The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-12-09

doing II Three daya after tbe enactment ~ ~.
81 stem came the vote Of the city which declared 70
the Mayor. by a majority Of 30 votes that iar tIs
future It was their seU That no licenses shonld he
granted Within less tbantfiye months from thaf
day, every license for the sale Of Intoxicating LIQUORS
would by positive law. RUN our AND Expras ,1nd
there sood not remain soiia he limits of s city Of
Woshngton a single estaJlish,sat autior;sSd b. M
10 ann pe,sos st,,ole d,inh ~ ,,n,tIu nm s,,,la
iatoasoate m The temperance cause was triumpbant
and the devoted band that had labored SO long and
SO faithfully in IT, were jubilant and ;ovfnl 9
Rpt Womb he Mavo, ana r,,,,,.s u
ness and comraga 81 stand IN ~ nas Ia 49, ~
and carry out the declared will Of the cityp This
was the question which arose and caused lie friends
of temperance to look anxiously to the LIST Of Noyem
Der, 1858. s9s ''TE
Some two months before that period arrived Il met
the Mayer ON the street, mean the Iamented and
honored John W. Maury, and preached the subject 70
him. He said he had thought much and anxiously
on the subject but had not made ,p his mind. and
would be glad to talk the matter over at some earl
day when he had more leisure Y The conyersatioyy
was renewed soon after when Mr.. NJ. remarked that
he thought would MT do to withhold the Licensees
ised in the event Of vote against ali licenses that
Congress should be appealed TO, to amend the char.
ter so to authorize the Councils I, pass laws
hibiting the sale of Intoxicating liquors. 60 He
create too great shock and produce reyusion that
would render things worse. He was not d total alb
stihence man, but decidedly temperate anxious to
repress drinking suppress crime and preserve order
and tranquility He assured me thai he would do
everything in his power TO have the new system OF
licensing honestly and faithfully carried out and
would exert his whole power with the police TO en-
force its provisions, by the rigid prosecution Of all
violations 81 the laws To these efforts Of mine said
he to me, do you (nleanmg the Temperance organiz-
atom add, with like perscvering fsithfnlness, THE
POWER OF MORAL sUAsI0N, and think the practice of
using Intoxicating liquors ms beverage may be re-
strlcted and suppressed, as much it is possible by
naff vfc tnl III. \
absolute refusal of the licenses Such, Ihavs no
doubt, were his sincere and honest CONVICTIONS
told him was satisfied. he would find hims If
mistaken, and that he could not execute the law as
he supposed he could In the first place tho law
required that be should be satisfied thai every ann
cant for license possessed "iegaI resnonsbIi|Etv
and a GOOD cHARAcTERD Now. IL that meant I any,
thing, thought ii was thai he should have such q
character as would assure to travellers and
that their effects would be safe in his house, that his
accommodations were good that there shorld be no
drinking TO intoxication and no disorder IN his
premises that his bar should be honestly closed
during the entire Sunday and every other day from
IL p. M. to A. NJ, and that he would. under no
circumstance sell liquor to negroes Or minors.
These were the Qualities necessary to make mn in
the eye of the law good character in
or shop-keeper. man might have what is called
in common parlance, good character Ii. q ) be rea-
senaby punctual in the payment of debts, free from
the ercsser vices Of lying stealing fghting a. and
yet be destitute Of the main qualities Of rood and safe
tayern-keeper. Now, had he the fnlness and co,lr-
age TO investigate this matter of qood character as
thought it ought to be investigated, or had the ak
reputable freehoders" who were REQUIRED to CERTIFY
tohim, even the majority Of the white housekeepers
on bbth sides Of the square, who were to recommend
it, or the Commissioner Of Imp,uyernents who was
specially required to exRnine and certify to the same
factsp Thought with due difference, he ,oouH not
believed that all these parties would find, when
they came to try it, that It was delicate matter TO
pass on the CHARACTER of fellow-citizen and that
they would all do "a their rredccessors i All done
If the required papers were presented in the forms
prescribed by law, the license would be signed as
matter of course with little OF no Investigation as TO
how these papers obtained or the effect of the
license upon the general interest convenience and
good orderof the city. However this may be, am
satisfied that many licenses have been 80 granted.
and am not sure that some such may not now ex.
list that ought to have been granted and which
would not have been granted If the proper inyespn-
ton had been made. Let any citizen make the ex-
pertinent. Let him start at ten o'clock the hour
for closing the shops and 60 over the city any night
in the week and If he don't find shops and drink
ing places still open and persons drinking; ave- and
drunk, too, and many times wrangng and dis6rderly
and | doubt if there is Q single one who could
say, honestly and truly, that single Sunday had
passed without the drinking of liquor at his bar
Put the existing licenses to the test of the law and
II the Mayor did his duty, according to letter aud