The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-01-10
COntumaci0us.
VIOLATION OF AND OPPOSITION TO
THE SUNDAY LAW.

Our city fathers in their wisdom,
and acting clearly within the die
tatcs of morality. good order and
the public interest, enacted a pro-
hibitory law against the buying and
selling of merchandise ETC., after Q
A. NJ. on Sunday, within the cor
porate limits.
The adoption of this ordinance
met with unqualified, and unani.
nous appreciation from all classes
of order loving, law abiding, peace
able citizens and was welcomed by
/ them as the dawn of an era of
quiet and peace on that day OF rest.
They know that with the stores
open on that day, the town would
be flied with idle worthless negroes
and that the groceries would tempt
them, and lOaiers of the town to
disturb the peaceful citizens; but
that with them closed, no induce
ment wOnld be offered and the day
pass quietly. The law was not made
in the interest Of the Christian por-
ton of our community alone, but
strictly for the preservation of good
order in our town on that day. Its
warmest supporter, and one who
stands most firmly 10y it now in the
Council, is an IsraelIte,a gentleman
to whom the welfare of our town,
and people has ever been an object
o. interest. He warmly Supported
it, and still warmly defends it, as
he like all other good, moral and
order loving citizens SAW then, and
sees now plainly the train of evils
1T was intended to avert. We have
all telt its good influence. 1t has
worked beautifully, admirably. No
one in onr midst, could be found
SO fool hardy to brave public opin.
ion so tar as even to express oppo-
sltion to 1t, until the other day one
OF our largest merchants, cOnclud-
, Ell to defy the law and not only
openly did violate it, but when
! brought under it's criminal ban, has
taken steps ON appeal to test its
constitutionality, Drawing the law.
and at the same time his Own mas
ter, public opinion.
His action has opened upon him,
and very justly too, the bitterest
anathemas of every moral man in
our midst. His temerity will evei
be "a subject of regret to him here.
: after; for a man who thus seeks ia
, break down SO strong a bulwaik OF
public safety and public peace to
crafty and ,aggrandize his OWE
ayaIice should lie, and Will be re-
T fnfy in which he Iives. He VIII IL
most justly ontlawed by public
opinion and. public action. In such
: a case a man will find that his ayar
ice like Macbeth's "ambitiOn has
overleaped itself and fallen on the
other side"
Should this Sunday law be re.
pealed or ahrogated, a sluice OF
/. vandalism will he opened on our
: town, which will food us every
, Sunday with rowdyism and rio,ing,
drunkenness, debauchcry and rascal.
:ty will be rampant; our wives and
! children will he unable to walk the
: streets unattended, and he kept
: away from the house Of God. The
services in our churches will he
disturbed and the demon OF dis
cord will he let loose upon us, on
t that sacred day of rest.
e This Sunday law was also enact
2 ed in the interests OF our clerk.
/. end employees of the merchants
One day in seven is needed az q
; TEST day, and the employees in our
business houses, need some such
law to protect them, in these hard
, times, from the grasping avarice Of
! some employers who would over
, work them. an
All good citizens hailed the'Ia
with delight, and still continue to
. honor it, by observing it. Public
proprlety, public morality and
: chris,ianized sentimcntvre all with
the Town Council in this struggle
. against vandalism. Common de
e crncy even gives them a. hearty
support, and we warn the opposi
ton that Il combination of decency
propriety, morality and chIistiani
ty, will be formed against them
and so mould and direct public
] opinion that even if they are victo
4 =.