The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-09-12
Laws Contrary to Natural Equi-
ty met Esi:aaing.

Laws Contrary to Natural EQUi-
ty saot Biaaing.
W. take the following sensib!eSpara
graph from the. ". o Times. A Law
enacted By azeg@ body, when contrary
to- natural equity, is not binding; and
with still greater reason is a law of this
kind, enacted by an illegal body, not
binding Our entire White population,
except carpet-baggers and sealIawags,
regard the present State government Of
Louisiana, as illegal, aud OF course none
of the acts Of the same, which are in vi.
~olasio4 OF natural equity, are binding in
conscience, or in law. The State Print
ing Bill is no more binding than it it
had never been enacted, and any honest
court, with all ounce Uf brains, would
declare it so. A law that diyrsts a man
0: his vested righta without remuncr3-
ton, and comptls him to pay two prices
for work. without any Advantage or hen
eft to himself OF the public, but for the
avowed parpose of euliching his enc
mics and sIande:erS. and especially Of
impovrriILi1g and Dc grading himself. is
simply no law at al, but n ,"on, rous
Oh rage.
We c"ircenl III. Sc ;a.ts to a!y o. Our
parish oflici is vino become weak in 4l.r
knees and nuke Indecent haste TO tuck
lie to this so-called printing law, BY
sending advertisements to the so-c#llpd
official paper, against The expressed wish
es and orders IF the parties interested.
The parties have entire con;rul o. their
advertisements now as formerly, and if
they are wiling to risk the penalty Of
nudity, which is a mere humb,Eg, " to.
defraud them ard cannot be enforced,
no n else has any right to complain.
No whfte man would bring an action IF
nu'li;y simply because the advertisement
was not inserted in a niger paper, AID
so few carpet baggers, ~scalawags ct id
mn genus have any interest in real es-
tate excrp; 10 llunder the owners there
of, there is very little probability that
any such action would ever be- brought.
The oficious interference of officials in.
this matter may save them from the Eli
gihility Bill, though we think not, but it
will not protect them against popular
wrath at the next election. Ifit is not
polite nor proper that theyssl!ould take
side with their white constituents, let
them remain neutral-this is their duty
and all that is required Of them |
1t is a great mistake to suppose that
all laws enacted are necessarily to be
because they are laws. The
Christian 7 ligion was undoubtedly un-
=: t3!e. tim in Rome, yet it lived
its H'aftyrdom to finally tri.
umph. The study of astronomy was at
one time inhibited by law as a black
art. and even Calico was imprisoned for
announcing opinions Afterwards n~Diver-
sally acknowledged as correct. 1t was
a law that tea should pay taxes when it
was all tumbltd into the sea by an en-
populace. Even when the despot-
ism Of James [. swayed England, Lord
Coke decided that an act of Parliament,
contrary TO- natural equity, was not bind
ng. In these and many other instances
If opposition to law, revolution was nei-
her intended nor resulted. When any
avs are passed degrading a people, or
Interfering with their social integrity,
hey never wait for their repeal, but sim
ply disohey them. The folly aud crime,
t there be any, is in The attempt, not in
he result. 1t has been SO since history
commenced to be written, and the State
If Louisiana is not likely to prove OH ex-
to the ong-eStabli>hed rule. We
.oumend these facts to the consideration
i the Legislature. ~. s4,.-~ ..s...