The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-01-19
THE SUNDAY LAW.

chant of our Town, who violated il
on Sabbath before last, and was due
ly fined therefor by the Mayor. His
case seems to have been made up as
a test one, and according to that fix.
ed programme he has taken sus'
pensive appeal to the Supreme Court
urging the unconstitutionality Of the
Town Ordinance. We purposely
omitted reference to it in our last
wishing to let it rest where it had
gone to, but as matter Of justice tc
our community, and to ourselves, We
are forced to drop our say in the i'm,
portant matter, and the true situa,
ton unfold, and then submit to the
arbitrament of the law.
This new move, on the Constitu.
tional doubts Of the Sunday Law Or
dinance, was commenced at the last
regular session of the Town Council.
men, through the medium Of petit.
ton from the proprietors Of two COT
fee Houses and three Stores, having
Bar Rooms in their back rooms, ask,
ing the Council to allow them the
privilege Of keeping open their es.
adjustments by means Of back doors
and side alleys, or in plain words to
give them leave to violate the Sun.
day law. One of the main reasons
for this asking was based on the fact
as stated in the petition, that there
are no means of recreation and
amusement on the Sabbath in Alex
andria, after 9 o'clock A. NJ, for the
young men of the Town. These are
nearly the exact words as we remem-
Der them read by the Secretary Of
the Council, and we most respectful.
ly beg the humble privilege here OF
dissenting from the Petitioners as
regards using tho yonng men of the
Town in this connection, for we are
forced to believe that certainly a
large majority of them have no wish
Or desire to accept as Sunday relief
such recreation or amusement as the
Petitioners invite them to; and we
can but be grieved at the sad mistake
the Petitioners have made in thus
opposing the master Of us all, decent
public opinion. The petition to the
Council was argued in favor of and
against, duely considered and res
pectfully refused by the Councilmen.
And here we supposed the matter
would have rested and that the Peti-
TONERS would have acquiesced in the
enforcement Of a law, which four,
fifths of this community approve,
heartily endorse and are determined
must be enforced. But it is other
wise and the Councilmen have to law
it out but in the meantime are de-
termined to enforce it vigorously in
every new instance till high legal an
thority decides against them.
->-o---~.-.e~~~~~~-.---~
The RAILRoAD.-Maj. S. L. James,
the Contractor on the New Orleans
Pacific Railway, was here on Monday
on swift business trip and returned
the same day to his works. They
have been moving things with per-
feet rush the last six or seven beau
tiful days, and have made rapid pro-
gress in putting through the Rapides
portion Of their grading. The Cotile
has been crossed and already one
gang have commenced grading in
Natchitoches Parish. The high lands
and free and easy soil of Cane River
will soon be reached and then the la
Dor will progress faster and faster
as they approach the Cote Joyeuse
settlement, and before the adjourn
ment Of our Legislature, welfare GER
tain to report over 80 miles Of the
Road ready for the iron rails.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
We were in error last week in
mentioning the name of j. E. Aus
tin, as one of the Delegates for the
State at Large, to the National Dem
ocratic Convention. He was not a
candidate for the position, and it
should have been recorded by us that
the Hon. E. E. Kidd, of Jackson, was
the gentleman elected. We were led
into this error by copying it from