The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-09-18
That SUNDAY ORDINANCE.
A Little Light on the Subject.


onro.;,a ;ntsrests, known as the Rock Is.
land and Moline Union, and published
up in the garrett OF Mitchell d
Lynde's block, frequently gets It's eui'or INTO
a worse scrape than ,ha. Of the sailor who
must thread the perlous channel between
Scylla and Charybds. Between cold water
Moline, and lager beer Rock Island ne ire
quently gets himself in hot water, II not III
both hot water and lager beer, 10 such ol'
lemmss, he has recourse to very stale
stratagem. He gets some barnacIe to write
him communication.
The duty of the Mayor Of Rock Island Is
to enforce oil the ordinances be finds on the
statute books Of the city. II makes no
difference whether he wants to enforce them
or not. He is sworn to carry them out, and
if he does not he perures himself If the
ordinances required him TO order his own
brothers. execution for some crime, no
would have to order the execution or break
his oath. He has no discretion in the mat.
ter. If he has no regard for his oath, and
has no conscience, be can allow laws to be-
come dead letters. If he is OIL honest man
he must execute them Just as he finds
| them.
Among the ordinances which Mayor Blu
ford finds requiring his attention, is one
closing all saloons on Sunday. The Kim
thinks it sees political point, but is afraid
| to take hold Of the matter on its own re-
spousibiity, and so has recourse to its old
plan Of getting Ole Of the Court House barn
acles to write it Communication on the
subject. This morning "Fair Play whose
non, de pluple should have been Foul Play,
comes out and reproaches the Mayor fol
enforcing the Sunday ordinance. The objec
is merely to stir up little i'll feeling among
the saloon keepers, who would be squelchec
out entirely if the puritanical party of Hocl
Island believed itself capable of doing NJ
the job in good style,
Perhaps it might be entertaining to tn
Rim, and instructive to the saloon keeper
Of this city to know where this ordinanc
come from. An examination of the "geol
raphy' of this county through the files c
that sheet for the last two years would nc
develop the fact. The records of the cit
Council, and the memory Of some Of th
oldest inhabitants will, however. The Of
dinance prohibiting the saloons Of this cit
from being open on Sunday was drawn u
by +. 7. Wells, a consistent member of tn
great moral party, and at that time bus
ness partner OF Lord Hawley, present repul
licsn member of congress from this distric
1t was presented to the City Council undo
the republican Mayor Gregg's administr'
ton NOW only plain Doctor, but bopefr
still, and was also presented by the Repu'
lican Alderman Cornelius Lynde, Jr. O
the evening Of the 18th Of May, 1857, it We
passed by the City Council, or rather by Il
votes Of the republican Aldermen DR.. True
tale, David Halves, c Lynde, Jr., and II
eloquent and temperate Quincy McNea
now barnacle under the tender protectio
OF the Court House Ring. 1t was prompt
signed, with great gusto, by that leading T
publican of this city, DR.. Gregg, who vi
, at that time our Mayor. Our present I
publican cand idate for Delegate to the Co
: stitutional Convention, DR.. Truesdale, Il
only used his influence to secure its passap
but voted for it, and suprintended its pm
1 LEGATION.
There, our friends have the thing in
nutshell. If they don't like the ordiuanc
4 they must spend no time in cursing May
Buford for doing just what he solemnly swc
/. to do at his uguration-enforce the CT
" ordinances-but must make their peace wi
i Heaven, and prepare to send Dr.. Truesdi
to the Constitutional Convention, where
'. may vote in their interests for little me
4 of the same sort. AS the Rim said day
d two ago, at grieves us to see a man ma
such a ridiculous exhibition of his ign
:, ance," as its Duke of Bencac has Just do
: in the m after.