The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-08
THE EXCISE LAW.

nouaced az . ..grand mass meeting" but IL
could hardly como under that denomination,
though the Academy was pretty we'll hAed.
there being q large number Of LADIES' present
Considering the GOODNESS OF the weather the efforts OF
the association may be said 70 have been Success In
point Of numbers aud the intelligent character Of the
audience though the projectors OF the meeting failed IN
bringing TO the front the speakers advertised for the
occ ason senator Wilson no, present, pressing
legislative duties OBTAINING him ~ the Capitol The
Fourteenth regiment band occupied the orchestra and
entertained the audience in the intervals Of the speeches
with choice musical selections -
Mr.. ALBERT WOODRUFF opened the proceedings, and In
. few words introduced the FIRST speaker,
Rev. THEODORE CuYLER, who said he had long advo-
Gated the OF temperance in this community There
was great peril Tho signs Of the tmesin the opposi-
ton exhibited In high quarters against the Metropolitan
EXCISE law. They stood by the law and God helping
them they would stand oy It to the last The law stood
upon the basis that was rignt but was not POPULAR
did not fail in with the appeti.es and habits OF mem but
Was nevertheless riant just and proper Il has long
been dyed that tipping was evil The present
Law u sumptuary law; IT deprived man OF the
comforts convenienccs OF lfe It was to some extent
prohbtory law. II any one kept house improperly,
they made their house place OF for thieves.
the police cane In under The law and closed those
that it prevented little grocery establishments
from pokng brandy bottles under the nose Of their
customers Was no. sn's right and yrOpsrs VINO
shut 400 grog shopsthe lowest hauns Of vice and
harotry II :hs law was left TO the clubbing Of police
justices the would not I've worth any tng In twenty
four hours But the execution Of tue law Was left TO
the brave Metropolitan poAemen-tne brave boys
mon. THIS winter efforts would be- made 70
repeal the clause that left the execution
S.s n @os Ss q. ss
clause shall not be repealed The greg shops we're a.
me bottom 2, all n; and wrongs IN
the people. They gramDe that the Excise law brings
into the treasury out Of their revenue tax loo 600
Ia.urs, and ,hey have 10000 votes-a powerful
ssracs In he siysh ward The vstsrs may say W
shall frame laws for ourseivesthe majority must rus,
70 Il
their own favor on these poinnf Certainly not The
more respectable portion q the city say no. the Com.
think thai thousand pits " crime should be opened
again that the Sabbath should be again turned into
aay Of Yevsiry and baechanAhan org,ss They must
battle In the right cause they must watch and pray
and fight IN the good work and 8 one man stand up
for the maintenance OF the benehcent Metropolitan
number Of resou,iols in favor Of sustaining the
Metropolitan Excise IN all s rgor were snen read and
senator JoHS ODoSnssI, introduced the originator
forward Mr. ODonnell recsived he greeting Of The
audience and said he locked upcn their welcome 40 an
omen Of good. He w.s nstrunsna in 1860 in passing
and IN 1857 helped TO defeat its repeal He had
70 acknowledge he was member Of the IsgslA-
tars, for which he ought perhaps 70 apologize:
Il charged that the Legislature Of 1857
was the most corrupt and venai that ever sat.
Il said that snere was $500 600 ready to % paid
down for the repeal OF the iaw. WE'LL the tax on
spirits In tue Metropolitan district amounted 70
81, 600 000 and certainly may be supposed thai II
halt mat sum could remit that sam would be ready;
upon his child He was radical on the subject Of the
law. He believed that not only the law as u stood
right 10 far went bat he favor Of total
prohibition--not Immediately In the prsseat The
Law imposed total prohibition seventh Of toe ums.
OF ihs ladder in good time they would have prohi
ton all the time II the repeal defeated last year,
ia repeal srenuouly and sucesssfsly BSs ssiii there
Is danger IN the attempt yet 70 be made Tho Senate
is republican and the House democratic, aud appeals
from the leaders OF both parties, the makers OF plat
forms, the influential papers Of the metropolis,
all combine TO endangcr the permansucy Of
the Law. He himself u the republican
party. and there leaders Of il advocating
W. modification, because since is enactment
can party He sontended thai the las had not loss 70
the party thousand German votes On the contrary.
he could snow that the av has strengthened the spub
lean party by two thousand votes. hut this not
tho course OF argument he desired 10 follow. He
would prefer standing on the principles OF right and
elected 81 0O0 in she Metropolitan district In
tho contest for Governor when Wadsworth was caudi.
isi Oh through ,hs GsrmansY In 1894 the republican
vote Yves 600, and In year after II came down 70
$4,000 Again in 1865 The republican vote was Is ooo,
and IL fell again in 1867 by 5000 woes. He oootsnd-
ed that other contributed 10 this other than the
Excise law The republican journals commanded that in
1881 largo numbers Of republicans voted the dsmocrac
ticket ana this not attributed the Excise Law. 10
unanimously agreed that th0re vast multitude
OF 10 the district who dsgustsd
Legislature and the corrupt measures they passed
they ready TO the republican party buried he
asked republican how many votes the republican party
bad lost by the Excise law, and the answer seven
or eight thousand This IL the kind Of talk which Is
rstailed at Albany aud moves the republicans Of
the State 10 modify the Excise aw. u argued, too
the other hand, and with truth, thai che party
lost twenty thousand votes BY It's alliance with the
repeal Of the as i'' what more dsrSas votes sos
they expect IL the law had given them such an az.
70 let the aw alone as h' why should they
kill the goose THAI sye such golden egg
That "a a question that may naturally Be
asked Of the democrats. Lot not inscrbs
banners, "Run and Continental sabbath" fhs
trends OF temperance and Of the law support their
friends ia the Legislature Nv letters and petitions to
their represent auvee 70 sustain the law The best
petition, however that could be sent 70 the Legislature
would be the that in every members district the
supervisor 10 constable with tempersncs men. This "a
the way 70 STR up members. rhsy notice that sheir
constituents are In earnest the work and they
immediately influenced by tbesa tsdlng from home.
modification " the law 10 some extent marked OF
late, when II permitted that those retailers who had
NOT taken out license should be permitted TO take out
a three months license. This compromss or
Cancellation 10 tue Interest. Not a. ALL But the
discussion The subject exhibited a remarkable fact
that many senators who we're supposed TO favor the
repeal OF tue Law showed themselves on that occasion
opposed 10 any repeal This encouraging sign
Of the timss lie charged his audience that IL
they desired N strengthen The hands OF their
friends IN Albany, they must themselves DO
Temperance men and women. show him man who IL
temperance in his heart, and bis heart beats in
sympathy with him. and the Influence he exercises will
be felt in every movement for tho maintenance Of Tbs
metropolitan Excise Law all ils purity aud in all iis
provisions (Appauss)
The CHAIRMAN Then, addressing the audience. said
that an opportunity would be gwen them or proving
thoir sincerity IN the cause OF temperance tha. SUD-
sCuption would b. taken IN the benefit Of tho Kings
County Central Association. A subscription lhsn
taken, tho band playing iavori1e air.
Mr. LAsJNG IAyLos next spoke He described the
Lxcise law az simply ar Law passed for the good OF
tue community, conta Ming certain pains and penalu
10 sptofcs H. There seven days 10 the week Civ
hundred and sixty sht hours and all that
asked thsi from these hundred aud sIxty -eight
hours twelve asked thai should 10 freed from tbs
curse Of vpins and drunkenncss aud riots and crime
the attendant evils Of rum aud liquor tipping Excise
laws had er Ned In all ages. Augustus levied excise
OF one per CO. upon all commodities sold 10 The Imperial
City. In 1870 excise law was established in Epgand
upon ales and Vors and the vendors thereof In China
was Isyi VI on tea. in fact ercss vas nsces