New-York tribune., 1867-05-03
THE EXCISE Law.

LETTER FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF KINGS
COUNTY
The Hon. S. D. Morris, District-Attorney of Kings
County has addressed letter to Mr. Bliss, Counsel Of the
Board OF Excise, urging the immediate withdrawal Of
the form Of application for license, prescribed by the
Board. Mr.. Morris states that the requirements
"egal and tyraDnical," and should at once be done
away with. He continues:
"Unlcss this be done, In humble Judgment the time
distant when the community Will sweep both
the law and the Commissioners ont of existence II these
humiiatng and tyTannical conditions are insisted upon
they WILL and ought TO be- hurled back In the teeth OF the
Commissioners with contempt and detestation. II the
effectuay thwart its execution, then these monsrous
conditions should be insisted upon. But II the object
is simply Ia carry out they law properly they should be
'.rhe man who voluntary submits to such degrading
conditions, in my opinion is unit TO have license;
and he who treats them with the contempt they merit,
shows his fitness TO receive one.' -
Mr. Morris then proceeds to review in detail the differ
ent requirements laid downin the form OF application lie
devotes especial attention to the clause which provides
for an opening in the front or window lie says
"This proposition is evidently detectives IL should
qure the person In all cases where the opening at least
four inches square Is required to bc IN the window either
OF the FIRST or second floor, TO have good and subsan
al ladder permanently fixed 20 as to enable pmps and
sneaks 10 ascend ~ all times to THIS opening At least four
inches square, which should be marked the Pmp's
Lookout or the Sneaks Lookin But there s another
omission, still serious than the one here indicated
Astor, st. Nicholas, Metropolitan, Fifth Avenue, and
hundreds OF other hotels to tho front part OF the house.
Command 60 nns view Of the entire Interior Of the pacs
licensed Then again many places are portitioned OFF,
IN the back room These partitions should be demolished
at once TO accommodate the pmps and spies that 10
be called into being TO watch these openings at least four
inches square"
With reference TO the clause requiring the applicant TO
be over 20 years OF age and citizen OF the United
States" the lsrictAuOrney inquiries "Wbere do the
Board get their power 10 make this exclusl0D There
are many who keep respectable places who not cit
zens OF the United States They 10 be ostraczed
Of this class have declared their intentions be-
come citizens OF the United States but the law copes
them he in the country five years before they be
invested with citizenship They too, must be excluded
by this omnpOent Board. They have the power 10
exclude this class from all other pursuits" DC.
The clause providing that no female assistant, any
person under is years Of age shall be employed next
reviewed and attacked, and. In closing, Mr. Morris er
presses the firm belief that should the community show
the contempt forthe law the Commissioners will
show II they adhere 10 these conditions IL would be
worse than dead letter"
The following is the reply Of Mr. Bliss in full to the let
ter OF DistTietAttorney Norris
NEW YORK. May /. 1867
Hon g. ID. MoRRIs-DEAR SIR: have yours OF yesier-
day the form of application till IL was pub
shcd In last Sundays paper At the time IL does
TO absurd horrible, Illegal as YOU
socIn 10 think YOur views however on this subject
TO TO be always entitled 70 much considera-
ton that | Will certainly submit them TO the Board
Meantime. remark ono or two things:
1. People 10 be submitting To these provisions
freely aud without regarding themselves hmiliacd
What the effect will be II hereafter they violate any of