Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-07-01
rHE oIrY.

| Tn GRoG Shops AND TIE PoLIcE-REFoRN NEKDKD.--
Two morths have elapsed ence the law pssNd the last
session Of the Legislature for the suppression of the
sale of ardent spirits and not one single case has yet
been reported to the ceurtF There thirteen day
police oicera four night officers and forty watchmen on
duty in the city, and yet they pretend not to know that
liquor is sold and drank in this city. is well known
fact that the Legislature passed the law at the insiau
of Gen. R E. Lee Gov. Smith, and We have heard of
Mayor Mayo, and still the law remains perfect dead
letter upon the statute book The police, whose duty
it is to execute this law aud report those who violate it,
are well aware that there now nearly five hundred Of
these sinks of inquity at full blast in this city, who
daily ard hourly dispensing their poisonous drugs to all
corners and gOe1s who are willing pay their eI.Or
touas charges for the dreadful Auid thereby demorai
zipg sll persons oinbbe and particularly the solcer
thereby causing them to commit al sorts of crimes and
totally uniting them for heir duesin the field Every
liquor house in this city that sold liquor with without
license keeping their greg shop open With few
boxes of tobacco and bo.lG at the windows and be-
hind the counter when the bar being removed to the
back room with lattice up to keep out the pubic
gss and very often huge buck nego at the front door
to keep WATCH after the style that the keepers OF Faro
Lsnks have their sentines posted.
Il is nevertheless very remarkable that law should
have been in force lOrg, and is openly violated at
least a thousand times q day. aud still there is no more
notice taken Of il by the authorities than it had never
been passed. We have thought the day police were
efficient in the discharge of their duties. The chief Of
the Cay police Is one Of the most energetic and eff
cient officers the city had. He and many of the
day ciicers do both night and day duty But candOr
requr Us to say that the light police are utterly
worth T. and merely incubus and dead.eIpense to
the city 4 10 profit WhaeVer. Many Of them are
seen and ced by the citizens leaving their poss and
going into brOthes and nege citing their duty hence
so many bu aries are committed and the thieves never
detec ed IT, % is some for the day police for
all thirteen OF then required 10 be at the Mayors
Court every day, whether they have business not
abeui half of the dy; nearly all the rest Of the cay is
occupied in distributing tickets to the poor and needy
families Of the city to facilitate them in drawing cup
plies necessary Tor their support so it will be that
very little time left for them 10 ferret out offences
and yet the day police mbke arrests than the whole
nigh. watch together. Seven of the night police have
already been recently discharged for playing cards on
the Square" Let the balance Of them be also discbag
ed for dertlsion of duty, and let them b. put in the
army and better put in their places who know and
will feaiessy discharge their duties The time for
form in the police has arrived The people and theit
property require protection from the midnight burglar
and assassin.