The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1854-07-27

who holds that opinion, give me one
single principal Of law, or one single
dictate of sound reason to support it.
! have heard none as yet.
You seem to take rather a strange
view Of the question.
One would judge from your remarks
that the Board OF Selectmen were de-
terlnined to force down the throats Of
the people nolens voIcus, an arbitrary
and unconstitutional enactment.
Allow me me to say sir, that this is
no affair of the Board of Selectmen.
1t is no business Of theirs to override
the law OF the land, and pronounce
it unconstitutional. On the contrary,
they are entirely subservant to the
Legislature and bound to carry out
its acts.
Now as to the duties imposed upon
them bv the present act.
by the way, my dear sir, have You
ever read that act attcntively, or do
you merely, as is the case of Of most
persons, take it entirely on hearsay.
Let US look at it. have not room
to quote it all, but to prevent the i'm
putation Of garbIing, will refer to it
it. See Acts Of 1s54-p. 154)
BE 10 enacted &c.---I'hat from
ana after the passage Of this act,
the Police Juries Of the several parish
es, and the Municipal autboritis Of
the several cities, towns, &c. &C..
Shall have the e.uclusirc po,cey to
make such laws and regulations for
the sale, or prohibition of the sale Of
intoxicating liquors, as they may deem
advisable, and to grant Or withhold
license from drinking houses and
shops within the limits, &c. &c. As
majority Of the legal voters &c, &c,
may determine by ballot, and the
said ballot shall be taken annually.
Now sir, pray let me ask what is a
determination Of question! Does a
tie vote determine anything! Does it
elect man 10 Office or does it express
the views Of the people? Yet you say
that the question is settled. Pray how
is it settled! For license Or against
itl 1t cant he for license, for because
all previous laws on that subject are
repealed, and this law, says that after
ITS passage, the licenses granted must
be granted with the assent Of u ma-
1oyity Of the voters Of The acard.-
There is no majority. How then can
license be granted.
We'll, does the vote settle the ques-
ton against license! presume you
and any one else would say no.
The fact of the matter is, il settles
at all, and, as IN election. is a
mere nullity.
Section Alb Of The act above quoted
says that the Corporations las soon as
may be" shall cause The ACT to be car
Iied into effect. The same Injunction
is still left upon The Board as before to
have it decided. The retailers Of IL
quors have right TO require it, for
licenses cannot be granted without an
affirmative vote Of the people. They
are more interested in the matter than
any body else. The Board must car
iy out the law. A lie vote is nothing.
Blu; il is said that tie law provides for
only one election annually.
Docs not the Constitution say that
man connot be tried twice for The same
offence! But suppose The Jury does
not agree. What then! Why The
man is tried over again, simply be-
cause the first trial WAS M lri0k at all
and decided nothing.
In conclusion-I have all due res
pect for your opinion, and that of all
those who differ with me, but | do not
like TO see (what is so fashionabIe) the
Board Of Selectmen censured, for al
10 The hes, OF their ability 10
carry out the plain duties imposed up
On them by law.
This article is very hastily written,
and does not enter fully into The merits
Of iihe question, but | hope You will
receive it as The expression of only one,
but very thorough opinion from the
SECOND WARD,