The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-02-08
THE LOTTERY BILL.
The Majority and Minority Reports Of
the Senate Judiciary Commit.
nittee Thereon.
MAJORITY REPORT.
To the Honorable President and Memben
of the Senate

WSA\A
of the Senate:
The undersigned members Of your
Committee on the Judiciary, to which
was referred House bill No. lO3, en-
titled IAN act to repeal act No. q of
the Legislature of 1865" etc., com.
monty known as the act repeating the
Louisiana Lottery Company's charter,
beg leave to report the same favor
ably, with the following amendment
IN section 6, line 2:
Strike out the words, "its passage"
and insert 10 lieu thereof the word,
1.-THE thirty. first day of March, 1872"
They have considered the propriety
Of the object had 10 view By the NOV.
ers Of the bill, and believe it to be o
proper ono.
In their opinion the present Lottery
institution is q standing reproach to
the State, and 10 its effects upon 10.
ciety, can only be compared to q
malignant cancer which is eating out
tho very vitals of the morals Of the
people. They have examined the
law Of the case, aud believe that a
manifest right exists in the Legisla.
ture 10 repeal, at any time, the grant
Of any franchise, whether in the form
of contract or otherwise, when tho
same is contra boMos mores. That
such a statute confers no vested rights
which cannot be Invested by legisla.
tive act they think pain by very ele-
mental principle of law, and that oil
contracts against good morals, if not
absolutely void, are at least voidable.
Perhaps tho principle has never
been applied moro frequently and
plainly than to gaming contracts,
among which stand large number of
decisions of the Supreme Courts Of
tho various States upon tho subject
Of repeal of Lottery statutes.
In 8 Miss. Cos, Freligh W. the State,
the court decided ''Where the Leg.
islature authorizes q private individ.
ual or . corporation to raise . sun of
money by lottery, to effect an object
Of public concern, % . railroad, q
bridge, or . canal, the statute by
which the authority 10 created may be
at any time repealed, without viola.
ting any constitutionsl provision"
Tho same principle, In regard to
tho. repeal Of . lottery franchise
granted to increase the revenues for
school purposes was maintained 10
tho case Of Mica Society Of Arts 70.
Musgrove, "A Miss. $50, and in 8 Miss.
6N F; 46 Mics. l47 Net. Board of Ex.
cise 70. Barre, "a n. Y. 663, and GOV.
eral cases in tho Virgins Reports.
Az late - 1870 tho Supreme Court
Of tho United States, in'4 Otto $50,
Boyd 70. Alabama, speaking Of The
repeal ola stat9te, entitled "Au act
to establish . Mutual Aid Association,
and to raise funds for the common
school system Of Alabama" said Mr..
Justice Field, delivering the opinion
of the court, which was unanimous /:
1--WE are not prepared to admit
that it is competent for one Legisla.
ture to restrain tho power Of : sub.
sequent Legislature TO- legislats for
tho public welfare, and to that. end %
suppress any and OIL practices tend
ing to corrupt tho public morals"
Tho Louisiana Lottery Company
having paid into tho treasury their
frat quartery payment, tho under
aigped thirk il proper to recommend
tho amendment before mentioned,
aud With THE amendment, fot the
reasons herein cot forth, recommend
lite passaQ0.. ,n, .-....,. .--..--..