The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-11-14

doing It, Three days after the enactment Of this
system came the vote of the city, which declared TO
the Mayor by majority of 972 votes, that for the
/ future il was their soiH that no licenses should be
4 granted! Within less than five months from that
day. every license for the sale Of intoxicating liquors
| would, by positive law, RUN OUT AND EXPIRE! And
there acoald nat remain oitdin the limits Of the city 81
WostiagtOa, single eStabsh,aet autboyised 10 set
10 any person, single drink Of dnythiag that could
i,toricatt H. The temperance was Triumphant,
and the devoted band that had labored so long and
SO faithfully in il, were jubilant and joyful
| But would the Mayor and Councils have the firm
and courage TO stand up to what had been done,
and carry out the declared will of the city? This
was the question which and caused the friends
Of temperance to look anxiously to the LIST of Noyen
| Der, 1853. ,4
Some two months before that period arrived, met
/ the Mayor ON the street, mean the lamented and
honored John w. Maury, and preached the subject
| him. He said he had thought much and anxiously
on the subject but had not made up his mind, and
would be glad to talk the matter over ut some early
| was renewed soon after when Mr.. NJ remarked that
he thought it would not do to withhold the licenses.
The resolutions which had been voted on, only prom
sed, in the event of vote against all licenses, that
ter SO as to authorize the Councils to pass laws pro-
| hbtng the sale Of intoxicating liquors, &C. He
thought that to refuse, absolutely all licenses would
create too great shock and produce revulson that
stinence man, but decidedly temperate, anxious to
repress drinking, suppress crime, and preserve order
and tranquility. He assured me that 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 OF the laws. To these efforts of mne said
ne +, to me- do you (meanng the Temperance organic
atom add, with like perseverng sithfulness, THE
POWER OF MORAL sUAsIoN and think the practice Of
using Intoxicating liquors rs beverage may be re-
strcted and suppressed as much as it is possible by
human efforts to do it-mOre than IL would be by an
absolute refusal Of the licenses Such, have no
doubt, were his sincere and honest convictions
told him | was satisfied, he would find hms IF
mistaken, and that he could not execute the law as
he supposed he could. In the first place, the law
required that he should be satisfied that every appli-
cant for license possessed illegal responsibility
and GOOD CHARACTER" Now, ii that meant any,
thing, 1 thought it was that he should have such
character as would assure to travellers and sojourners
that their effects would be safe in his house that his
accommodations were good, that there should be no
drinking TO lntoxcation, and no disorder on his
premises that his bar should be honestly closed
during the entire Sunday and every other day from
u 7. NJ TO A. M, and that he would, under no
circumstances. sell liquor to negroes or minors
These were the qualities necessary to make up, in
the eye OF the law, good character, in tavern keeper
or shop-keeper; A man might have what's called
IN common parlance, good character ii. e. be rea-
sonaby punctual in the payment of debts, free from
the grcsser vices of lying, sealirg fighting &c. and
yet be destitute of the main qualities Of GOOD and safe
tavern-keeper. Now, had he the firmness and cour-
age % investigate Aas matter OF good character as
thought il ought to be investigated, or had the six
reputable freehoders who were required to certify
to him, oreven the majority of the white housekeepers
on both sides of the square who were to recommend
u on the commissioner OF improvements who was
specially required to examine and certify to the same
iactsY thought, with due Difference he aoouR not
believed that all these parties would find when
they came to try it. that it was deieue matter to
pass on me CHARACTER OF fellow-citizen and that
they would all do as their predecessors had DONE
ii the required papers were presented in the forms
prescribed by law, the license would be signed as
matter of course, with little investigation as to
now these papers were obtained or the effect of the
license upon the general interest convenience and
good order OF the city. However this may be, am
satisfied that many licenses have been so granted
and am not sure that some such may not now ex-
st that ought never to have been granted and which
would not have been granted if the proper inyestiga
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 go the city any night
IN me week and see if he don't find shops and drink
ing places still open, persons drinking aye and
drunk too and many times wranglng and disordery;
and ] doubt if there is 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
spirit he would be compelled to annul them And
these opini2ns expressed TO Mayor Maury in the
OF 1893. have the same opinions now.
believe we never had better or more consciep-
tious Mayor than Mr. Maury was or one more anxious
to perform hi duty. | know not what course he
pursued or what investigations he made in granting
the licenses, but / do know that thew were ali re
newed; that is / know the number in the citv was
not diminished, and never heard of the refusal 10
grant one that was applied for know, too that in
every ward IN tie city, persons were selling liquor
aDasOW license and in positive violation of The law
tn he poli ;a.r ,r
the wards, and To the police officers of the wards as
well rs the auxiliary guard These officers in gen.
eral way, may be relied on TO suppress positive
riot or outbreak, but they cannot be relied on 10 s,
press Illegal ppling or to enforce the penalties Of
the law against II and ID is idle TO EXPECT il of them
The law prohibits them from drinking sohen on dnt
yet many OF them do drink; | won't say they are
dyunkdtds, but they do drink and sometimes oct
drunk. The keepers of these shops are kind and
civil 10 them and rather think they do not always
pay for what they drink they drink most commonly
on ,nT1dtlon; to them the shopkeepers are liberal,
and they can afford 10 be So For tbese E,,o.s oy
some other reason The police seldom disturb sbop
or avern-keeper unless some riot or disorder takes
place that they obliged 20 notice This thing of
playing The sPy on shops aud taverns, they consider
odious and mean. They are ashamed 10 do II and
they throw off the business of informing base
places, upon the citizen Yet il is for this especial
business that they are appointed The citizen thinks
whether truly or falsely, say not that il is little
business Tor nm TO be engaged in and for that
appoints police magistrates and constabes and paws
them liked salaries for that especial business They
are the hired spis and ilfogWos Of the city, and as
such they are 10 be Uide diodks night and day. II
~ Their sole business and duty to spy ont every viola
ton OF the law, and TO prosecute the yiolaor ID the
utmost extremity OF the law. They are faithful and
honorable just in proportion 10 the faithfulness with
which they perform this duty; and if they fail or
come short OF II, they are useless and worthless
They are the sentiuels the safeguards Of the city
and under their watchiul guardianship the city ought
TO repOse in safety
BY law, tayerns arc 10 close their bars on SUNDAYS
and from IL 7. NJ. 10 4 A. NJ every other day and
shops on Sundays, and from 10 p NJ to4A M ey.
cry other day, and fine Of $50 is imposed for every
violation OF this law. Now what h meant by closing
the bars or other places where liquors are USUALLY
sold for these the words of the law Is il the
absolute prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors
during those hours, is il simply that the do5rs of
the rooms IN which the bars ore kept be shut while
the room is filled with people drinking who pass in
and out by side entrances, and thus keep up the
drinking, often during the entire mighty Is such
closing OF the door n compliance with the law? Il
this law honestly kept at any tavern or drink-shop
IN the ctyS tell you, nay. The irresponsible MAJ,
q .good ctardcter' may keep out Of sight, but the
drinking yes on IN ain some more some less
but the law is violated by ALL IL the penalties were
enforced they would gil the city treasury, and forfeit
every license And from these midnight reyeinos
come the arsons, murders, house-b urninps and