, 1872-10-27
he Explains Ills Intentions Regarding tho
Enforcement Of The Sunday Law.
The Best Way to Repeal an Obnox-
:ous Law is to Enforce Il,
distractions from Mr.. .Bonney Re-
spectfullX Declined.

" A edoAS, ana was headed by Colonel
hnooelsdor and Mr.. r. Lachner,
THE GERMAN coMan11EE.
Ihe Mayor received the Committee graciously
End, having had the resolutions presented t.
y, h1m, read them carefully. Having pe1rscd tlf
monuments, the Mayor said ho perceived wEa1
WIS the object Of their visit. They had one i'd
d, vantage over him, however, in that they did mol
come IN an official capacity, while he WAS present
In none other.
Colonel Knobelsdorf said he YVES aware tia,
tae Mayor WIS in favor Of carrying out existing
avs, SO far as his opinions could guide him,
with reference to the Sunday laws how.
ever, they were Of the opinion that
eney were dead letter, and that
~ WAS the Mayors duty, before enforcing them,
co OBTAIN the opinion Of the Common Council,
ana learn from them whether it WIS the wish Of
the people that they should be enforced,
,x Inc Mayor said 1t would not be right for the
Msyor TO dictate what WAS proper or not; this
rested With the people. He had no legislative or
" 5ou.clA power beyond the veto power. His
ontles We're purely executive. Only one alterna
1--WE Was open to him: either to enforce the law
1arly, considerably and jud;cioua1y, or resign
MS office. There was no third course.
Mr. Lachner said that the ordinance had heen
on the etatute-book (sic) for many veara and
has not been enforced. It nav be presumed That
II was $ not enforced because the people discoy
s ared 1t was not proper law to be in tLis book.
- ~ people were nov divided on the question as
~ nnstnet 1t was or not; how far they we're
divided neither he nor the Mayor con|d te1l
ihe Committee present represented a. ennr.
cious number of people; the Temperance Com
1nattee who waited On the Mayor represented
9nly themselves. The meeting which appointed
1asH naa elSen them instructions to prefer no
fE1av n.,3,,
take what steps they thought necessary for the
prevention Of crime. Having ideas Of their own
- tak me saloons we're among the causes Of crime,
My 1ney urged the Mayor to close them on Sunday.
books; had not been enforced by tha Mavora
predecessors, and, before it was enforced. Il vas
proper that an opportunity should be given them
20 ascertain the popular feeling on the subject.
believe? ~"'eA'A
Mr. Lachner-Yes, cir.
1ne Mayor-You are not talking to me as
lawyer Ihe meeting to which you allude in
astea upon the enforcement Of the ordinance
aea1nst the Flolatora Of the law. The Commit |
zee appointed at that meeting called upon me, |
the Committee Of Fifteen, in contradistinction !
% me Committee Of Twenty-Five, Mr.. Greene
e9! oaams Committee. In the second place, this
ordinance has been enforced more or less ever |
slnce Its passage. I speak from experience hay |
ang been in the city for twenty years, and, as a
Journalist, having known what was going |
Gn N the city: Mayor Wentworth enforced
Heverity and sometimes 1T;th 1av;tT 49,
e under Mayor Haines,- Eayor Rumsey Mayor
SHERMAN, Mayor Rice, and my immediate pre-
decsssor, Mayor Mason No Mayor Of the City
Of Chicago, since this ordinance was passed. has
taken the ground that it Was dead letter. They
have only differed in their method of enforce
ment, and in that they have been governed bv
pubic opinion; Sometimes the people would be
up So It is not strictly trne that 1ha 1a1n n,an ~
been dead letter. It has been irraon1sr1v I a49 a
spasmo odically euforced At ons tinns 1ri+t5 an
ths past seventeen years. hope and dns bsepe aes
you are all lovers of law. If vnn hoTa anT sta+
utes or ordinances on yonr books that s a2a e1ns-
popular Or odious to nny class either ereet ~
sa7 es segsrf Gf f is q
that there is one Course ia nnrsna e''pTpni r. y
for the authorities to enforce tbam aud for +ha
people to repeal them. When thav ara tired 1f of
them they have the power to repeal them. n q and nd
with the Mayor. When YOU voted for me Last
fall, You all voted to enforce ali fha laws IF
had been called upon to enforce some Of the
laws in the interest Of one party. and leave
others not enforced, I could not have accented
such divided duty, I took the Same oath fhat
my predecessors have taken. Ag eoon a. fhis
matter had been urged upon me bv the citizens
and BY the public press It would be impossible
for ne to ignore the presence Of this ordnance
The surest ,Yay to REPEAL an odions ordinance ia
TO enforce it. I have attempted to enforce th;s
ordinance by new method. so as tn avoid co1-
|iaions, riots, or bloodshed. or ~ call
!nr upon physical forca-fo anfo,ca - |
5y the Courts. aid relegate It to Won 1eeai een.
le.uen. I could enforcs r. otheruiaa ,,a9d1v9 and
severely, did deem it best to do 20. 1ha7e
o1enty Of discretional power. But have chosen
he course have as The most effactiya~ When
men are in q cool state Of mind law is ten times
uore readily obeyed than bv an apneai to their E
passions, In place of giving orders to drag
to the station-houses, I have d,
:ected the police to report violations at head :
quarters, and cause them to be summoned by a
This gives them every legal right , ,
hey may need. They may have 3 change Of :,
7enue if they think the magistrate is preiudiced
against them, or trial BY jury, ii they prefer
hat. They can appeal to the Circuit or | 8
Superior Court, and from either Of those
o the Supreme Court. That is :
he course / am pursuing. These men have !
,iven bonds in $500, and contracted With the {
ordinance. There is no reason for arresting ,
hese men; they are citizens of Chicago, prop J
rty- owners. Now, to-day, we have had hun !
[red trials. I do not know the result of them. )
here has been no bloodshed no excitement | r