THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sia,—Your suggestion in the Spectator of June 16th that drunkards should be punished, when it is possible, reminds me that I have always wondered why there is no law em- powering local Magistrates to forbid licensed victuallers to sell alcoholic liquors to well-known drunkards. This is the mildest form of punishment that could be inflicted, and it is one which Magistrates would less hesitate to inflict than im- prisonment. Many a drunkard would welcome the help thus afforded. Less infringement of the principle of liberty would be caused by this than by the many enactments which are proposed for restraining the sale of liquor in certain hours and places. The objections which will occur to every one as to the difficulties of an exact and even enforcement of such a law are only objections which may be brought against all laws dealing with the sale of drink to persons the worse for drink. If such a law proved so far successful, an addendum might, if necessary, be made, penalising wilful conspiracy upon the part of companions to defeat the law after warning by the police. We should have made a great advance if we could stop the few drunkards in each locality from being served at public-houses within the locality, however narrowly limited, even for a short time,—I am, Sir, &c., Holy Trinity Vicarage, Dover. G. SA.RSON.
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