vendue-master

But I never could, and I never shall, abide the sight of the red and ruthless flag of the vendue-master.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 84, October, 1864 Various

In 1783 he was on the board of censors for Pennsylvania, and afterwards chosen vendue-master of Philadelphia; in 1786 was elected a member of Congress, and in 1787 was president of that body, which at that time, was the highest office in America.

An Historical Account of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America 1893

Gallatin took up the alien, and Nicholas the sedition law; but after a little while of common silence, they began to enter into loud conversations, laugh, cough, &c., so that for the last hour of these gentlemen's speaking, they must have had the lungs of a vendue-master to have been heard.

Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 3 Thomas Jefferson 1784

The vendue-master, who was deprived of his accustomed dues on the public sales of the opium by the private dealing, made a formal complaint to the board against this, as well as other proceedings relative to the same business.

The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12) Edmund Burke 1763

But here their constant and vigilant observer, the vendue-master, met them again: -- they seemed to live in no small terror of this gentleman.

The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12) Edmund Burke 1763