Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-18
For the Dispatch.l
ENTAIL ANB RETAIL.
Abolition Of Entail I'm Virginia, I77s-
Cooke. fff.

tDokt- 80.
1.-The Convention passed to the question
OF entails. From the earlesi
times and had been held by a tenure IN
accordance with the laws within the resl 10
Of England. jefferson now attacked tnls
system on the grounds that ~ deira ude1
creditors: vss unjust TO the rest OF the
ia Iniiy; and supported an arls'oeraey.
Suco arguments are always
popular. II was found useless 10 urge that
lie sysfsm OF entails defrarded nobody
thai those fnosf affected by II fully approved
Of IL; and that the possession OF property
from generation 10 generation II Roi P1o-
lie wrong.
The greater consideration was behind
EBfdils SupB0rfcd JN driS.Ocrdcp'
what Was evident In this year. 1776, ia
Virginia, was That The popular VII was
The strongest The fortress held Odi
otetinstely. refusing 10 surrender until the
last moment. pendleton the conserya-
tive sDd friend OF prescrip tion. Jed rhe
party opposed 10 Jefferson. IL was the deci
sive wrrstle between tie past and the future,
and the future conquered. Pendleton
fought 70 the last, and nearly defeated the
bill, but seeing that entails were doomed,
offered kn amendment that the tenant a.
tail might convey In fee-simple II be though I
proper 10 do so. The oiu passed
without The amendment: the axe was ap-
Piled, and the tree OF entails. which had
been growing for centuries, was levelled
with the ground"
These extracts from John Esten
Cookies charming volume, Z" The His
tory of the People Of Virginia" Has
uate generally the fact that in re-
publican government the rtH Of the
people. though long held in allegiance,
nust ultimately prevail and take the
form Of lar.
Ii seems to me that there are some
striking aDalogies between the abolition
of the eutailing Of land and the sboli-
ton Of the retailing Of liquor. Some
Of these analogies will present in the
shape Of 8 paraphrase.
ABOLITION OF RETAIL IN VIRGINIA,
los6.
The conventions OF the two political
parties at the last election inserted II
their platforms respectively a pledge
that local option between license and &c
li,ense should be submitted to the vote
Of the people.
The license system had existed fol
more than q hundred years, and thougt
it was guarded by stringent restrictions
and severe penalties, its results were 81
injurious, that public sentiment, con
tinuslly growing stronger, arose agains
il.
The bar.rooms were attacked on th'
grounds that they occasioned and en-
coursged drunkenness beggsred tn
drinkers brought woe upon innocen
and helpless wives and children, anc
were greatly detrimental TO the wealth
good order, and general prosperity o
the community.
1t was in vain that the liquor-mel
urged that they dsfrauded nobody
that those most affected by il approves
the system that il had existed fror
time immemorial. and that every gener
alton had right to demand that ID
public should provide convenient place
81 which the drinkers might indulg
themselves.
The greater consideration remained
behind Bar-rooms oecasloDed an:
encouraged drunkenness
What was evident in this year, 1856
in Virginia, Was that the popular vii
was the strongest.
The fortress held out obstinstely, re
fusing 10 surrender until the last mo
ment. The liquor-men were led b.
certain members Of the Legislature
These, perceiving that the local-oPtioi
bill would pass, offered amendment ate
amendment in order to nullify It's effect
In vain. The bill was passed withou
the amendments. The axe was applied
and the tree of license, which with 1t
outbranching bar-rooms, had bee
growing for centuries, was leyelled wit
The ground. r.
| LEXINGTON.