The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-08-25
obedience to fise Law.
New Orleans Times. i

~. Among the evils brought about III the
South by tAefee0nstructiOn measures of
THE Republican party, those which have
lstileIr origin IN the contempt in which
many people hold the law, are not the
/ least. Convinced ,,hat, in the majority
1 0f eases. the laws which were enacted
! by the legislatures were conceived in
/ fraud and promulgated for rascalIy pur-
| poses, they have grown to hold all laws
/ as only worthy of obedience when en-
| forced by unresistable power; and that
dlsobedience of them carries with it no
| disgrace, unless there should be an acci-
dental conviction and punishment.
Public opinion during the rule of the
Radical party III this State favored this
| dlsObtdlent and c0ntemptuous feeling
regarding the enaCtmentS Of our law
making powers; and in many eases
whole communities united in sustaining
and screening pt yties engaged in setting
them at defiance. Every snbterfure
known or which could be conceived hy
GINNING attorneys by which they could
be defeated, was considered legitimate; :;
and our courts were burthened by the
trials of rules and motions having this
in view, hitherto almost unknown in our
Jurisprudence.
We will not say that considering the
circumstances, this conduct was unius-
tltiable and that people seeing them
selves robbed and WrOnged i'll a thou
sand ways, were not to be excused for
tndeayorlng by every possible means to
defeat the Wr0ngdOers. But now, when
Snch a state of things no longer exists,
and when the people of the State can
no longer complain Of being ruled by ad-
venturers and carpet baggers, and when
the law making power Is again in the
hands OF their own representatives,
these excuses are no longer valid aud
obedience to the law should he consid-
cred, as it was formerly, the highest and
most sacred duty of the citizen.
Neither individuals nor combinations
OF individuals should be permitted to
bid defiance to the laws. The statutes
which exist should be Oheyed as matter
of honor by all classes; and he who
seeks to destroy their force, no matter
how high his station, should be held to
il strict account. For their can he no
safety for life and property 10 hope for
progress; no healthy growth in ii com
munlty where any other feeling exists.
A republic whose laws are dead letters
on the statute books is too cOntempti-f
bic to be allowed to exist in this en-
lightened age, and its people can by 10
system Of argument and sOphstry con
ceal their hypocrisy.
We will ask the people of this State
and city are the laws now Obeyed with
the Willingness and the aacrity which
it should be their pride to see. Does
every individual and class show that
respect and cheerful obedience to the
solemn enactment of legislative author
ity which would show healthy condi-
ton of the public mind We fear not.
In the country we see combinations of
individuals who seek to protect their
propertJ by mons unknown to the con-
stitntion and laws. In this city, circum-
stances continually indicate that it is not
considered out of course to violate State
er city laws, provided punishment can
be avoided. A corporation evades its
legal responsibilities an individual ig-
nOres the city ordinance regarding fire
limits, and so on to the end of tie story,
safety and security perching, upon the
successful and influential law-breaker.
We solemnly warn the people that
there is danger in this course. That
disaster and disgrace will in the end fall
upon our commonwealth il healthier
feeling be not aroused. And we hope
the warning will be needed in time.