eturn upon us.

It is to little purpose, my lords, that the licenses for selling
distilled spirits are to be granted only to those who profess to keep
houses for the sale of other liquors, since nothing will be more easy
than to elude this part of the law. Whoever is inclined to open a shop
for the retail of spirits, may take a license for selling ale; and the
sale of one barrel of more innocent liquors in a year will entitle to
dispense poison with impunity, and to contribute without control to
the corruption of mankind.

It is confessed, that since this law was made, these liquors, have
been sold only at corners of the streets in petty shops, and in
private cellars; and, therefore, it must be allowed, that if the
consumption has increased, it, has, at least, increased less than if
the free and open sale had been permitted; for the necessity of
secrecy is always a restraint, and every restraint must in some degree
obstruct any practice, since those that follow it under restraint
would pursue it more vigorously, if that restraint were taken away;
and those that are now totally hindered, would, at least, be more
strongly tempted by greater liberty; and where the temptation is more
powerful, more will probably be overcome by it.

But, my lords, however the law may in this crowded city have been
eluded and defied, however drunkenness may here have been protected by
the insolence which it produces, and crimes have been sheltered by the
multitudes of offenders, I am informed, that in parts less populous,
the efficacy of the late act never was denied; and that it has in many
parts rescued the people from the miseries of debauchery, and only
failed in others by the negligence of those to whom the execution of
it was committed.

Negligently and faintly as it was executed, it did in effect hinder
many from pursuing this destructive kind of trade; and even in the
metropolis itself, almost a total stop was for a time put to the use
of spirits; and had the magistrates performed their duty with
steadiness and resolution, it is probable, that no plea would have
arisen in favour of this bill from the inefficacy of the last.

I cannot, indeed, deny, that the multitude of false informers
furnished the magistrates with a very specious pretence for relaxing
their vigilance; but it was only, my lords, a specious pretence, not a
warrantable reason; for the same diligence should have been used to
punish false informers as clandestine r