Daily American organ., 1856-02-26


supply our Alexandria subscribers promptly
and regularly. All orders should be left at Mr..
Henry Mansfelds, No. Is North Royal street,
or at Mr.. Henry Boyer's, No. 2lS Duke street
Board OF ALDERMEs.--Last evening bill au-
thorizing the doorkeeper or janitor of any public
assemblage to preserve order and to arrest persons
disturbing said meetings, concerts, lectures,
other assemblages according to law, was reported.
Mr.. Busey regarded the bill as not in accordance
with the spirit of the laws Of the District In order
to enable a doorkeeper to make an arrest he must
be endowed with constabulary powers, which are
conferred by the Judges of the District Court The
Corporation did not possess this power.
Mr.. Smith concurred with Mr.. Busey, and stated
that the Corporation could not confer the power
upon any individual although, under the common
law any citizen was empowered to prevent breach
of the peace. The janitor of eny public assembly
possessed this right already, without the passage
of this bill
lice
Mr. Marks reported a bill making additional ap-
preparations for the Asylum but moved to lay it
on the table, in consequence of the small number
OF members present
Mr. Pepper reported in favor of constructing an
additional room for the Collector in the City Hall;
$l25 was asked for this purpose. A proposal was
Mr. Busey moved to amend the bill by limiting
the cost to $l26. He did wish to have the city
called upon for extras, as was generally the case
Mr.. Smith wished to know where this room was
to be. lie had never heard of the proposed i'm
provement, although he was a member of the COM
mittee.
Mr. Pepper said that he had called on the gen.
tleman several times, but never could find him in
Mr. Smith said that the Alderman must have
been dreaming. He was always in his Office, and
seldom left it, even to go to his dinner.
The bill was then passed without opposition.
Mr.. Houston, from the Committee on Finance,
reported bill appropriating $500 for the contin-
gent expenses of the Auxiliary Guard. Passed.
Adjourned.
Board OF COMMON CoUNcIL.-A large number of
bills, authorizing improvements in various parts Of
the city, were passed.
Mr. Ruff, from the Committee on Police to
whom was referred the joint resolution asking Con-
gress for power to license the sale of lottery tick
cts in the city, reported the same back without
amendment.
Mr. AtLee wished to know why il was desired
to license the sale of lottery tickets
Mr. Ball supposed that no one would deny that
tickets were sold freely since the passage Of this
bill as previously the bill would not compel the
Corporation to license the sale of tickets but if
the business could not be broken up the Corpora
IT,.
Mr. AtLee said it was the practice in France to
license bawdy houses, and the same arguments
were used in favor of licensing that business, as
had been advanced by the gentleman from the
Fourth ward
Mr.. McCutchen had given his vote in the com
mittee in favor of reporting this resolution because
he thought the Corporation should have the power
to grant license for the sale of lottery tickets The
law as it stands at present is violated with impuu
ty The penalty attached to it is greater than the
crine, and therefore it cannot be enforced Public
opinion was against sending man to the peniten-
tiary for selling lottery tickets, and he was glad of
it. though he deprecated the practice of that busi-
ness aS~much as any one.
Mr. Jefferson had not considered the subject
lately; lottery vending had been prohibited here
in consequence of the dishonesty of a vender in
this city, and the business everywhere giving
way to the spirit of Improvement New York was
once filled with lottery Offices and the sale of tick
cts was authorized by the State as conseuuence
industry was crippled, and idle men encouraged in
idleness the business was prohibited now in that
State. He thought it unwise to pass this resolu-
tion though he believed the present law to be in
operative, he could not see the force of the re-
marks OF Mr.. McCutchen, but if the causes given
by him were correct Congress could apply the
remedy.
It had been said that it would be impossible to
prohlolt the passing OF small notes in this District
pressed. He knew that there were many men in
this city who had beggared their families by pur-
chasing lottery tickets and if there was no sympa
thy for them, some should be felt for their families
Ii this law was so framed tAat it could not be en-
forced submit it to the Corporation Attorney. and
let him point out its defects and suggest the RENE
dy he thought it wrong to remove the penalty or
to license lotteries here or elsewhere.
In reading paper published at Havana, his at.
tenton had been attracted by the spirit which lot
terry vending had aroused there; the people were
becoming crazy upon the subject, and men, wo-
men, and even children, as young as eight years
were selling tickets about the streets OF Havana.
II tne resolution pass, and the authority be grant
ed, the result will be most deplorable
Mr.. Ball thought there was no difference of opin
ION as to the evil resulting from the sale of lottery
tickets; he thought if the license was fixed at
$1,000 but few would take license, and violations
OF the law could be punished. He was unable to
say why the law was not now enforced but he very
well knew that it was not.
Mr.. Walker was at loss to know how this mat
ter could bebettered; he was satisfied that there
were as many tickets sold here now as ever. The
penalty attached to the law might be high but he
could not believe 1t too high for the offence: he
regarded the selling of lottery tickets as no better
than highway robbery. The Corporation might
make money by granting licenses but if the license
was fixed at $1,000 it would give respectability
to the business, and there would be many wiling
to give that sum for the privilege of robbng Others
under the cover of license A yender once told
him that the chances of man drawing a prize
was about equal to the chance of picking one black
bean from among bushel Of white ones, with the
eyes blihdfolded He thought it safest not to
countenance the business at all
Mr.. Fisher offered an amendment, asking mod
iicaton of the present law, so as to make it more
effectual.
oThe amendment was adopted, and the Joint res
olusion recommitted TO the Committee on police