St. Landry democrat., 1881-06-25
The Sunday Law Decision.
Lake Charles Echo.


In recent case, going up from East
Baton Rouge, on appeal, the Supreme
Court decided the Sunday law was un-
constitutional that is, the State law
of 1878, empowering police jurles ito
make such regulations as they may
deem proper to prohibit or regulate the
sale, barter or exchange, of Intoxicating
liquors or merchandise on Sundays
objects not expressed in its title, wit
a provision for the future creation, by
police juries, of new and varying penal
offences, and provision for the punish:
ment of such offences in the name and
by the authority OF the State, through
the agency of indictments and informa-
ti0ns. The cOnrt also held that the
General Assembly could not thus dele
gate its legislative powers to police
juries, but said eve do not wish to be
understood as saying that the State leg.
islature is pOwerless to enact a general
State Sunday law
The last supreme bench under the
| constitution OF 1878, In Il case Oh appeal
from the same parish, decided that the
ordinances of police juries in accord
ance Herewith, were mere police regu-
lations, strictly within the limits of the
powers of police juries, and that the
law was constitutional, notwithstand-
ing the seven objections made to it in
that case.
1t is useless to argue question final
ly 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 Interpretation OF
nearly all cases and legislation coming
before it for review.
SO far, however, from preventing the
enactment and enforcement of legisla
| ton for the maintenance of good order
! ferred to will accelerate the perioC
when the Lords day will indeed be E
rest day in Louisiana. The practica
operation, in many parishes, of ordinan
ces prohibiting the sale of Intoxicating
liquors on Sunday, and regulating the
sale of merchandise on that day, has
| been so salutary and beneficial, that {
large majority of the people of those
parishes are determined that th.
horrors of drunkenness, and riOting an(
debauchery, from which they have hat
one respite, shall not be again and per
manently saddled upon them and thi
determination will spread among tn,
people until very soon, legislation viii
be enacted, not open to constitutions
objections, which will more ctfectually
secure decent respect for Sunda,
than any legislation hitherto attempt
ed. To use a hOmely phrase, "there ar
more ways to kill dog than by choking
him to death with BUTTER" and th'
friends of peace. and quiet, and rest, ant
good social order, on Sunday, will see tt
| It that these most desirable and neces
sary ends are speedily accomplished.
In the meantime, if the vendor
of Intoxicating liquors are sensible
enough to consult their own pecuniary
profit, and they generally are. they, viii
be more careful to avoid the sale o
such LIQUORS en Sunday than they wer
before the decision referred to was rem
dered. Indeed We hear, and we ar
gratified to learn it, that the salool
| keepers in Lake Charles have agreed Il
adopt this course, since they have beer
Informed of the late Supreme Court de
cision. By rigidly and in good faith max
ing and observing this agreemen
throughout the State, they Will retart
very much. if they do not finally preven
absolute prohibition of the liquor traf
fic. We shall see what we shall see
and we can afford to wait,