The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1859-10-14
THE LAWS THAT BE.


condemn them as being wrong. So
cieties or Governments, it is claimed
must exist for the prosperity Of the
people, and in order to create them,
there must be some rule, some law to
serve the purpose Of guide. As a
rule by which to tell what is night, 1t
is considered that the majority of any
community shall be taken as the law Of
the land This principle of the ma
joritr ruling has been conceded to be
right, from the fact that two heads
are wiser than one. In our Govern
ment this principles adopted in both
national and local authorities.
What the majority of State or
community decide to be right, when
expressed in a legal form, is taken to
be the bona fde law of the land, and
every good citizen is bound to obey it.
The law demands that it he obeyed, and
society deems it just. 1t is wrong that
a party ofmen should deem the law
too weak to meet out justice, and at
tempt to do it themselves by force :;
this furnishes no excuse for its violation,
nor should it be tolerated by the law
and its abiders. 1t has been declared
to be, right by the only rule what we
have for determining what is right,
and it must be obeyed. Yet we find
that the very men whom we look to as
the very ne plas ultra of law abiding
citizens, violating aud trampliug to the
dust, the laws of our fair State. BY
referance to the proceeding Of the vigi-
ance committees Of the lower parishes
of this State, We find leading bandiui
Of outlaws and cut-throats pleasingIy
termed a" Vigilance Commute" one,
Ex Lieutenant Governor MOUT ON, a
project paragon Of "a statesman, render
ing his personal aid to out lawry. A
perfect model of honesty as a law add
ling citizen is this excellent seltsacrIic-
ing patriot But all honest men viii
fail to countenauce shuch a course as
honorable, and it is just they should.
The american people are too much
experienced in governmental affairs to
be made believe, at this late day, that
it is an excuse for trampling upon law,
because that law, in their opinion, i,
too weak. When it's urged that the
laws tha. be are too week and Intent
the reply of young America is that
there is an easy and legal way ofmak
ing them strong enough to meet out
justice 10 all. We are the sovereigns
of the country, and il our laws are toe
weak for enforcement, We are response
Bile forts deficiency. Hence our OBJ
Elections 10 Vigilance Committees anG
to mob Jaw. If one set Of men hav,
a right TO constitute themselves as
tribunal TO pass upon the deeds 0
other men why not you have that right
If fifty pr hundred men form them
selves into a Vigilance Committee 70
the purpose Of trying men who hav
offended them, why not less body, Q
one mau, or every man havethe sam
right If you have the right to d
thus for:the punishment of one particu
lar offence, you have an indefeasabl
right to adopt the same rule as respect
any othsr offence.
Such a course of proceeding, it
plain to every one, abolishes all la,
and constitutes each man the sole jude
of every offence eommitted.i in a con
immunity. It furnishes him power |
punish any individual for supposed .
fence, with 10 other court to rend,
Judgment than his prejudices.
throws society back into its primiti,
state, and places man in the same pt
sitioD he occupied before the theory
government was adopted by mankin'
: This j. the inevitable tendency of i'll
gal organizations in community.
1t may be true that there is not
sufficient redress furnished BY the Grin
inal law for the punishment of offence