St. Landry democrat., 1880-04-17
ICOnjn,inlcattu.1
OPELOIStS. ADril 10Th IS

We have now almost a "bran new
Board of Police for our town. 1t viii
no doubt soon meet and organize After
organizing, we hope it will proceed tc
appoint, an active, efficient, energetic
town constable; and that not only on
the day of his appointment, but as Otter,
thereafter as necessary, he will be
warned that his: tenure of office de-
pends upon his doing his duty, in carry
ing out the orders and ordinances of
the board; and that whenever lie fails
to do so, he will be removed instanter,
and another appointed in his stead.
This power of removal by the board is
unhoubted, and has been exercised bv
previous Boards of Police. We have
as good ordinances on our municipal
statute book, as any town in the State,
and we expect our new hoard to execute
them to the letter. But above all things,
we hope it will see that the Sunday law
is enforced Of late We have heard of
/ frequent and open violations of it, Let
the board see this is stopped at once.
1t can be done in this way, to-wit: by
making it an offence against the cor
poration, punishable by fine. Let the
constable be ordered to close all places
of business found open in controventiop
Of law, on Sunday; make it his duty to
arrest the proprieturs ana bring them
before the Mayor to be fined, and then
require him in addition to go before a
committing magistrate, make affidavit
and bind them over for trial before the
District Court. The idea seems to be
general, that the initiatory steps against
this class of law breakers, have to be
taken before the grand jury. This is
a mistaken idea. Seven eighths of the
cases before grand juries, are brought
there by preliminary complaints made
before committing magistrates and vio-
lators OF the Sunday law, constitute no
exception. 1t may be said the Board of
Police has no power to proceed in this
matter, the Police Jury having already
passed an ordinance. We say it has,
and has heretofore exercised such power
relative to otfenses, denounced by the
laws Of the State itself. In 1874 the
board passed ar ordinance relative to
carrying concealed weapons, an offence
denounced by the laws of the State. ItI
still stands on the ordinance book, and
its authority has never been doubted
or questioned. But suppose the power
of the board were doubtful; yet it !
should not hesitate to take the respon-
slblllty Of passing tile ordinance and
enforcing it to the letter. How would
a party go to work to resist it, Could |
he bring his complaint before a court |
of justice We answer no. lie would
have to come into court with clean !
hands and this he could not do. The
very statement of his case would cause
him to be turned out of court. He |
would have to allege he had been dam
aged or injured in carrying Oh his bust
ness, to-wit: tratticking or trading on
Sunday. On this day the ordinance of
the Police Jury passed under special
delegation of powers by the Legislature,
prohibits trading and trafficking. Iu
other words to obtain standing in
court he would have to allege on his
1Wn part a violation of the laws of his
or still worse for him, begin
5he statement Of his case by acknowl-
edging his own turpitude and causes of
action, resting on such basis, it is well
established will not be enforced in a
court of justice. Hence gentlemen of
he board, this is one of the nuisances
'ou can abate and abate i'll a hurry if
'ou have the moral courage and fear
essness to meetit. So far as the Sunday
aw is concerned its legality and con-
was affirmed only few
months ago, in the case of the State VS..
5oth, arising in Baton Rouge, under an
ordinance precisely similar to our own,
nd reported i'll 81 A 663.
In conclusion we say to you, gentle ,
nen, let us hear from you at your ,
arliest convenience on this subject of i,
he enforcement of the Sunday law in
,pel0usas.
A SUPPORTER OF PULFORD TICKET.
Y