St. Landry democrat., 1890-10-25
The Force Bill.


extra session of Congress.
: The special object of it appears to
: to pass the election law designed to gi,
the Federal authorities control of I'll
election of CoEgressmen.
There is some pretext found for sue
internIeddllng. in the 4rh Section of til
1st AIT. Of the Constitution, which read
as follows: "The times, places an
manners of holding elections for Sena
tors and Representatives, shall be pre-
sc'Ibtd hy each state, by the legislator
thereof; but the Congress may at an,
time by la" make or alter sucl, regua
ti"ns, except as to the places of cIloosiII;
senator's"
S"ne of the writer's on CONSTITUTIONS
law seem not to have taken that view q
| this SECTION. which the leading Rrput.Il
! cans are now Insisting upon crystal,z,n.
| III The f"im Of an act. When SD uan,
Journals are discussing the question il
""uiu appear SnprrrrU2ation iu us Il,
attempt 1t. There is but one view Of j,
when We feel iu duty bound to present.
which is that, it goes very far to central
ize the powers ot the State in the. FEEDER
IA! Gnvernment. This authority TO cen
tra!lZe. once conceded, We cannot fo,
very lite see, where Congress can be-
compelled to halt. The states sI,ould
insist upon the conservation of their
original constitutional autonomy. We
tIa.r had constitutions interpreted. and
constructions construed. until the text
"t the organic law is lost sight nt in the.
f"S> OF varying Interpretations and con.
As in the State Cuurts
ju''>pi u,'ence has completely suprrc+d
Il the CONSTITUTIONS! metlotl of lrgislat-
Ins, and they have come to ask. rot
what the text is, ',ut what has the Couyt
teM' Has it said hat black il whit. ,
iiirn ii is no longer an open ouestiuu.
md the toctrine of stare 0ccisis must be |
respected, "liafever the ;extual law |
nay be. Prorided always that, it b+
Int sacranentai to an important Dart, |
purpose, to ignore old and consecrated
10y establishing new ones.
We are progressive, and 10 nothing
more SO. than in discovering new meth
DDS of ciscumvrntine long established
doctrines &" hen they stand iu the way of
party purpose. But shout time ago.
WAS confidently believed that, uu,ter
'e constitutional authority to "estab
sh p"st-ofiicrs and post roads" Con
resS might not Infringe the liberty of
ie Press, and prohibit the mails from
lr'ylng newspapers freighted with
alters sanctioned by state govern
ent. yet, we tiud that it has done so.
his power grows ont of the theory Il
at, although Cungress is constituted Z
1t OF the representatives of the sapa- +
lie states, it is body, Independent OF :
e states, invested with authority to /
ke from state right which it may
cord, OF not, as it peases. The State =
declares that it shall not, e
r any purpose whatever, levy a tax of u
ore than 6 mills on every dollar of -
iuatI"n, and in another article, it de- a
,res that Levee Commissioners shall g
t assess more than 10 mills for levee 7"
rposes. yet we find that, hy a system r;
Interpretation asserted to he peculia, ii
our necessities, much of the land il II
led double these two limits; the r.
urts hdlding that all beyond tie 6 r.,
lis per cent is not a tar. but n CONTk1- Il,
TON, based upon a corresponding 81
IT ft acciuiug directly to those who 10
FORCED To PAY 1T. We thus find ..
It 10y interpretation we are obliged to I"
nit that ii pigeon is a Jack Pie, aud
content to have it SD served up 10 Us r
his system Of ercioaci,m+nts upon r.
rights nf the states. and upon those ye
gradually gained ground y, +,
Il series of years, but latterly, it il 81,
wing Oh with gigantic strides ami 90
boldened effioutery, and is openly 'h
tained and proclametl by one entire ~ ~
ty, and awaited of by few members tn
another. to aid in obtaining come al.
ally desired advantage. Dcma- tn
'ues> are thus engaged in destroying Z" W
foundations Of our system of gov ,,,
ment, intent upon gaining a point IL
hnut moment of 1t hectiun upon IN
cous. qnences. Oar inrcfatllers re-. ~, Va,
ri |" pay the tax on tea tecausa the fn,
ing OF it, involved principle preynan Ja
b the destiny of the colonies. Every .'''
ttihy brgius life as u gruh: then it 49,, .,,
,mes a chry sails +; only in its third thi
last stage is it win ged creature. j"i
= lmvolvtS 10 characterization of
liring principle, but only simple r..
IKt lu Tie MODE or Manifestation Ot ma
ifu. pal