[Debate on drunkenness and alcohol licensing in Liverpool.].

Date:
[1876?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Debate on drunkenness and alcohol licensing in Liverpool.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/30 (page 39)
    person to give up the use of that which he thinks right and proper. The Bill deals only with the sale. It does not define what Mr. Redmond shall drink. It will of course cause him to ask—where can the liquor be had ? Mr. Redmond asks, why because A abuses an article, B C and D should have the power to prevent E, who never abuses it, from getting the article which he wants. The argument looks very specious. It is a nice little logical toy. But suppose we put it thus: “ If the abuse of an article by A, causes B, C, and D, to be heavily taxed, and otherwise injured, why should E, have the right to decree that this taxation and injury shall be permanent ? ” An answer to this is what we desire to see. Alderman Plunkett.—Knowing as much as I do of the people of Dublin, I must say that I am strongly in favour of the motion brought forward by Councillor Sullivan (applause). Mr. Redmond said such a Bill ought not to be put in force. I in common with other members of the Council, have always a pleasure in listening to Mr. Redmond’s eloquence, but I cannot agree with his arguments. We have heard that the Archbishop of Cashel has closed the public houses in his diocese on Sundays, which has done much good, and checked intemperance, but it is said by gentlemen on the other side u don’t do any more—don’t touch these houses on any other day ” (applause.) They say if you peti¬ tion in favour of this Bill, the people will have no voice under it. Now the gentleman who concocted this Bill, selected the lowest franchise in existence, and he says, u give me a lower one, and I will take it, and be better satisfied,” so that the gentlemen need not attempt to ride off in that way. Mr. Dennehy said he met a pavior in the Cattle Market, who was so highly educated that he could do almost anything, but don’t trust him, he says, to vote under the Permissive Bill (laughter). I would not like to stop such men as Mr. Redmond, if he wished to take his glass of wine, but I would stop men who are going mad from drink, and for whose support wre are paying 2s. 6d. in the pound poor rate. Men may, it is said, do what they like with their own, but it should be recollected that they have no right to injure others (hear, hear). Let us begin somewhere, and in my opinion this is the best time to do it (applause). Mr. Carey.—I must say that Mr. Sullivan, in dealing with this motion, has been anything but just or honourable to the people. I honestly believe it is as insidious a motion, and one calculated to mislead the people, as I have ever seen come before your Lordship. It is one which every man should carefully consider, and study before he gives his vote. Whilst the people came here to hear sound common sense, they will go home with more knowledge of Sir Wilfrid Lawson’s Bill than they ever had before, which Bill, it turns out, shuts out the power from the people, and will allow them to have nothing whatever to do with it (hear, hear). There is a lodger franchise in the Reform Bill, but