Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-05-28
THE SUNDAY, Law ANNULLED.

Court TenOcTeu uncVneolo's''
void Act No. 81 Of 1873, which au-
thorizes Police Juries to prevent the
sale Of intoxicating liquors on Sun
DAYS, and delegates to them the pow
er to prosecute for any infractlon
thereof.
The decision was rendered on an
appeal from the District Court o.
this parish.
BY its decision, the Supreme Court
sustains the broad principle Of local
self.govemment and that Of religious
and individual freedom.
No matter what may be said to the
contrary, the religious desire to COM
mel the observance Ofthe Sabbath has
been the main prop Of the Sunday
Law.
In sustaining the Supreme Court In
the decisionit has rendered, we 20
not wish to be understood as favoring
disorder and Indecent scenes among
the good people who desire to follow
the dictates of their faith. We believe
that in viewaof the fact that On the
sabbath a great majority Of the peo-
ple of this country 90 to and from
their places Of worship, the local po-
lice authorities should punish, severe
", the individuals guilty of improper
conduct, and, ifneed be, withdraw the
license which some keepers OF estab-
lishments abuse, by permitting their
customers to misbehave and shock
y public decency.
Every right thinking man will sus-
tain the demand upon the local au-
f thorities for a very strict enforcement
on Sunday, Of the police regulations
= but when the demand goes SO far rs
0 to bring about the interference OF al
Q outside pc yer, such as that OF Police
!, Juries, over constituted authorities o
:. chartered towns and cities, then sucl
n q demand and such interference mus
j be considered as oppressive and VIC
9 latiye of the principles of local self
% government and individual, ifnot re
IS ligiOus freedom.
J. We will not say, either, that tn
operations of the Sunday Law al
not in some respects advantageou
to the general welfare. Itdoes thro'
L. lmpediments in the way Of drunkard
re and carousers, who find 1t mol
IN or less inconvenient to get in at I'll
N back door. But it has the dlsadvar
IN tage, too, preventing peaceable al
ei well-behaved citizens from enieyir
:. Sunday in what they consider an il
- pocent manner, for the reason tn
~ they do not annoy in any way tho
who prefer to keep it strictly hol
no In word it Furnishes the law-abi
he mo and weli-behayed many to che,
ne the boisterous few.
That is not free government.
ers We doubt not that if the penalty
ea death was dealt out to the man W
Nc gets drunk, or CANDLES, or to the W
"'' man who loses her virtue, vice wou
hide it's head so that it would scarce
nd ever be seen at the surface Of socie
BIZ Some will argue that the end to
ing achieved .justifes the means, and Il
md dragon headed vice should be fous
eir with every weapon, no matter h
tty deadly.
l Oh The practice of this idea in the
~ treme, is what is considered tyranl
Of Therefore, the governments of
day, have endeavored to regulate
les. control vice by Furnishing, reasonat
had those only, who are guilty of conn
sed ting excuses injurious to the pu'
Gals welfare.
heir Baton Rouge is city with a {
'een mopolitan population of nearly Ell
thousand. 1t is the Capital of
p0i State, and soon persons accustol
Nv to the freedom OF the Crescent {
,: and the creole parishes, will visit
law on Sunday. along with the more
des- servant people Of Northern and I
has trail Louisiana.
oats OF necessity, we must make on
with cosmopolitan city, r.. w o..
l1cve While doing so, however, our
our Council must see.to it that good o
oo]- is maintained. Hence it beho'