St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-06-19
OPEIOUSAS /:
Saturday june 10, 1855.
The Sunday Law.

A writer in the Capitolian-A dvocat
questions the constitutionality of
Sunday law, or rather of the bill TO
ture. This particular bill may be de
fective in form, and on that accoun
unconstitutional but we do not be
lieve the constitution prohibits, direct
Sunday law. AS to such law being
in conflict with the decisions of the
Supreme Court, it may be said that il
is not the province of that tribunal tC
legislate, but to give force and effect
to the laws enacted by the lesisa-
ture. The substitution of the will of
the judiciary department OF the gov
eminent, for that of the legislative
department, is nothing less than
usurpation.
The plea that such law is in dero-
cation of common right, as it forces Il
person to suspend OH particular day
his regular business which he is al
lowed to follow every other day, may
be urged against many other laws
that are enforced without question.
For instance, the revenue law in re-
gard to licenses: person has a natu
raj right to buy and sell, without
paying for II privilege to do so; but
he is liable to fine and imprisonment
unless he has obtained government
license, the price of which is arbitrari-
~ fixed by the legislature. The whole
catalogue of laws, State and Federal,
in regard to special taxation, is in
derogation OF common or natural
right. Even laws regulating marriage
are in derogation of natural right;
but in State of society. especially of
what we call civilized society, iudvi-
duals have to pool many of their
natural rights for the benefit of the
whole community.
The Sunday law question seems to
be misunderstood Because Sunday
is the day named in the proposed law
for the general suspension of business,
many think it pandering to Puri-
tanic sentiment, or legislative effort
to force them to respect particular
day in a religious sense-they imagine
they see in it an effort to unite the
powers OF church and State.
Now, while there is no union Of
church and State in this country, both
the Federal and State governments
have always recognized religion the
houses at Congress and the State
legislatures generally begin the days
work with prayer from some religious
judicial oaths are generally
taken on the Bible, or book contain
ing the principles of the atlantis re-
ligion; and many other instances
might be cited to the same effect.
In regard to Sunday, the govern
ments, State and Federal, do no {
work on that day even the enforce
ment of the laws, except certain pro-
cesses in urgent criminal matters, are {
None Of the departments
,f government work on Sunday, and
,he agricultural class, which is the {
most numerous, naturally refrain from
labor on that day The
main class that does not do so, in this
State at least, is the mercantile, includ-
ng all kinds of dealers, shopkeepers, {
tic.
Now man by natural reason has
Deen able to discover that he needs |
recreation as well as the rest his body :
,efs during sleep. The farmer who
works hard from Monday morning to i
saturday night, knows and feels that
lie requires an interval of rest. The
Jerk, book-keeper, and other employ A
es in stores, ETC., know and feel that
hey require an interval of rest or re- +
reation after about six days close n
Dnfnement.
No employer. even if he were so in
lined, would make an effort in this
tate to force agricultural laborers,
Rough they had no religious scruples W
hatever, to do field work on Sunday e
scause of the natural independence !,
that class of laborers. But clerks,
i'd other employees of that class, are W
ferently situated. If required, they y
I've to work on Sunday, or lose their p
'sitions. Most proprietcrs of stores sh
ID other kinds of business would
llingly close up on Sunday, for their
IN sake as well as that of their en- Dir
Dyees but the greed and jealousy &C. &C.