. his red blood ~ Il poured from bis body
llbation for mans salvation, and still man con
viDced (or al least willihg 20 acknoNlcdge that
be II convncedl of the necessity ~ a change IN
his wicked course, goes reckieasly on ead does
not change bis manner of action; II be does, Il
l. generally after much exprrience. And hence
we are taught Maa is slow 10 CHANGE al
though be Is convinced Of The neceeily Of q
change.
We eknow further, shsi us are al ineIlned 10