The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1881-06-04

, Baton Rouge, on appeal, the Suprenlr
Court decided the Sunday Law wa
unconstitutional: that is, the State Law
of 1878, empowering police juries TT
make sneh regulations as they mar
deem proper to prohibit OF regulate
the sale, barter or exchange, Of intox
icating liquors or merchandise on Sun.
days" The court held that the law
contains objects not expressed IN Its
title, to-wit: provision for the future
creation, by police juries, Of ncw and
varying penal offences, and a provision
for the punishment Of such offences
in the name and By the authority of
the State, through the agency Of in
dictments and inforfnations. The
court also held that the General Assem-
bly, could not thus delegate its legis-
lative powers to police jnries, bnt said
We do not wish 10 be understood as
saying that the State legislature is
powericss 10 enact general State
Sunday law
The last supreme bench under The
constitution of 1865, in a case on ap-
peal from the same parish, decided
that the ordinances Of police juries in
accordance Herewith, were mere police
regulations, strictly within the limits
of the powers of police juries, and
that the Law was constitutional, not
outstanding the seven different ebjec-
lions TO it made in tina case.
1t is useless to argne question
finally decided by the court Of last (.
resort, and we have previously said, /
and say again, that all citizens should
respect the courts, and particularly the
highest court in the State, charged as
it is with the final decision and inter
probation Of nearly all cases and legis-
lation coming before it for review.
So far, however, from preventing
the enactment and enforcement of
legislation for the maintenance of
good order and morals on Sunday, the
decision referred 10 will accelerate the
period when the Lord day viii indeed
be rest day ia Louisiana The prac-
ticai operation, in many parishes, Of
ordinances prohibiting the sale of in
toxieatiDg liquors on Sunday, and ]
the sale Of merchandise on !
That day, has been so salutary and !
beneficial, that large majority Of the |
people Of those parishes are determined !
hat the horrors of drunkenness, and |
-ioting and debanchery, from which |
hey have had one respite, shall not be i
again and permanently saddled upon !
hem; and this determination will J
.pread among the people until, and j
'ery soon, Legislation will be enacted, 1
lot open to constitutional objections, !
which will more etfectually secure a /
lecent respect for Sunday than any /
egislation hitherto attempted. To /
Use homely phrase, ''there are more L
ways TO kill dog than by choking \
im to death with butter" and the \
rlends Of peace, and quiet, and rest, n
nd good social order, on Sunday, will ?
ee to it that these most desirable and 5 5
eeessary ends are speedily accom- 2
lished. !
In the meantime, if the vendors of :
intoxicating liquors arc sensible enough s
consult their own pecuniary profit, S
nd they generally arc, they WILDE more &
areful to avoid the sale Of such liquors I
n Sunday than they were before the de- v
ision referred 10 was rendered. Indeed !,
&c hear, and we are gratifed to learn v
!, that the saloon keepers in Lake
'harles baye agreed 10 adopt this ,
curse, since they have been informed B
f tie late Supreme Court decision. Z
y rigidly and in good faith making Z
nd observing this agreement, through &
ut the State, they will retard very i
lnch, if they do not finally prevent, I
absolute prohibition of the liquor l.
'sfiic. We shall see what we shall /
se, and we can afford to wait. l