The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-29

Violation OF the law, so that our lpgiS.
iators have found II necessary, in or.
der TO secure the proper observance
OF The law, 10 impose helyier penalties
Our experience In this city confirms this
view OF the matter, for not until Judge
George l.. Christian imposed the heavier
penalties was the law observed, and this
confession we have from the offending par
ties themselves, testifying, rs they did, TO
their own disregard Of the lighter penalties
! imposed by The law. This il one reason,
then, why there is this difference between
the penalties imposed for selling liquor and
those imposed for selling other merchan.
disc on the Sabbath day. Another is found
in the dangerous character Of this traffic.
Our laws everywhere recognize ii as cspc.
cialy dangerous, and therefore more ncces-
sary TO be hedgcd aboutwith proper restraint.
| Our laws require that saloons shall be closed
on election-days. Why? Manifestly be-.
cause with the increased number OF iGIers
on that day the use Of ll1uOr Is liable 10 he
abused, and riot and disorder is the result
| The same reasons would apply TO theclOSing
of saloons on sunday. claim that it is
merely police regulation enacted in the
interest Of good order on the Sabbath day,
and has no more to DO with religious free
dom than the law that inillc's whipping as
a punishment for petit larceny.
Why, then, object 10 the City Council
taking this matter under lis controIl Be
cause the present law operates TO suppress
the sale Of liquor on Sunday, and it is bet
ter 10 let well enough alone. We can gain
nothing in the interests Of good order by
placing this matter under the control OF our
municipal legislature, and there is danger
that the laws may be so modified as to prac-
ficallv give license 10 the unlimited sale OF
liquors on the Sabbath day.
The "Ciiizens' Association" has been
very active in giving their aid and support
to the bar keepers in this movement. They
presented memorial TO the Legislature ask
ing for the repeal or modification OF the pre-
sent law, and giving reasons why their pc
iitlon should he granted. quote reason
numbered ::
"It denies 70 Young men in cities who
chose to indulge their inclination for drinks
Of the wholesome restraint OF publicity and
observation, and drives many Of them 10
places, which would otherwise be avoided,
where there is no restraint"
This either means they want the bar
rooms open on SUNDAY or else it means no.
thing: and the gentlemen who have OPP
posed Mai or Stiles and myself before the
Senate committee have not bcsitated TO de-
clare their willingness that the fs0nt doors
Of the saloons should be closed on sunday,
bat that the rear doors should be kept open
for the benefit OF any who might desire to
drink.
Captain George d. Wise, IN his argument
before the Senate committee favorng some
modification OF the present laws. gave il rs
his opinion that the number OF persons ar
So
as before the Sunday law had been 50
vigorously enforced. The records on file
in The Office OF the Chief OF Police furnish
the following statistics on this point:
Number of arrests for drunkenness III 1876
Number arrested in Observation-Disclosures. 75j
Number OF sunday arrest in lS7S........... L32
Number Of sunday ar e>ts III lS79........... 3SI
Number Of saloons reported open on sunday ,o
IN lo7S.'; ~
Number In lS93...... ~
will not Insult the intelligence of the
workIngmen OF Richmond by suploSing
that the effort OF the bar-keeperS TO enlist
their cooperation in this matter will have
ans effect. would not insult them by be-
lieving that the suggestion OF the liquor
men that they are in the habit OF spending
their Sabbatbs in the rum-shOpS Is true.
would cali their attention TO the necessity
OF carefully guarding the restraints that are
now thrown around the Sabbath as day OF
rest. II we modify our laws, and the
dealers in liquors are permitted TO re-
ouire their bar-tenders to work on Sunday,
what good reason can we give why the car
pentcr, the brick!ayer, or the irOn-master
should not require his men to work on that
day: and soon there would be no Sabbath
and no day OF rest for those who most need
it.
It is stranoest of oil that the men who
prate most loudly about religious liberty
Should be the first TO deny the right OF
sDppch 10 others. One OF our leading man.
ufacturerS, because Of his opposition 70 the
whiskfv,mcn in the City Council, was told
by number OF them that they would,
unless be desiSted in hi, opposition, refuse
to patr0nize bim.
Major Robert Stiles has within the past
few daSs received Il communication III
which The writer threatens 10 seriously in
lure his business il BE continues 10 oppose
the wishes OF the liquOr-dealers. and an
anonymous writer in the Dispatch OF The
9th threatens all members OF the City
Council who have stood in defence OF the
Sabbath with political decapiiatiOn at the
coming election. Well, the man who could
be intimidated by such considerations
would be unworthy either Of business pa
tronage or official station.
hope that it may be the pleasure Of the
LEGISLATURE to reject the petition OF the
CilIZens' Association, and if any change is
made in the present laws it will be simply
to strike out the proviso that under certain
conditions is intended to give to the cities
exclusive jurisdiction in matters pertaining
to the sale Of liquors on Sunday. and give
us one law that shall apply alike to city and
country.
Very truly yours, j. 1. ELLYsoN.