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

love and serve his God and his country, according
the dictates of his conscience, with no man 10 call
| him in question. This was our Bond OF Union and
Brotherhood. The question was not, TO what pobt-
cal party does he belong, or what are his religious
opinions but does rs drink Intoxicating liquors.
can we save him from that sin If we can we shall
| make him better, happier, and more useful man
Adhering 10 this fundamental article of faith
and animated by confidence in the truth and holt
ness OF our mission, we went forward in work
Men OF talent and eoquence sought our midst. We
held meetings, private aud public, in the Diyis
ion Rooms and in the Tents. In our public squares
aud in our churches, the streets and public high
ways we held up boldly and afectionately before
OR fellow citizens the blessings OF Temperance, and
the inducements for them 10 unite with us; and as
faithfully we warned them against the vice of intern
perance its suerngs Indebtedness and degradation.
We held our public festivals, and our heightened
professions. Oh, how did my heart bound at the
sight Of thousand hardy study en-, all clad in the
regalia Of Temperance, with emblems floating and
banners flying in full march through our streets.
Truly Il wss 81 "army with banners, which TO be
seen was ~ feh. Such was the state of things in
1852, lhes ,lud 10 which you called my attention.
The public Il and the proud and the lofty curled
the lip aud Scorned; the city that there was
honesty, virtue and intellect there, well as true
piety, and they could not look upon it unmoyed.
The history OF the time affords abundant proof of
that. Our public men felt and were moved by it
and rum palaces, as well us grog shops trembled
and tottered, whilst their occupants CRASHED their
teeth and vented their curses.
/ The Mayor Of the city Walter Lenox, Esq, felt it
his duty to call the attention of the City Councils to
the subject in his general message of August Goth,
/ 1852, in the following terms r,. '.. ...a
i earnestly invite your attention to the necessity
of revision of the laws in relation to the retail OF
| liquors. am fully satisfied not only from the
returns Of the Police and Asylum, but from my Off
cial observation otherwise that INTEMPERANcR is the
cause almost ercbusigely of all the disturbances and
pauperisn which affiict our community Our laws
should seek to restrain and not foster an evil of such
! frightfui magnitude The charter does not regard
the retail of liquors business from which strict
revenue is TO be drawn but as an eu 10 10 restrained
or p,odlbit,A by the exaction of licenses or such
| other means authorized by it, With this
Important principle IN 0iea0, many most necessary
changes can be made, and wholesome restraints
added Difficult as 1t is, and 1 may say, almost i'm
possible to establish by legal proofs violations of
the existing laws, the only true remedy in my opinion,
$50 far as powers and Legislation effect it 49,
to reduce the num5tr and classes I HeeaSes, with add
tiopal restrictions upon those which may be granted
In addition to the forfeiture of the license upon a
second conviction in conformity with existing laws
extend to the Mayor discretionary power TO sus-
pend the licenses for limited time in cases Of a
hagrant violation of the law upon the first convic-
ton; and for the sale of liquor without licenses
inaict the severest penalty which the charter will
allow. In advance of any general action upon this
subject, invite your immediate attention to the
defects Of the I'd Section Of the Act Of October 26
1872 and the Sth Section of the Act Of November s.
1882 in relation to minors and persons of color"
This was the first official act of decided encourage
ment given to the of Temperance by any of the
authorities of the city. There members of the
Council known to syfnpathize with us, and some OF
them went so far to join us in the public discus
sons of the subject before the people; but body,
they had taken action on the subject. And it was
well known, that great laxty prevailed in the grant
ing of licenses to tayerns and grog shops. II was
generally understood that forms for these licenses
were signed by the Mayor in blank and left with the
Register, to be filed up by him and delivered to per-
sons who should apply for them, with papers filled up
in accordance with the forms required by law. There
was still greater axlty In the enforcement OF the law
for the suppression and restraint OF ntemperance by
the police The complaints against them were many
and loud gFt ts-F rg
In view of the facts the message of the Mayor was
hailed the harbinger of better times, the dawning
of new era in the history of WashingtCn--and the
Temperance Army rallied under it. A new energy
was infused throughout the ranks in this city and in
Georgetown. In the Division rooms of the Sons"
and the " Tents of the Rachabites public meet
iDgs the streets and public squares and in churches
by night and by day, the great doctrines of Temper
ance were urged upon our fellow citizens, as also
warnings against the vices, crimes and sufferings
consequent upon intemperance | need not remind
you Of the part you took in these discussions. You
were absent from none of these meetings at which il
was possible for you to be present. and no man said
or did more IN the cause than YOU and few with
effect. If we had among the public speakers more
eloquent tongues there none whose zeal and fer
yency exceeded yours-none TO whom the public
Judgment awarded more praise. And | may add that
there was no upon whom the curses of the rum
seller were so fercely hurled.
My own part in these proceedings was less promi-
nent as have no pretensions public speaker
indeed up TO this time my observation in regard 10
the vice Of intemperance had been restricted very
much, 70 its effects official friends and associates
and that class of society in apparently easy crcum
stances II is true had seen many fall from these
circles 10 the CUTTERS and sink into degradation in
their slough and flth-but now my position in the
Temperance associations made it my duty to Wait
the abodes of the laboring poor-those who had no
regular income to look TO, or house farm TO shelter
them, but hardworkng men, who earned their daily
bread by their daily labor. And in these abodes,
from the wretched mother and the starving children
i learned to know and to feel the horrors of this
accursed trafhc-and never can forget to pray 10
God, IN his mercy, to put an end 10 IT. cease TO use
the best efforts Of which am capable TO persuade
my fellow men to abandon, and Danish il forever
In addition 10 these measures the Temperance
men attacked the traffic in the public prints and
opened direct correspondence with the Mayor and
Councils of he city.
The effect Of these discussions and operations were
soon ysible-he public mind was wakened np. il
became the subject OF general conversation in all
circles and quarters Of the city. The rum traffic
became mad and sulen. They did not yentuere
upon any public defence of their business They
saw that such step would be fatal and wisely and
prudently kept silent They sheltered themselves
under the plea that their business was lawful and
therefore right--and especially, they harped in a
private way, upon the words Liberty" aud freedom
The right Of every man in our free country 10 act
urIok anu wear what Iney plebSed dc, DC.
IL was Madame Roland, think, who. during tbo
horrors of the French Revolution on her way 10 the
place OF execution, whilst the populace in the wild
ness OF their phrensy, were shouting the words
LIBERTY AND PREEDoall' exclaimed u o freedoni
what crimes are committed in thy namell" aud Tins
IL is and will continue to be-
In this state Of public opinion, the Mayor and
Councils became seriously concerned TO know wha.
10 dothe public Judgment demanded that something
should be done. The Temperance friends demanded
prohibition" This. tie Councils were afraid IN
grant but set themselves. 70 work ON a more strin
gent aud efficient license" system They labored
long and hard, and finally in the spring of 1853
determined TO repeal al existing laws authorizing the
granting OF licenses to taverns and ordinaries and
all shops for the sale Of spiruous liquors and pass
laws establishing more stringent system
Preparatory TO the passage of this new and i'm.
proved system, and sort of introduction of them
to the people of the city the Councils passed on the
l4th of May 1853, the following resolution. author
ling the ciGzens TO vote at The general election
which was TO come of on The 9Th June, 1853. on The
question Of Licenses" or no licenses ito wit:
Resot0ed DC, That the Register Of the city be and
he Is hereby directed 10 have prepared a sufficient
number of tickets, printed with the word licenses
upon one set and the word mo licenses upon another
set and have them deposited at the several ward polls
on the rst Monday of June NEXT wheH il shall be the
duty OF the Commissioners M Etacfion n 70 l,,.,