The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-02

] ssEths most destr0gin and demoraIiSing Ageti
setcIes I'M this community: They are Simply
Il the hot-beds. OF misery and crime, and; VIZ
4 should spare no effort ttihat we can properly
put forth tasdppress and root them iolrt o
;;lextstencesDI y 2sass.3T fsts otst .1i9sIa -
Is3s = * ii II ,S3.
eL5a 10. Selling Liqaortto Minors, vi
EBysa an net Of Assembly, passed March "a
i 1874, it was provided that II any person
1'seIl or cause to- be sold to any minor, know.
ing him to be such, without the consent oi
4 his pareEt or guardian, any Kind of int0xi.
eating liquors lie shall be deemed guilty toi
misde demeanor, anG fined not less than ten
nor more than three hundred dollars, and
bound over; for year keep the peace, DC,
Invite your special attention to the en-.
Iforcement OF this statute as one tending to
Eprevent those temptations, which often ruin
the youth of our land. from being thrown
in their way, with the further remark
that il the name Of the minor to whom the
liquor is sold is known to the grand jury that
name must be inserted in the Indictment;
and Ii the name is unknown, then it must
be so stated in the Indictment. It was thus
held in the case OF Morgenstern Us. The
Commonwealth in which case this Court
undertook to enforce this law.
| II F.tz
invite your special attention to this sub
/ ieet, too. The baIlot-system is one pecu-
Iliarly productive Of frauds, and an innova-
tion which our people do not, as far as ]
know, admire : yet, while we have the sys-
tenn, we,must try to keep it as pure as we
! possibly can. The law Furnishes any per-
son for attempting, for consideration, to
influence the vote OF another, and Furnishes
the voter who accepts such consideration
equally with, the person giving it. We can
not afford to tolerate for n moment any fraud
committed by any person or party in this
city. Nothing is more demorallzing or
damaging to community than to know
that fraud in its elections will be winked at
by the courts and jurles.
The law Furnishes by heavy fines any
Judge, clerk, or commissioner OF election
for failure to perform any duty required
OF him without good reason for such failure.
1t Furnishes by fine and imprisonmenta any
officer, messenger, or other person who
shall wilfully neglect or corruptiy perform
any duty required OF him.
It Furnishes by fine and imprisonment any
person for knowingly voting in district
where he does not reside, or in which he is
not registered.
1t makes it felony, and Furnishes by con-
| finement in the penitentiary, any person
who votes more than once at any election.
| 1t Furnishes in like manner any non-resi-
dent OF this State fer illegally voting.
! 1t Furnishes in like manner any person who
is not qualified voter and who votes with
an unlawful intent at any election.
It Furnishes by fine and Imprisonment
any person who procures, aids, assists,
counsels, or advises another to vote, know
ing that such person is not duly qualified to
vote at the time and place the vote is given.
1t Furnishes in like manner for influencing
voters by threats or bribes.
It makes it felony to furnish false bal
lots; to fraudulently put ballots in ballot
box; to be guilty OF any. false swearing
when Offering to vote, &C., sc.
! All OF these are matters which cannot claim
too much attention at your hands.
There is another matter that am specially
required by law to bring to your attention,
and that is the law commonly known as
THE "MOFFETT LIQUOR LAW"
With the details OF this law you are all
doubtless familiar by this time, and it is
therefore needless for me to consume your
time by enumerating them. The most I'M
portant OF its requirements is that the dealer
Shall turn the crank OF the register whenever
| he sells drink, to indicate the tax due by
him to the State, and the failure to do this
is made q misdemeanor, and subjects the
| delinquent to fine Of not less than $40
nor more than S100-one third to go to
the informer; and upon second
conviction the dealer forfeits his license,
which shall not be renewed for year.
There are other requirements laid down by
the act, but the enforcement OF this one
will specially claim your attention. I am
satisfied that it will receive your considera-
tion and investigation, even though it may
! entail on YOU some little unpleasant duty
or inconvenience.
The objects OF this act, lis stated in its
title, are the ssupport OF the government
and to pay the interest on the public debt"
1t is hard to conceive how a human law
could be framed for higher purposes
| than these. The burden OF the song OF
certain class in Virginia to-day is that she
is groaning under Il load Of debt that she
cannot pay, and the manhood, the honor,
and intelligence Of this people, who have
suffered so much for honor's sake, are in
suited by
THE sT1CsAo OF REPUTATION. si
Gentlemen Of the grand jury, to my
mind it is impossible to conceive the injury
that this cry has inflicted on the State. The
payment Of her public debt is, In my opin-
ion, what it should be, the price OF her frl.
ture existence us Commonwealth. A law
which has for its objects, then, the sup
port of the Government and the pay:
lnent OF the interest on her public
debt, which has been recognized by The
State time and again in the most solemn
forms, and which tends to relieve the bur-
| den OF taxation from property and to place
il upon luXureS, must commend itself to
the favorable consideration OF all honest,
right-thinking men. But this aW.has an
other recommendation that no law imposing
taxes for any purpose can have. No one
need nav this tax unless he chooses to dc
so voluntarily. | have said before that We
have nothing to do with the policy or pro
4 priety OF any law; but Ihave attempted by
these remarks 10 convey the idea that, t.
nv mind, this is most wise and proper
statute. I see no hardship Inflicted By Il ol
any class, and think great sooa must re
&. suit from its proper enforcement.
The liauor-dealer has no right TO com
plain OF 1t, because I believe in every in
stance he makes
~ THE CONSUMER PAY THE TAX
in addition to the prices formerly charged
and many have made this law the preteH
! for charging the consumer for their oW
uses more than was formerly charged
The consumer, has no cause OF con
plaint. because, as before stated, he nee
not pay the tax unless he wishes to d
so. The law imposes no penalty on hil
. for failing to drink. But whether wise o
unwise it is the law OF Virginia, and We ar
sworn to enforce it. "The sum total ne
cessary to meet the obligations OF the Stat
must be raised. Fraud upon the reyenu
does not reduce that sum, il merely shift