The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-02-03

AZ Morris, I'll. recently, three persons were
indicted aud convicted of selling liquor to
minors. The Judge, Hon. j. N. Reading,
formerly Of Pennington, in this county, made
one Of tho most telling speeches against Ii
ccnse in his address TO the prisoners when
sentencing them, that we have ever read. As
the time is approaching when the subject OF
license win be brought before our people, we
reproduce the Judges remarks, commencing
tAem to tho careful consideration Of every ia
thsr and Of every lover Of his fellow men:
ssThe jury have found you guilty Of selling
interesting liquors to minor, and It remains
for the Court 70 pronounce sentence OF tie
law. The penalty Of this offence, fixed by
the Legislatures, indicator that It considered
the crime to be Of serious character. By
the law you may sell to men and to women If
they will buy. You have given your bond,
and paid for license to sell to them, and no
one has the right to modest you in your legal
business No matter what the consequence
may be, no matter what restitution and
poverty are produced by your selling accord
ing to law, you have paid your money for this
privilege, and you are licensed t. pursue your
calling. No matter what families are distract
ed aud rendered miserable, no matter what
starve or mourn over the degradation Of a
parent, your business is legalized, and no one
may interfere with you in it. No matter
what mother may agonixe Over-ths shame OF
. son, or sister blush for the shame of a
brother, you have the right to disregard them
all and pursue your legal calling you are
licensed. You may fit up your lawful place
of business in the most enticing and captiva-
ting form you may furnish it with the most
pf,t1
trade you may All It with the allurements Of
amuscments you may use all your art to in
duce visitors ;-you may skillfully arrange and
expose to view your choice wines and most
captivating beverages you may then induce
thirst by all contrivances, to produce raging
appetite for drink and then you may supply
that appetite to the full-becausc 1t IL lawful;
you have license.
:" You may allow hoys almost children, to
frequent your saloons they become witness
ses Of the apparent satisfaction with which
their seniors quaif the sparkling glass you
may be schooling and training them for the
period Of twenty -one, when they, too, can par
ficipate for all this is lawful. But, while you
have all these privileges for the money which
you pay, this poor privilege Of selling to
children Is denied you. Here parent have
the right to say Leave my son to me until
the law gives you the right to destroy him.
10 not antlcIp8t6 the terrlDit mON1eut WucH
can assert for him no further protection.
That will be soon enough for me, for his
mother, for his sisters, for his friends, and
for the community, to see him take the road
to death. Give him to us in childhood, at
least Let us have few years of his young
life, in which he may enjoy his innocence, to
repay us in some degree for the care and love
which we have lavished upon him. This is
something you, who now stand a prisoner at
the bar, have not paid for this is not en-
braced in your license. You have your bond
to use to its full extent but in thus taking
your pound of flesh YOU draw the blood, and
that which ia nearest the heart, The law in
its wisdom does not permit this, ana YOU
must obey the law. BY the verdict of the
jury you have been found guilty Of transgress-
ing the law. Its extreme penalty is thirty
days imprisonment in the county Jail and
600 fine its lowest, ten days imprisonment
and SEQ fine For this offense the Court
sentences you to ten days imprisonment in
the county jail, and that You pay fine of $7s
and costs, and that you stand committed un.
til the fne and costs Of this prosecution are
paid"