The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-04-09
Liquor Ln,,- Of Ne Oldeu IIn,c.

1t was one ofthe droctriues of our Puri-
tan ancestors that
"Man wants but little here bclow;-
and doubtless they believed
"That little he wants strong
for plentiful allowance Of beer. wine.
and spirits, appears in their list of prepa.
rations for the voyage SuitabIeper-pn
approved by the magistrates-lo mine
host was man Of considerable Importance
in ye oldcn time-were licensed t0 keep
Ordinaries or taverus, and to -.'l liquors
but were bound by stringent laws t9 Hl
low no drunkenness or disorder ON their
premises. Indeed, the guess th.m-
selves are not free from surveillance.
We read in Jordu'- Voyage TO- New
England, that eff stauecr went into
one Of these houses of entertainment. he
was presently followed by one appointed Oh
that Office, who would thrust himself into
his company, uuIuvted, and, If hc called
for more drink than the officer Thought iu
his judgment bee could -0bcrly bear
away, lie could presently couutermaud b.
and appoint the proportion, beyond which
he could not get one drop.
Some of the old laws for the regulation
Of taverns are rather curious Iha fol-
lowing enacted July 18th, 1917. hy tHe
Great and General Court, held ut PIp.
mouth will serve as specimen
ut is ordered by The Court uud tHe
authorities thereof that none shall pre-
sumo to deliver any wine, strong liquors,
or cider TO any person or persons who
they may suspect will abuse thc same, 0r
TO any boys, girls, on single persons, th5
pretending To come IN the name 0f aHy
sick person, without note under tha
hand OF some sober person boo whose name
they come, Oh pain 0f five sh.iugs for
every such traH-grc--I tu--tue ouo-haIi tD
the country, aud the other half tJ tle TO-
former"
Drunkenness was punished by various
penalties which will seem amusing t9 u-.
.aougn doubtless considered otherwise by
those who incurred them. Here are
few specimens:
Sergeant Perkins ordered 10 carry
forty turfs TO the fort for being drunk
daniel Clark found 70 be an Imm0d-
crate drinker, fined forty -hiIlug-
"John Wedgewood for being in the
company Of drunkards, to be set IN the
stocks"
A man who mad often been punished
for being drunk, was now ordered t0 wear
a red ID about his neck for a year"
Such entries may be found scattered
through the old court records; occasion
ally reprimands or dismissaI- for drunk
enness may be found on the church rec
ords
Quite trade had sprung up between
the colonies and France and the West
Indies. The colonies exported f-h. pipe
slaves, clap boards, and received in he
turn wines, rum, and various other arti-
cles. Rev. Increase Mather, In sermon
preached at Boston in 1856, thus depl1res
the introduction and use of rum.
1T is a common thing that later years
kind OF strong drink, called rum, has
been common amongst us, which the
poorer sort of people, both i'm town and
country, can make themselves drunk
with. Those that are poor and wicked,
too, can for "A penny or two pence make
themselves drunk l wish 70 the Lord
some remedy may be thought Of for the
prevention Of this evil.
Nearly two hundred years have flown
by since the worthy Mather utterered
this wish, and as yet no remedy has app
peared.