means of disqualifying many a valuable man, for nearly every purpose, except to bring disgrace, ruin, and misery on himself, his family and connexions."

"I have taken no pains to ascertain the authority by which retailers of ardent drink are permitted to fix stands and booths at the Park and other places, on days of public parade and festivity. The concentrating of so many grog-shops at times and places of the greatest collection of people, tends rather to produce tumult and confusion, than to preserve good order. These places not only tempt men to indulge to excess, but boys are often seen in them following the example—and it has been remarked, that more of this youthful class are seen disguised with liquor on those days, than in all the year beside. Indeed, it very rarely occurs that a boy is seen thus degraded on any other occasion. Should these travelling taverns be permitted only on condition that ardent spirits should not be carried to them, or sold, or given gratis there, it would remove the greatest objection which can be urged against them. The public would then be accommodated with every necessary refreshment, without jeopardizing their peace by means of intemperate drinking.

"It would essentially benefit the community, should the inducements to frequent taverns be lessened. This may be done in a variety of instances. It is usual in the country towns, to muster the militia at or in the immediate vicinity of taverns. This practice tends neither to improve the morality or discipline of the men—and if they must continue as now to be mustered at those places or not mustered at all, I have no hesitation in saying, that the public would sustain no material injury, should the latter course be adopted; for it is certainly true, and the reason is obvious, that many of the men, at the close of their exercise on those parade days, are not so well qualified to serve their country, as when they come to the rendezvous. Much of the evil of the present practice would be obviated, should military officers, vested with power to muster any corps of militia, in the country towns, for the ordinary purposes of exercise or inspection, be bound by law to locate the parade ground at least a mile from any tavern or retail grocery. The carrying of ardent liquor to the rendezvous, and the selling it there, or giving it gratis to any person, especially the soldiers, should be interdicted, under proper penalties, and provision made for due execution of the law. Other refreshments than ardent drink, being as usual permitted, all the reasonable conveniences of taverns would be enjoyed, and many of those disgusting instances of riot and disturbance, occasioned by intemperate drinking, and which often convert our militia parades in the country, into scenes of disorder and insubordination, rather than schools for military instruction and discipline, would be done away.

"The legislature should prohibit justices' courts being held at taverns. The disgraceful scenes which are too often the consequences of trials at those places, would thereby be prevented, and the cause of morality, and not unfrequently, that of justice, essentially benefited. The same objection lies, though perhaps not with equal force, against sheriff's courts being held at those places. If the Court House is not at hand, it must be a beggarly office which would not afford the appropriating of a room for the performance of its duties in the dwelling of its incumbent, or pay for the use of a convenient place elsewhere for the purpose. The practice of holding trials at taverns, before referees, appointed by order of the court, is not exempt from serious objections.—These, however, being less frequent, are not so productive of evil, and, perhaps, are more difficult to be obviated.

"The holding of auction sales at taverns, as is frequently the case in the country, is pregnant with mischief sufficient to justify legislative interposition.—Those who have witnessed, can best describe them—I only know them by description. On these occasions, the number who go to buy, is but small, compared to those who attend from other motives. The owner of the property for sale, is seldom backward in circulating the glass freely at his own expense, because he is like to receive more than cent. per cent. profit from the consequent indiscretion of those who become affected with the spirit of bidding. Many are thus led on to buy unnecessarily and dear; and frequent instances occur, where people bid off more than they have means to pay for—and thence law-suits, trials, at taverns, family distress, the insolvent act, and perhaps poverty and pauperism close the account. These are only the outlines of the picture, which those who have seen the original, are best qualified to fill up with neglect of domestic concerns—horse-racing and jockeying—profane swearing—drunkenness—quarrelling, and sometimes fighting, and a variety of other amusements, not unusual on such occasions.

"The lamentable consequences of holding the polls of our political elections at public houses, are too generally known to require particular description. Suffice it to say, that the noise and tumult—the heated, irritating and useless discussions which frequently occur, and which go to impair the respectability of the electors, and the credit of the elective franchise, are oftner the result of the spirit of liquor than the spirit of patriotism. As far as legislative provisions can obviate the evil, it ought to be done. The expense would be small and the benefit great, should each ward in the cities, and each town in the country, build a house or room for the purpose of elections. The profit which might accrue from its use on other occasions, would, in many instances, more than pay the interest on its cost. It is a little remarkable, that the sagacity which prompted the interdiction of military parades on the days of election, as dangerous to the freedom of the elective franchise, did not foresee and guard against the evils consequent on locating the election polls at public houses.

"It is hoped that the good sense of the community will operate to abolish the custom of giving extravagant entertainments, on any occasion, in honour of distinguished characters. This practice, by leading many to taverns, and tempting them to indulge freely, is productive of more mischief than benefit to society. As an example, it is bad. People, in the lower walks of life, cannot be taught, that it is wrong to get drunk in company with, and out of mere good humour to their friends, while they see too many of the upper circles retire from those feasts, not exactly sober. I humbly conceive it would be manifesting far higher respect for a great man, to compliment him with a written address, approbating his character and conduct, accompanied with a medal, a piece of plate, or other present, embellished with appropriate insignia and inscriptions.—These would be lasting testimonials of character and worth. Being always visible, they would act continually as a stimuli to urge others to emulate the honourable course by which they were acquired;—whereas, those public entertainments are scarcely noticed beyond the day they are puffed in the newspapers—and if they were, the honoured guest could derive no great satisfaction in the reflection, that his friends had eaten and drank immoderately, in honour of his virtues. There is a strong family likeness between these dinners and those eaten ex-officio by our city corporation.

"The meetings of self-created societies at taverns, cannot, perhaps, at all times, be well avoided. There doubtless are many of those institutions which are useful—but that there are many which do more hurt than good, is equally true. They ought, indeed, to be productive of great benefit, to