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The License Law In New York

The License Law In New York image
Parent Issue
Day
5
Month
June
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Vieron, N. Y., May 27, '47. Fiukni) F08TER : - Yon are ma!e fimiliar by your cxchanes of curso, wiih a!l the doings f tlip gre-it public in the Empire SlaW. Of thn Líense law of '45, and Is rrpeal in '47, yoti and your readers ars ilrrnriv informed, nnd h-we doub'le!8 excl-iimrd, as you linve ra-on t , "Whai a ridiculous pees nf lpg:slrit:ou !" And sn it was. - The law of '45 whioh reiere 1 lie questioD of "liceiHp" or "110 lirense" t') ihe ieople of eacli lown, wa.; emetfd on the part of quilo a porlion "I thn lesiislatm-R at ieast, 'by conslraint, no) willingy." Thcy yielded t" ;!io denawls of ihe peo pi e. nnd by a compromiso, g.-ive bu'lh lo ih -w. snch as it was, Vi'i'y imny of the best friends fif tempéranos liave never been sa'isfied itli it, but resolved to mal' e tha b'st of it antil Ihoy roulij get a botter. - It cnntainoj manv objectionobl features wiiich we re do doubt [nrposely iucorpornlcd inio it with tne design of prijndicing t, nnd the whole bi'siness of Legmlation on ;lif su'ijfit, in the éstimition of the ppople. Sucb, fur insi.'mcc, aa tho oclusion of N. York city from the brnfiii of its operation, - making no provisión for lliR siilo of alcohol to be used n the ruMs nnd sciences, nllowing the sa'e nf liquur in quantitios of five gillonp anj over, but probibiting it in quantities tes ihotl fne gallons: Ann filso, uiaking ;i provisión for n re-eleetion in one ycar from the ev acttnent of ihe law. TheycoulH not have providd for a re-eleciion in a morse lime, i Very liitlo was done bv temperancB men the first ycu-, tirnfucea due ob.;crvnnce of lli law, for sevcral reasons: lst. Tl.ey were in hope-', ader sucb an 01 envhelmning expression of pnljlic fentimenl ngainst t!,e IruiTic, r.s wr's given at the e!e;lion, tbat the detestable business would bfi doned by ihe liquor men generally, thro'ont the Stale. 2d. Thy did no? wiíh to commence proseetrting the vioiators i f rhe law hnstily, let they should be clnrged vvith posses-in,'; o spirit of persecutiou, - VVhen they found thnt the unprincipled and reeklesa persons engngeti in 1 1 1 i s horrible business wonld only abandon it na they were conijifllcd to by the strong nnn of the law, and accordingly coinmcncrd trinis agoiöït the guilty violators of the liw, tb. c hun and cry was imvncdia!e!y : - "the law is uncon.i.'iluiiuiiil ." - And proceeding3 n thia directïnn were very much smbarrassed trom the faoi. thnt the great case of Massachusetts nn:l New Hampshire was still pending in the Supretne Courl of the U. S. Mnny trials were han, however, in nur cnnrN, cmnti-, circuit, and suprome, a!l determining againt the violators of the law. The Puprerr.e Conrt of this Stite deeided upoii the constimiional'iy of the liw. Soon nfiei', carne the decisión o.' the graat case in the United St'ites Court agpinst the rumióles. Oor way was then mn-Je clear in the courts, and we were jnsi rendy tri go furword, st'-ong in the jnstice of our canse, and confident in the result of our Qppeal to the lasv' f r proteotion ngains' ibe devrist-iting traffi1". At thispoint, the toddy stick fra'prnity were thrown inio the grrntost nlarm for the BCCUrseH cnfi by which ihpy got ihelr "gaiiH kW the worst pnsions of this unprincipled clas of men were arouscd ard excited Bgafnst the law, and the friends of lemperance and good order in society. Naiural enongh - for 'Wini wreicti e'er feil liie nov !i;ur. W h npnr ■'' a int oí i he Une .'" Tn ihe midst of ihi.' "-ta'e of thingscime on the re-dection - befara e hal had time lo break np the grog-shops, and clear away Ihe nui-ances, and give the land rest from thesn terrib'e plagues and i8tilences ihrtt waste at noonday. They mo.de a desperate etfort, ns i; was n mattei of Ufe and denlh, with them, whüe mullitudes of temperance men, Siipposing al) was secure, gtnyed quieily nt home. - Others did not go to ihe polls and vote heC.IUSfl they dil not 1 i k o t!ie law. Oihers ('some few) had ilieir sympalhies lotifhed for the Inwleca pnnderers 'o vice, wreichedness a-;d crime - fihe last men einder God's canopy entiiled losvmpathv:) vvhile not n few were afraid 'twould injure lieir K'parly,1 and the ruminies would not votp for them ! These cor.sicierntions indDenced, both the electors, in those towns where elestións vrere held, and ibencfion of the legislatura in rcpealing the law. - We sliould have had at least Tour yenrs' time to "work awaif' at the business under the new law, before a re-eleclioi,. - The rrpral exhibils a base truckling to the rum iriduence, nnd to party spirit, extremely disgracerul to all conccrncd n it. ami nlready ore is sad effiicts upon sobriety and the puhlic morala extensively seen and feit throughont the Stnte. Seven tenlhs of ihe people in this state, there is not the least doubt, loathe nnd detest the abominable irafRc, and are in favor of its entire supjiression by stringent lavvs. - The next move will he fur a genernl prohibitory law. The tralHü in tliese "iire& of heil" is ccrtainly dooincJ. Aiéureni truth, righteousiiess, and IwmanHi) live, and the God of )ovo and jutSc-.e raigns, hul! ibis IJeasl bc desiroyed. Evcry interesl of ihis Gteen Earlh and of yon bi'iglit and Glorious Htaven cries out fir its extinclion, nnd exclnims "ilow lo.vg! O Lord, iiow long ! !" Yburs Inilv.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News