[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.

    4/30 (page 36)
    affecting themselves. The gentlemen connected with the United Kingdom Alliance have been parading through every town in England their conviction that the people of that country would decide this question in their favour, but the recent elections have shown quite a different result. If Mr. Redmond believes what he states, why should he fear to test by a vote whether the people would so decide ? They are now propounding their own views and theories, and holding up the Permissive Bill as a panacea for all the ills with which they are afflicted. Latterly there lias been introduced a vast increase in the electoral powers of the people of this country. What has been the result of the Bill, when put to the test ? What the recent elections have shown was not known when Mr. Redmond spoke so confidently. The results are known now and what has Mr. Redmond to say ? In 1864 when the Permissive Bill was first introduced the voting stood thus:— For, including pairs ... 40 Against ... ... ... 297 Majority—257 On the 12th of May 1869, when the Bill was re-introduced, the following result was obtained :— For, including pairs ... 94 Against ... ... ... 200 Majority—106 Apart altogether from the division list, the debate itself extending over four hours showed the result of the “parading” of every town hy the Alliance. Every speaker insisted upon the government dealing with the whole licensing question in a comprehensive way. This is the result of the late elections. Would not the proper test have been to have gone at once to the fountain head, and asked th© Legislature to declare the manufacture of intoxicating liquors illegal ? Instead of that, they seek to put down the dealers. Here is “ tyranny ” indeed! Hearken to it, Vintners ! It is the suggestion of one of yourselves—a proposition so extreme, so sweeping, so arbitrary, so compulsory, so universal, that it would