Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-04-10
Last Kick OF the Old Board.

- Vv.tashS ~ Icf ptttuhe tiieH trbi'
: aativs talent, among other ueyy scise thing
daopied The following:
BE % Oydained, DC, That each IN
9 every proprietor or keeper OF d coHee
il house. lar room. grog shop. billiard table
] ten pin alley or kilIo table. shall be re-
qttired to close their establishments Mt |
o'clock. r. M, aud keep them closed dur
. Ing the balance Of the night. and shallfno
{ be allowed to open tlleln OIL Sunday, an
der 9 penalty Of not less than fifty dollar
for every. violation, OF this Ordinance, re
coverable before the Mayor.
: BE 1t ordained, DC, Tint from all,
after the promulgaiiol Of this Ordinance
all dry goods, groceries aud provision
stores be closed on Sunday; uiider til,
penalty Of fifty dollars for each violation
Of this Ordinance, recoverable before thu
Mayor.
We yield to none In our respect for The
Sabbath, or iu Our desire for the success,
OF the , ause Of temperance. We would
that the first was universally observed,
aud that the latter may be universally sue.
c%essfil, but we do think such, ordi
ranoes as the above have a contrary ten.
dency TIE American people nre peculiar
~ their notions, they have a way Of judg.
ing for themselves, aud though they may
be eoaxed. they will not be driven into
anything Religious tolerance lie a car
dinal principle with UP, and a very re-
specialize portion Of our community regard
Saturdays as tue "sakbatl, Of tie Lord
God. IN Which we are to do no work."
aud that day Is religionsly observed by
them. They certainly have as much right
to demand that their day Of rest should be
observed, as we have to say that ours
must; they have the same right to call
upon lis TO close our stores, ETC., on Satur.
day, AZ we have 10 tell them that they
shall close theirs on our day of rest. Be.
sides tile injustice Of this ordinance, we
hnfnbly believe that it il illegal. tia, IL Is
u law impairiig the obligation Of con.
tracts. aud that 1t Is dsvcstiHg the citizen
IF rested rights.
Tile merchant pays for bis license to
sell bis goods. wares, merchandise and
liquors, not on any particular day, but
upon any day. He has d license to do 30,
he has paid for that license, and If the
council deprives him Of that right, they
violate article 100 Of our State
Constitution, which il In the following
words !: :" No TX post fncto Law shall be
nor any iaw impairing tie o6ti-
Of contracts shall be passed. nor
vestea rights be directed, unless for pur.
poses Of public utility aud for adequate
compensation previously made"
Now, we contend that under their II.
ceuse The merchant has acquired rights,
bat these rights are acquired under a con.
tract with thu board Of eelectmen, and
hat the present ordinance clearly impairs
he obligation Of that coutrac, aud divests
he merchant OF bis vested right. Ergo
believe the ordinance illegal, but,
waving all objections to the law, what
good is 10 result from II? The
frog shop keeper may close his front
loors at II o'clock, r. NJ, he may keep
hem closed, but does any one pretend.
hat when closed lie may not open bis
,ack door for egress and ingress, and that
le may admit or refnse TO admit whom he
II he has has the right to do
his, what is to prevent him from evading
ng the law? He may admit whom he :
aud, under the ordinance itself. :
1ay close his doors upon all whom he :
lay suspect of being sWfovmeys. What
70 ask is the use of laws which are to
e a dead letter. We think they are not :.
My improper, but clearly unjust, as they :
ncourage a disrespect for the laws, by :
Iacing bef,re the eye Of the public a con- = =
ant violation and disregard for the their :
The honest and ~unsuspecting !,
e caught by them-tlie cunning are &C. .
The cause Of religion and tenn :,
france can never be advanced by legisla- :"
enactment /; Sabbath breaking and i'm !.
importance can only be put down by force 5
public opinion, aud all attempts at CO. !,
cion must IN this free country prove
The Board Of Selectinen some time tn
lce passed an ordinance, that Bowling 9
lleys should be closed at II o'ciodk, I.
!; what was the result !? "A total disre- de
I'd for the law, for il is TO our knowledge 81
Mt they are not closed at that hour it is &C
our knowledge that a funciionary in the !
ercise Of bis high prerogative, "sus- n
,sded the ordinance for one hour = aud Al
present witnessing the extraordinary OF
cd playing Of some and bad .oliing Of "
and such will inevitably be the e
Z OF This ordinance. Ii il would have be
] desired effect. if it could be accom- bu
without a violation Of the rights Of 90
,ers, if the law could be strictly enforced, -
should be glad, but we feel convinced e,
i it cannon, that it will not, and think. an
thus, we are opposed 10 il. This or no
ailce strongly reminds rs Of the days 81
blue haacs. when the cat was hung On