The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-03-02

LIE LAW.-1uc Select
committee Of the New York Legislature to
whom was referred that portion of the Gov
ernor's message which relates TO the excise
laws have submitted their report. They depre-
cate, as was to be expected, the evils resulting
from intemperance, and express the opinion that
If the moral reformation" had not been met
and checked by political influences those evils
would have been greatly diminished. Looking
at the subject in this light, they say that polit
cal and prohibitory legislation has been at
tended by the most lamentable results"
They then recommend ian act to suppress in
temperance which, if it does not actually pro-
hibit, places the sale Of liquors under perhaps
greater restraints than any excise laws we have
had in this State.
While they retain many Of the provisions OF
the old license law, they have modified the law
itself in some very important particulars. They
recommend an entirely new Board Of License
Commissioners. Instead Of a town board,
consisting of the Supervisor and Justices
Of the Peace, they provide that the
County Judge and the two Justices of the
Sessions, or a majority of them, the County
Judge being one--and that of the city of New
York the Mayor, the Recorder and City Judge
or any two Of them, shall meet of the place
where the county courts are appointed TO be
held, and appoint three reputable freeholdcrs,
residents of the county, as commissioners, TO be
divided into three classcs-thc first TO hold Office
for two years, the second for four years the
third for six years, and one to be appointed by
the authorities aforesaid at the end OF every
two years thereafter, TO hold Office six years.
The license fees are fixed at from $50 to 800,
and the sale Of intoxicating liquors is prohibited
to minors under eighteen years Of age aud per
sons intoxicated in public streets or places
Persons convicted OF selling liquor 10 others in
state OF intoxication are to be fined slO, while
adulteration II punishable by penalty of $50;
and the husband and wife, on proof Of habitual
intoxicaiion, may serve notice on tavern keepers
not to furnish liquor TO either for six months.
The report has been made The special order foe
the l1h inst.
Just at this particular time, while the
report of ~ Committee il before tn
Legislature, the New York State Temperance
Society is in a remarkable state Of activity, and
has addressed several petitions, or arguments, to
the members Of that body 10 favor of prohibition.
The society contends that fair trial was not
given to the Prohibtory Liquor law, and that
notwithstanding the decisions Of the court
against lie coustitutionality, the great majority
the people are still in favor Of it. Now the fact is
The law has been tIiej and not only found uncon-
stitutional but wholly imperative, and any at
tempt that may be made TO legislatc il into life
will result in a complete failure. II Is also par
ticusrly worthy OF notice in this connection that
tbcie is less drunkenness now than there was
dun ing the great temperance agitation which pre-
ccdcd it, passage. II seems, in fact, that the
more legal restrictions arc placed upon the traffic,
the greater il the increase Of intomperance. The
mpractcablc characters who at the head OF this
movement will not or cannot look attic matter in
its common sense aspect, and therefore insist upon
substituting prohibitory legislation for moral
suasion. Such men give romantic colorng TO
their 80 called reforms and will not see that the
means by which they seek " acsonPlsh them