Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-10

inely. This is the high prerogatlse oil
every American citizen.
Up TO this time the press Of Virginia
has taken a high stand, and to the
credit of the press be it said that all
the articles in the papers have been
written in an honest, manly, and courte'
Gus style. Let the press-as | have no
doubt it will-continue to bear that
high and dignified position in permit
ting publications rejecting both sides
in manner which has won the admira-
ton Of all classes and factions, and
views and ideas. Let all Of the organi-
cations be kind and polite don'ta'nse
and sneer at one another. Ills lawfdl
to form those societies tits lawful to
have those issues; tits lawful to make
the fight. IT'S not right to abuse tits
not right to talk mean; tits not right to
stir up strife by talking and writing in
manner unbecoming good citizens
unbecoming gentlemen, unbec )m'ng
Virginians, and unbecoming Christians.
Abuse is not argument. Resort TO
legitimate and proper means, and the
contest will be carried on properly, and
the result will be accepted in good faith
by all persons, and, as Virginians have
always done. the majority has assumed
the responsibility, having proper care
and protection for the minority.
Now, | have given the above as the
proper way to take the question as a
matter of policy. / have examined the
local.option law from legal stand
point. / do not like to thrust my legal
views on any one, but as j voted for
the law in the Senate Of Virginia, and
aided in my feeble way to perfect the
law and give to the people what, in my
humble Judgment, they had asked for
and both political parties had given the
promise. do not hesitate to give you
my opinion as a lawyer that the LEGAL
option law, if adopted by the people
in any magisterial district, county,
town, or city, cannot interfere with
any licenses already issued and being
used until they expire by limitation.
| have the law before me at this
writing, and | repeat my view-yiz.,
if liquor license commences to run
on the LIST day Of May, 1886, and ex-
pires on the 30th of April, 1887, it can
not he revoked. If that community,
between those periods, should vote to
have local option the vote would pre-
vent any more licenses from being issued
in that locality. When licenses COM
mence to run they are governed by the
then eriStiHg lars, and are not depend
ent on anything else. There are causes
existing why licenses should be re-
voked but do not think that if local
option should be adopted after licenses
are issued that it could be used as one
Of the causes.
think a party taking out license
for one year has a vested right, subject
to the then existing laws. Now, mark.
| say when licenses commence know
some persons may apply to the court
for license pending the contest before
the people, and after obtaining the IL
cense and before the first day of May
the vote should be for local option, !
think his license would be imperative
and should not he used. If it were
not so some persons could obtain Ii
cense long ways back to commence in
the future. If an election should take
place in Richmond after the lst day Of
May, and the vote should be for local
option, am Of the opinion that those
operating under proper licenses would
have the right to continue until their
licenses expire, so far as the vote is
concerned. OF course don't wish to
be understood that the other laws for
closing up the liQuor-stores would be in
operative.
Now, what are we to gather from the
foregoing if am right in my views:
| will tell you: Every community, or
county, or town, or city, desiring to
have an election under the local-option
law, let it take place before the lst day
of May, 1886, if you wish to test the
question as to the granting Of licenses
for the next license-year, which COM
mences on the lst day Of May, 1886,
and ends on the Both April, 1887. The
people in the country have plenty Of
time if they wish to do so. The cities
have full time also. Elections in the
cities on the fourth Thursday in May,
and special elections can be held thirty
days before the fourth Thursday in
May; | mean to say if the cities de-
sire it..
Don't 60 in the courts ; keep away
from them. ! hope our pure Virginia
Judges may not have to pass on ques-
tons of general or local interest where
communities and voters are divided.
Our people are true, and when duty
calls nothing stands in their way to do
it. Let moderation be the watchword;
let prudence and determination 90 hand
in hand let friendly feeling and bro
therly love prevail, and whenever the
local-option fight is made the result
will be accepted in good faith with the
remark, cts for the best" | have
written this at your urgent request;
and though hurriedly written, on the
eve of leaving for home, yet you can
use this as you think proper; and if it
will allay in the slightest any hard feel
ings or cause the extremists to be mode
rate, then sm content that have done
some good by this letter, as well as to
accommodate you. Let the good peO-
pie sneak. and am satisfied.