The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1874-03-14
B. T. FoRr,
r. w. TURNER.
TO he honorable lie Police jury of Boszie,

10 he Honorable Tie Police jury Of Boszie,'
Parish
AS a member of the committee to
parish, / will respectfully say that
Section PIT, ofthe II. r. S. confers
on Police Juries the power to fix fees,
to be paid by the parish, but the law
has remained a dead letter about
twenty years, and it may be a nice
point for the courts to determine
! whether or not that law has become
inert by disuse, or been superseded
/ by subsequent enactmel,ts, as the
| Legislature of the State has, since its
/ passage, enacted laws fixing fees of
clerks aud sheriffs, and reorganized
the Police Juries without comforting
such power Except by reIerence) and
/ am not disposed, while acting as
judge, to commit myself on any
question that may interfere with the
legal rights of litigants coming into
court. | will further say, that our
whole government is system OF cor
porationS. First, the United States
81, the State; Sd, Municipal or Parish;
and that deciding any question Of law
our official oaths bind us to first look
to the constitution and laws of the
United States, next to the constitu-
ton and laws of the State, and next
to corporate ordinances and regula-
tions. Consequently the acts of the
superior corporate authority must
prevail in all cases, and that the Pc
lice Jury is cuatim of the State Leg
islature, and derives it's whole au-
thority and proves, from acts of that
body, and that whenever the Legis-
lature of the State considers any sub
ject matter Of sufficient Importance to
enact law Oh the subject, that such
} act of the Legislature repeats all acts
and ordinances of Police Juries, or
] such subject matter, and at the same
time deprives them OF all control Of
) that subject until they may be again
SO authorized by legislative act, and
that my latest information is thai
our present Legislature has refused te
, enact a law giving such authority tt
Police Juries.
5 In conclusion, I will say that ]
: should be much pleased to see all fee:
9 and parish expenses fixed and consid
e cred on an economical and equitable
i standard, SO as to be equally just t,
;, officials and citizens, and make take;
i as light as possible, but that I canno
T attempt to regulate the existing evil
while having doubts Of my legal au
G thority to do SO, and hope that thu
: foregoing will be considered suffi
/ cient excuse for refusing to act in tn
d premises at present.
/ will further say, that if the law i
$. enforced according to its letter an.
, spirit, and Sheriffs, &C., paid tel
= cents per mile for the distance actu
= ally and necessarily travelled by then
in each case, as the law directs, an
70 cease to admit that they can travel
thousand miles a day, it will amour
J, to more in the way Of reform an
= economy than any plan / have hear
10 suggested, and at the same time hav
law and equity for the basis OF sue
10 action. Very respectfully,
% L. w. BAKER.
1oI
~ On motion, the foregoing reports wei
,e ing vote:
stI Ayes-T. H. Hutton, W. Burke, N. 4
+ Durdin.
- Noes-A. Hawkins.
~ The board now adjourned, to meet agai
~ tomorrow morning at ~ O'clock
"a tSigned) N. A. DURDIN
~ President z. )
~ T. H. HUTTON.
n N r