Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-12-03

recommendation OF TWO Respectable Tree
holders in his immediate vicinity and to
make oath that he intends to keep a GER
tain amount of bedding and stabling
specified in the law before he can obtain
his license--he is punishable also by the
law, for emitting to carry out such inten-
ton or for swearing falsely in the pre-
misses. This last provision seems to me
to repeal that part of the Act Of 1880,
oh. 81, sec. 6, which contains a similar
provision as to all persons having an or
binary license. The present law is con-
fined to ordinary keepers. The 9th sec
ton Of the act authorizes any person to
obtain license to sell spirituous or fer
mented liquors, less than pint, at any
place other than an ordinary without be-
ing subject to this provision. Formerly
the sale of spirituous liquors less than a
pint was confined to ordinary keepers -
Subsequently the right was extended to
oyster houses, eating houses and the like,
and finally by the Act of 1856, oh. 1853.
and the Act Of 1858, oh. Ala. to any
person whatsoever, to be sold in any
place other than those specially prohib-
tied. The policy of these laws, even
for the purpose of raising revenue, seems
to me to be bad for although it puts a
considerable amount into the State Trea-
sury, the increased expense to the coun-
ties in the prosecution of crimes caused
by the increased use of spirituous liquors
| believe is nearly equivalent to it, But
no increase Of revenue can compensate
for the-great and alarming Generalization
produced by the innumerablc drinking
houses spread all over the country, and
to be found in every quarter of our
cities. Every one who reads a newspa-
per must have seen that in the large city
Of Baltimore, most of the crimes attend
ed with violence are committed in drink
ing houses, or by intoxicated persons,
and that robberies, larcenies and burgla-
ries are committed to supply the means
of gratifying their drinking propensities
by idle ana dissolute persons. The man
who committed a most atrocious murder
Of police officer in that city few days
ago, was sought after and apprehended
in n drinking house 1t is greatly TO be
dcplored that the original policy of the
State was ever departed from, and the
keeping of mere drinhing houses ever
authorized; but we are nevertheless
bound to enforce the laws which do au-
thorize it; to take care that spirituous
and fermcnted liquors arc not sold with
out license, and the State deprived of its
prize, the only benefit which it could
have expected to derive from it. To au-
thorizc a presentment for a violation of
these laws, it is not necessary that the
party presented should keep any perma-
nent establishment for the sale Of spirit
uous Or fcrmcnted liquors in quantities
greater or less than a pint. The LIST sec
ton Of the law, after enumcrating many
places where they shall not be sold with
out license, continues "and any other
place The 4th section prcscribos the
mode of obtaining license, to sell or
barter sprtuous or fermented liquors or
lager beer in quantities not less than a
pint, and the 18th section imposes the
penalty for selling either of them in that
quantity without license. The 9th and
9th sections prescribe the mode of obtain
ing license to sell spirituoua or ferment-
ed liquors in quantities less than a pint,
and the Sth section imposes the penalty
for selling either Of them without IL
ccnsc These offences, therefore, are the
selling Of spirituous or fermcnted liquors
anylrhcrc-in the roads, the fields, the
woods, from the vehicles, pockets, bas-
kcts, jugs, or bottles of the party, or
from anything else, or anywhere else,
without the appropriate license.
There are places where the sale Of
spirituous or formontcd liquors are pro-
hibited where they cannot be lawfully
sold, even with a license where the
penalties for doing so are to be enforced
by justices of the peace, and the proli-
minary proceedings are in part entrusted
to persons other than the ordinary Off
GERS of justice. refer to the Acts Of
1924, oh. SO, and 1927, Oh. %; 1889,
oh. 30, and 1874, CHI. -, which pro-
hibit the sale Of certain articles, and the
selling, giring, or otherwise disposing
of spirituous or fcrmented liquors, with
in two miles of any camp-meoting or
other places Of religious worship. Pro-
hibitions somewhat similar are contained
in an old act with regard to the yearly
meeting Of the Society Of Friends. The
provisions Of these acts are intended
however, chiefly as preventive; to re-
strain acts which may lead to disorders
in such places, and the consequent dis
turbance of public worship and business,
and the safety and comfort of those who
attend them for legitimate purposes
These laws have no connection with the
laws promo ing the sale of any article
without license, and except few neces-
sary for the use of such meetings, as
food for man and beast, no permission
will authorize the sale there Of any arti-
Gle which cannot be sold without license,
unless a license also be obtained.
There are no exceptions in the Act Of
1858 Of any article Of sale, other than
cakes, beer and cider sold by the maker,
in the LIST section; of millinery and other
small articles sold by females whose stock
docs not exceed $500, by the 3D. section
and an amount of salt necessary to cure
fish atany time, in the months of March,
April and May, by persons carrying on
those fisheries, also BY the list section.
The increase Of crimes so frequently
followed by impunity, especially in our
large cities, is a matter TO which think |
the attention Of all iuries should he call |