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

with this business Of granting licenses far w
q Intoxicating liquors The one has reference to the
sasa is.. ana identifying Of the city, in which all
ke Just PRIDE the other involves the health the
w1oTqs ana the public order and tranquility Of TIE
gecpee, and woe to the city, where its Mayor and
Councils give Their main attention TO the former to
say the Mayor and hispredecessofs have failed to
Keep In view the important principle that licenses to
sell liquors were designed by law to restrict the traffic
as an eyii and not TO encourage it as business or
source of revenue.
To illustrate my meaning let us see what has been
done on single square: Take 7th street, from Penn
syiyana avenue to the canal bridge on the east side
Oh ne street we have ten tenemens places of bust
ness, consisting of one wholesale grocery, where
liquors are sold by wholesale; one tavern and five
shops, where It is sold by retail and three devoted
TO other business purposes. Out of ten tenements,
seven o. them are licensed to sell liquors. and six Of
Take the west Of 9th street. from the avenue to the
canal and we have similar state of things Out of
tenements, are licensed liquor shops, and
one only devoted to other business Now. Is il pos
sbe that the public convenience requires this number
OF hquor shops IN this small space? If not how
came the licenses TO be grantedp Who constituted
the SIX freeholders, and the Commissioner Of I'm
provements who certified for the taverns and who
the majority white housekeepers who recommended
them all? 1t is manifest that there must have been
combination of liquor sellers to recommend and
certify for each other And did these certificates and
recommendations thus obtained by strategy and COM
binaton, compel the Mayor to grant he licenses.
whether he considered it right to do SO or not Has
he no Judgment or discretion in the matterP Ifknt
pc the true intent and meaning of the law then, in
deed, is the Mayor reduced to a cypier and the
restrictions of the law a tayce
But II may be said that these two streets constitute
the east and west fronts Of the Centre Market and
Inese nquor shops are necessary convenience to the
Market people, II not to the residents on the squares
But the law to prevent all disorder and riot declares
expressly that no intoxicating liquors shall be sold by
retal 10 the market-house during market hours And
may tais wise ana prudent purpose of the law be
mouse with these shops, where drinking may 90 on
without limit or restraint? And may the MAYOR be
compelled to this by these combinations whether his
Judgment approves it or nots
But the truth is plain and clear NOTHING can re-
eye the Mayor from the high duty and responsibility
otjudging OF these matters for himself. and framing
ms acn9u with view to the good of the aolo1 citv
Inc oniy RESTRICTION upon him is that he cannot act
until these certificates and recommendations are pre-
sented TO him but when so presented, he may not
as It's representative and executive officer permit
i0cany 10 plant upon it an establishment which
shan leopard the health, good order ana morals Of
the whole city however much it may be for the inter-
est of that locality
But If the duties and responsibilities of the Mayor
are great In these matters those of the citizen are
NO. less and long and deep should he ponder over
tne matter before he signs his name to d recommen-
CATION 10 the Mayor to issue one of these licenses
some years ago there was list of all the licenses
published, with the names Of the free holders Wa
names, and was amazed to find among them two ~
our most respectable citizens church members in
nigh standing who had recommended, one of them
1 ten OF these establishments, and the other eight
Ihere were others who recommended five and Sly
Now, this is an abuse which is highly culpable ana
ought not to be permitted. The law never intended
tina any citizen should recommend more than one
SUI less did It intend that those engaged in the traffic
should combine and certify for each other They
are not disnterested or impartial iudpes as tn how
far these establishments are necessary for the public
convenience, and their Recommendations are entitled
70 no weight They are influenced mainly, if not ex-
cusiyely, by the profits they hope to realise Let the
citizen remember that the act of recommending Mess
licenses makes him responsible to God and the ccuty
Jor ax tie crimes, disorder and degradation aohici
foW from Hen1 -"
broadcast all over the city We have perhaps an eoual
NUMBER, IN every locality which sell the accursed
thing uathow license, in open defiance of law. This
Is 70 the city, and stigma upon its police
whose imperative duty it is to put a stop to it.
have thus attempted to sketch this louor traffic
Is exists among U.S. restricted and improved by our
public authorities in accordance with the new license
system, adopted by them in 1858. Ifthey have done
their duty 1t Is as perfect they can make it and
we see 1t in all its glory And what is itg The law
and the license describe it as an authority To sell or
barter spirituous or Intoxicating liquors." Il. el
Graady rum gn whistey or other spirituous liquors.
mixed or unmixed aoine Cordial strong beer or cider
These are the articles which these taverns and sbons
are permitted to sell for the public oooa and eonya
nience True, our abest chemists have anayzed all
sasa arncies ana pronounced them in their purest
state, subtle poisons. Still they are deemed neces-
sary 10 the public good, and the law authorises them
to be sold. But do they 1.-THE taverns and shonsl do
III VI, do they substitute for them adulterated
drugs mixed up and compounded SO as 10 bear a re-
sembance in color and taste to the genuine articles
and possessing all their Intoxicating Qualities bni
ten times more poisonous and destructive to health
II is believed they do. have myself heard man
engaged in the traffic say that not dron of nnre
brandy or wine could be obtained in the citv that
more champagne wine was annually sold In New
York than was made in the world and that ali the
liquors sold and drank at our tayerns and shops.
were adulterated and drugged That he spoke truly
there can be doubt Yes, these are The poisonoss
drugs which fre the passions and madden the brains
OF our young men. And this is the true cause of the
riots which have disgraced the city, and proved SO
destructive TO human life
Now, is there no remedy for all this2 We have
beard OF Health and if impure articles of food or
drink are offered for SALE or anything detrimental IN
ine health OF me people the law commands them to
ing the oQhee % seize and destroy il. Nav not tbey
40 some correct an evil SO monstrousp
lhsyeh 2. thy and imperfectly given you my re-
memorance o. ti,ngs past, and my view Of things as
when all the icer which uphold this system of I'M
putty Will EXPIRE nd the housekeeper and the freehold
er will be called upon, all over the CITY, TO recommend
tne Mayor TO renew aud perpetuate It. am firmly
convinced that the mass of the people of Wasb;noto
Notwithstanding appearances to the contrary. have
the same opinions on the subject that thew had in
1883, and If they could be united and brought 10 The
polls they would declare Now is the time. ibere
fore, II we must have the evil amongst us for The
cizens and the Mayor and all who have 10 act in the
matter, 70 review the whole subject to look the sys
TEN and the consequences which flow from IL fIf in
the face and enforce the law sterny and rgdy no tao
cordng ots mere letter but in it's true spirit and mean
ing with an eye single to the good of the whole civ
Can you and j, and such think as we do, do aiy
thing to encourage the Mayor and our feow-citzens
70 adopt the course here suggested? If so let us g
70 the the Board of HEALTH and to the police
in spirit of frankness and candor and EXPRESS ~
them our honestand CONSCIENTIOUS opinions and thew
will receive us kindly, and give TO our counses he
weight and consideration to which they are entitled.
and II, as hope and believe they have the courage
and ,, manlness which become their stations, they
will grant no license not authorised by law. and
they will enforce the law against all who sell without
license, or sell an impure article instead OF that which
is recognised by law as the subject of haffic This
accomplished and the accursed traffic will be restricted
and restrained as much il can be under existing
laws.
There will remain, however still another thing IN
be done, before we shall have discharged our whole
duty; We must bring TO bear the power of "moral
suasion To do this, let call together the friends
who battled with us in times past in the cause of
Temperance Forgetting the past, let us again unite
on the common platform Of the "Sons" or one equiv