Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-05-13
sfIERlFFs' CORONERS' AND CON-
STABLES SALES.

Our readers to-day have the opportunity of
perusiny the law regulating these sales, and
forming their opinions of its merits. Its os-
tensible object is good it hulds forth the idea
that our Legislature. sincerely Interested 10
The sutf;eringa Of an embarrassed people, had
resolved to mitigate thnse embarraesTents by
all ~effectual means, and we are bound to be-
lieve that such was the object of certain men,
hers in voting for II. But such. we are per-
suaded, was not the object of all. and least OF
all, of him or those BY whom the bill was con-
ceived and framed. Short-sighted, or I'M
thinking persons alone, believe that such a re-
suit would follow an act of this nature-an
act which. while in some casta II may save
the uniformed, poor, toiling debtor n few
dollars for printing, will expose his property
10 the mercy Of ahatkish spectators. In fact.
no law could have been framed more fayora-
BILE TO the acute, Watchful epeculator than this;
for II condemns the poor debtors estate to &C.
cret sale--to sacrifice in the dark. in by-ways
and hidden places, where none but the skulk-
ing land pirate, or vampire IN human form,
ever appear. Some few, such as have 1t in
their power to buy in the property when Of
fered, or to induce others to buy it for them.
this law may favor; and as far as such per-
sons can be favored by it, it is good and just.
But these comprise a small minority among
all those whose estates have been, during the
last three years, and will be, during the three
ensuing years, exposed to public sale.
No law could have been devised offering
greater advantages to men of active mind and
with a ready capital Of $4,000, $4,000, or
$4,000 than this. A person with five thou
sand dollars in cash. by taking his horse and
riding through the different parishes, inform
ing himself when such and such property
would be sold. buying it in at these secret
auctions and selling off again at public auc-
ton, might retire, before the meeting of the
legislature next winter, with an independent
fortune and did not the bill bear on lis face
a spirit of deep and rambling hostility to the
Country Press, we could not refrain from the
belief that such had been the design Of its au-
thors.
But we canno, give them credit for even
this quantum of d~lscernment. In their blind
hostility to some editor who scorned to be the
plant tool of persons in whose composition
the demagogue and fool made equal parts,
they have inflicted a dreadful injury on their
constituents--an injury which will send down
many a hoary head. and toil-worn body, in
poverty and want to the tomb.
Another odious feature of this bill, 10 that
it fixes a price on mechanical labor, regard
less of all depending circumstances 1t is an
axiom, we believe, in political economy, that
in all branches OF mechanics, science. trade,
and in all the professions, the best regulator
of prices, aud the only just one, is competi-
ton. We find no fault with the price fixed
by the legislature for advertising, as far as
our affairs are concerned, (and we should
do wrong TO do it, for it was our timely ad-
vice that raised the standard even to one
cent a word), as it pays Us better than we
were paid before but we condemn the priu-
ciple of putting every mans labor on a par,
regardless of its value, An advertisement
in the Ptcayune or 1'ropic is certainly worth
double the sum 10 the advertiser ~(unless in a
special instance,) that it would be in the
obscure papers not circulated out of the city
and very little in it; and who will pretend
tina, the services of al shoemakers, plasterers,
painters, eunsmiths, doctors, lawyers &c. &c.
are equally valuabie t--who will say that
the price of every mans cotton aud sugar.
and corn and bagging should be theSsame !!
And yet the principle established here BY the
Legislature would make them SO; would put
the same price on all goods of the same ma
tare. on all work of the same kind, and on
a.. services, totally regardless OF their quality,
in the same profession.
The injustice Of this law is too evident TO
merit omment and We therefore desist from
exposing its further abs'rdities at present.,
urging an our brother editors at the same
time, the necessity of meeting in SONVEN-
TON and adopting such measures as will
teach cur Legislators that the Press is quite
as competent. as they, of regulating i,s w
business.
R~EmovAL.-The N. o. papers give us the
first information of the removal of John Gibson