Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-07-05
The Liquor Question.

The Liquor Question.
A committee of the City Council of
Charleston addressed General SICKLEs q
letter asking suspension of his recent or
der in relation to liquor licenses. They
urge its suspension on account OF the
very large curjailment of the city revenue
and the individual injustice to those who
have already incurred very heavy expendi-
lures to carry on their business.
To this letter General S1oKLEs sends the
following reply, declining to suspend the
order and giving his reasons for issuing it
HEADQUARTERS ord MILITARY DISTRICT
ASSIST. ADVANTAGEOUS office,
CHARLESTON, s c., June a. 1867.
Gentlemen Your communication, with
out date, addressed to the Commanding
General, having been referred to this Office
for reply, I have the honor to state that
the regulations prescribed in Par. vi. of
General Orders No. 80, together with other
regulations of like purport heretofore an
nou led, had their origin in considerations
relating to the preservation of order Ill
this Military Department during the regis
tration and the elections contemplated by
the several acts of Congress AS preliminary
to the establishment of legal government
for these States.
It would certainly be all occasion for re-
greet if these military regulations deprived
communities OF municipal corporations of
needful resources for the discharge of their
obligations to creditors or employees. It
is possible that some temporary inconven-
fence may follow the substitution Of other
sources of income for the receipts hereto
fore derived from licenses granted to keep
ers of bar-rOoms, &c. 1t Is believed, how
ever, that no considerable loss of revenue
should be incurred certainly no loss which
will be estimated in comparison with the
guarantees thus provided for the preserva-
ton of order and the security of the pub
lie peace.
The municipal authorities of Charleston
have authority to raise money for munich
pal purposes by taxation. 1t will not be
difficult to increase the tax upon such sales
of liquor as are not prohibited, nor to in
crease the charge for the limited number
of tavern licenses to be granted If, as is
suggested, the restriction imposed By Par.
| VI. creates monopoly in favor Of inn
| keepers, il is grievance within the con-
troll of the municipal authorities !; for it
may be assumed that there will be no mil
| itary interference to induce the concession
to inn keepers of licenses for bar-rooms.
That remains a matter for municipal regu-
| lation. 1t is to be expected that III gener
al hotel keepers, interested i'll the good re-
pute of their establishments, will have so
much at stake in the increased price paid
for their license, that proper measures will
be taken by proprietors to prevent drum
kenness and disorder On their premises.
| 1t will not be forgotten by the Council
that Congress has especially committed to
the military authority of the United States
the duty of preserving peace and maintain
ing order in these States. Experience has
shown that there are no more prolific
causes of disorder than the free use of in
toxicating liquor in numerous places Of
common resort, located among COM
munities tolerating the practice of carrying
concealed deadly weapons. The conse-
quences are serious at all times. The evils
to be apprehended now, demand eXtraordi-
nary precautions and appeal to all classes
of the population for any sacrifice of mere
convenience or of present indulgence to
prevent their occurrence. And your con-
sideration is respectfully invited to tho OBJ
legation resting upon all civil functionaries
| to assist the military authority in the main
tenance of order, by the rigorous suppression
of these sources of violence and tumult.
In conclusion, I am to inform you gen.
tlemen, that in declining to suspend the
operation of Par. VI. of General Order 80,
in it's application to the city of Charleston,
the Commanding General is persuaded that
more Will be gained by the city of Charles
ton, in common with other municipalities
tees for the good order, sobriety and indus
try of the population, and the consequent
addition to the general welfare of the peo-
pie, than will be lost by the inconsiderable
and temporary diminution of revenue de-
rived from q traffic that n lille it may con,
tribute something to the public treasury,
Iimpoverishes and demoralizes the popula,
ton at critical time when frugality, tenn.
lperance and decorum should be especially
enjoined upon all classes of persons with
out any discrimination.
Very respectfully, j. w. CLoUs,
Capt. 36th Infantry, A. A. A. General
, Treatment of Confederate Prisoners.
Mr. Wilson, Ct Huntsville Female Col
llege, writes letter to the New York Times
in reply to an article of that paper in re
lgard to the treatment of Confederate pris
oners of war. In publishing the lette1
the Times makes the following honorabl,
comments
"This letter comes from source so re
ispectable and responsible, and its statement
are so specific, that we have no hesitation
: in publishing it. Our Government has NJ
excuse FOR inhumanity to the prisoners i
captured during the war, and its honor i
, involved in furnishing with just severity al
instances of such cruelty on the part of it
agents Us are specified above"
We'hope others of our soldiers who sui
: fered themselves, or Witnessed the suffer
, ings of others, from the cruelty and bru
tally of their prison-keepers, will give tn
, Northern public the benefit of it. If thi
were done we would hear but little of tn
cruelties of Andersonville and salisbury
except from a few papers in the South
whose editors favored the war. The lette