Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1877-02-24
TO THE A
AND TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES.

The undersigned, appointed by the
Democratic Conservative Committee OF
the parisi, Of st. James, as q Commit
tee Oh "Pubiic Affairs" with the spe-
cial duty to investigate, and examine
into the administration Of the Police
jury, and especially into the finances
of said Parrish, beg leave to call your
serious attention to the following state
ment OF facts:
A great many merchants, and other
persons subject to TIE payment OF Ii
cense-TaXcs, becoming naturally alarm
ed at the enormous licenses raised by
the Police Jury on different trades and
occupations. and at the very threaten
ing call for the payment Of the same by
the ax-Coi|ector, have been very nn-
easy CT late, and have eagerly sought
advice as to the safest course to pursue
in the premises.
A slight examination into the pro-
ceedin.s of the Police Jury would sat
:sfy even Il casua! observer, that zone
Of the acts passed, or ordinances adopt
ed by that body since its organization
IN December last, have any binding eft
Get, o. any force in law; and for the
following reasons:
According to Act No. 81 of the Leg
%islature OF Lonisia- April -
1876, which, accor!inSho its tenor, took
effect on January LIST. 1877, the mauller
of promulgating the ordinances o: the
Police Jnr!es in this State, is laid down
i'll the following uneqnivocal' and en-
pl.atic languages:
"SEC. 4.-De it further enacted &c;
That Police .Juries and municipal cor
poratinns in all parishes, other than
that of Orleans, shall not hereafter or
der public printing of any kind unless
the sane is done under contract and
adjudication to the lowest bidder, after
due public notice given, and the prices
therefor shall not in any, case exceed
the price hereinbefore fixed for judicial
advertisements where applicable.
Now the Approximate Tableau of Ex-
penses for the year 1877, the Parish
Tax for the same year, as well as tho
License-Taxes on trades and occlpa-
tons were made and levied at the Pc.
lice-Jury meeting of the Goth OF Janua-
~ last, and it was only at that meeting
that the Police Jury thought of COM
plying with that positive prohibitory
law, by adopting a resolution calling
for proposals for the contract Of public
printing in this Parish; and at their
meeting of the 3rd of February last, the
contract required by law had not yet
been entered into by the Police Jury
with either Of the newspapers now pub
lis!ed in this Parish. It is therefore
safe to conclude that all the ordinan-
ces and acts, adopted and passed by
the Police Jury since the LIST. of Janu-
airy last, have not been promulgated in
the manner laid down and provided by
the law above quoted.
Article 4 of the Civil Code of Loui-
siana provides as follows: GAS laws
cannot l4e obligatory without being
known, they mast be promulgated"
: Article IL of the same Code contains
tho following language: "Whatever is
done iii con%trayention ola prohibitory
law is cold although the nullity be not
formally directed"
These unquestionable authorities
therefore leave no doubt that the pro-
ceedings and ordinances Of the Police
Jury IN their above attempt to impose
licenses, and levy a parish tax for the
year 1877, arc absolute utilities, a
have no binding effect on any one; and
all good citizens are not only j%ustlfable,
but in duty bound, to resist the same
under the law, until the Police Jury
complies with the law in the premises.
This view of the position, will spare
US the necessity of calling your atten-
ton to other atrocities perpetrated by
the Police Jury and BY some Of the Off
GERS acting under thei authority.
F.. /. PoCHE, ]. R. WINCHESTER.
J. GENTlL, JULES DoRNIER.
Parish of st. James, Feb. Goth. 1877.