Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-19
The Sunday Law.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Feb,

10 the editor of the alexandria Gazette:
Seeing in last nights G z,ttc. that you. To-
cal reporter has mislnterpreted my views in
retererce to the proposed Suudty law. Yen
viii obligo mo by publishing the euclcsea
letter, explaining the stand have taken ia Il,
matter: LOUIS kraft.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, Feb. l6, 1851,
Mr.. feaEe Chairman Of the Commt!ec or
General La,cs::
Having concluded to mako g few remarks u
the proposed Sunday law, DOW pending lefors
your honorable committee, first desire to ey.
press my sincere thanks for tho inparlia!i,y
with which your honorable committee is treat,
ing this matter, 10 allowing cur side of the case
10 bo heard. Perhaps you consider it matter
of course. that |, as restaurant keeper, wouli
be opposed to such law. but this is not the
case, for as far as am concerned J. would rather
keep closed aud olioy mg Sunday as day c.
rest and recreation. was it not for the personal
experience have had with such Law. VIZ
had Sunday law hero for years, ard it has,
like all sumpluary laws proved 10 be failure
because it is utterly impossible to enforce apv
law not backed by public opinion. Several
times upon tho going 10 of neT ndmioiSlra
ton tho attempt was mado to enforce it, a few
cases OF violation were repor'el, bu. 10 very
short tine the matter was dropped aud the law
systcmatcall si,lated, which acted very bsdy
10 moral point of view. Tor if people sae Law
so systematically violated. thoy will loose more
or less their respect for laws generally. There
is DO telling how maoy people summoocd e.
witnesses in such cases. havo rather pc jared
themselves. then testify to the violation of
Sunday law. My experience teaches mo fur
Their. that slnco tho repeal of our Sunday law
By the last Legislature our city has been moro
orderly; there has been less disturbance. less
drunkenness and fewer arrests, then thero Wero
under the Sunday law, AID this is very nalurGl,
for every time tho attemptw was made to cutorca
it, great many pooplo would buy their iquota
on Saturday night by tho ,sk aud it was then
frequent occurrence, o. Sunday to sec polk
TASKS handed around among paoplc oopgroga!cL
on public street corners. Others tina. had no.
provided themselves thus, would crowd upon
the ferry boats every time they landed, over
indulge aud c)me back to create disturbaecc.
All this has not occurred sincs tho repeal of tfr
Sunday law. for the l,ss Restrictions put upQn
the people 10 this respect, the bo!tcr it is. arn
the greater tho obstruction, tho greater he
temptation to abuse. | think this was fully
proved during the War 10 OUT town, when tvlr
the guards before tho doors Guild not prevent
the sale of liquor inside; and notwithstanding
the seVeress penalties bong upon Dut upon the
sale OF liquor, there was moro druak and sold
thon there is now.
Sunday laws may be a matter of o ,essity l.,
the country aud villages Without po!ioo iolc
and our last legislature was very Well aware 81;
that foot. " hen they amended this law. so as
n oof IL.
tants with police reeulaticn,.
Therefore. Mr.. Chairman, tho OILY olisn
of tho Alexandra Reform Club, represeu,o.
here by committee of throc, Messrs. Boyle,
Penn and FoltE. can only bs to show their 20.
litcal influence. tor tho latter two Numbers ct
that committee kooW SO VII as do. that a
Sunday law never prevented aay ono from
drinking, and theretors they arc not acting l.,
good faith when they demand such law. |
would not like 10 entertain the same opinion
about Mr.. Boyle, bu: would advise him TO fol.
low the tEImpl, Of some Of the nes! prominent
leaders CT III, temperate, movement 10 this
country and con6ne his efforts 10 moral PERSIA
sion only, for he Rl never succeed 10 mskirs
people better BY com pulsotY Legislation; in fact,
hc can only lnJuie the c,use OF ten perauce, IN
which | am ss much Interested az he is. |
was, therefore, very 2lad to sec tho Reform
Club organized, but it is getting more eyi!eo,
every duy that this club is being turned Toto
political plecs OF machinery. Ii already he'd
temperance ticket 10 tho field 10 The first war
dutlog our last election. Ulder tho lead Ut
Msssrs. Pearc, and B)ylo it triod TO oroe
local option law upon ns, which would hava
bceo a sevarn blow to the welfare of on,
tcwo, and understand. from reliable
authority. that lha Ciab intcnGs TO run
Temperance ticket ia all tho wards during
Che coming el, ciop, and thus try TO disrurt
the conservative party. These attacks upon
hs welfare OF cur town mud tho party
that governs it, and tho fact. that only very
Insignificant part Of tho enormous revenue col.
lected annually in thlstown is derived from tha
members or this club. prove TO me conclDsvely
that they have no interest In cur welfare ana
with very few exceptions have nothing u
looso and all 10 gain. l therefore think thop
should not BIO entitled TO the s,mu consideration
as tho business men of this city are.
should your honorable committee aiter dua
consideration of those fscLs nevertheless decide
to have Sunday law. then we would most ra
spectlaily ask 10 be put upon N equslity with
otner Duslnoss men. for if you prohibit tho Sal,
OF door, cigars, and soda water on Sunday, there
IS no reason why you should not prevent tho
safe OF newspapers, tho running of leo Wagonp,
tne nlflng OF tosms the running Of sloambostY,
ton of mails at the postofiice.
Inc restaurant Keepers. t0bacconists, drug.
glsIs and contectoners neyoc were in f.yor,i
seeplng their places Of business wide open. hk..
they do during the week, but always deem Il
proper 10 close their shutters and let their Gus.
taeretore they would not objec! 10 such a law,
should it DO the pleasure of our honorable com.
ml!!ee to pass one. Very respectfully,
LOUIS Kraft