Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-06-24
LOCA E. NEWS /;
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COMMON CouNcIL. AT a, meeting Of the
Board Of Common Council, last night, the
President caused the clerk to read a commune
cation from the Mayor, as follows Ill5GI we
IS. s. si MAYORS OFFICE, s
ALEXANDRIA, June %, 1868.
TO the Honorable CITY Council ::.i2,s U.s., ;a5.1g
GENTLEMEN: In consideration OF the IN
creased dissertation of the Christian Sabbath
bv persons living within the city limits, by
keeping their places Of business open, l re.
spectfuIy request your attention TO the subject,
and ask that such measures as,your wisdom
may suggest, be taken to secure a more sacred
Observance Of the day. Respectfully at7.,Da
53 az31a VIM. n. BERKELEY Mayer! II
MI. Martin opposed the adoption Of the sug-
gestion of the Mayor, and said that the fruition
of that suggestion would be merely to reduce
the already diminished revenue of the city to
the amount of the licenses now paid by the
class of persons against whose business it was
aimed. These peoplel had paid their license
fees, and were justly entitled to the privileges
that accrued therefrom. In all cities there
were persons whose practice and habit it
was to frequent places where liquor was sold
on Sunday-not for the purpose of creating
disturbances, but in the exercise and enjoyment
of their natural rights; and those rights should
not be infripgcd. It was IS much as could be
expected of man if he would attend strictly
to his own moral obligations. Let each look
out for himself, and do unto others as he would
be done by. There we're certain classes a in
every community who had no other day but
Sunday during which to enjoy themselves, and
if part of their enjoyment consisted in visit
ing saloons or gardens, they should not be de-
priyed of it. Ii after frequenting such places
they become riotous or disorderly there were
laws for their punishment which should be
executed. Each man must render an account
of his own stewardship, and hot Of. his neigh,
boris, and each man had a right to go to church
on Sunday, or stay at home, as he pleased. ---
Gentlemen might as well try to stop travelling
on Sunday. Many did not think it was sin
to frequent beer gardens on Sunday, but even
if they did, and committed that sin, 1t was
their own lookout, and not other people 5. =
The attempt to prevent the sale OF liquor on
Sunday had failed wherever it had been tried,
and laws passed to effect such a purpose would
always be violated, and instead of one or two
cases during the year that might possibly re-
quire the Mayors attention in consequence OF
inebriety, he would be continually called up,
even at II clock at night, to try cases of IN
fraction of the law against selling liquor. 10
attempt TO close the bar rooms could but cause
more trouble, than good. They had been kept
open heretofore, and no harm had as yet oc-
cured. He was astonished at the Mayors
communication The city had neither been
ravished nor set fire to yet because liquor was
sold on Sunday, nor was it probable it would
be. To pass such laws as were asked for would
be to give opportunities for secretly injuring
mans business. Let those 60 to public gar
dens who want to, and let those stay away who
want to, and if those who 60 misbehave them
selves, by all means let them be punished, by
existing laws, but don't interfere with a mans
legitimate business, to carry On which he has
paid his license The speaker was not per-
sonally interested in the matter, for he never
frequented such places, and did not know in
fact that such places were kept open on Sunday,
but if fancy should strike him to 60 to them,
he did not want his right to do SO INSTRUCTED.
There were State laws respecting the subject
under consideration, that if executed properly
would prevent any evil, if such existed, with
out the interference of city laws, and he hoped
that the object Of the Mayors communication
would not be accomplished. ~
MIR. Mckenzie moved to refer the communi-
cation to tie Committee on General Laws. He
did not know anything about the rum mills,
but he thought that if gentleman from the
country wanted to get shaved before he went to
church on Sunday, he should be allowed to do
co. A man could not be holy without being
clean, and he did not think a man had any
right to 60 to church with dirty face. He
did not know about the propriety Of enacting
laws to close the saloons, but thought they
could be closed, and that their proprietors
should have selfrespect enough to keep them
closed, without any law to that effect.
Mr.. Arnold seconded the motion to refer the
communication to the Committee on General
Laws, and did not think the present time to
discuss its merits, but did think that some ef
fort ought to be made to endeavor if possible,
to keep out of this city the worst portion of
the population of Washington, which, in con-
sequence Of the closure of the bar rooms in
that city on Sunday, is regularly vonited out
here. The gentleman from the Fourth Ward
(Mr. MARTINI usually made elegant speeches,
but his cause on the present occasion was
weak one. Men in communities must relin-
quish some of their individual natural rights
for the GOOD of the whole, and as representa-