The Opelousas courier., 1890-09-27
It Makes NO Difference.

~
drawings under its charter. Nor will /
it cause any relaxation of the efforts of |
those who favor the Morris proposition
TO secure the adoption of that PROPOSE
tion by the popular vote at the election
in 1892. This proposition is justly re-
garded as a revenue proposition, calcu-
lated to advance the very best interests
OF the people Of Louisiana and every
honorable and legitimate effort will con-
tinue to be made, with increasing deter
mination and zeal, to win their approval
of it.
The many sufferers from overflow
the thousands of poor people who are
unable to have their children taught in
the schools the eleemosynary institu-
tions OF the State-the needy Confeder
ate veterans, may all rest assured that
the work Of discussion will go on, IN
daunted by this alarming thrust at the
rights of the States A test case will be
made and decision will be had which,
we believe, will show the law to be null
for unconstitutionality
The Constitution declares that Con-
gress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion land we may
add, none establishing code of morals)
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,
or abridgiDg the freedom of speech, or
of the press" &c. Can Congress pro-
hibit the citizens of Il State, having
chartered rights, from using the mails
in the exercise and enjoyment of such
rights !? Will Congress be sustained in
declaring that to be immoral which the
State sanctions? What article in the
Federal Constitution confers such power
upon Congress, ipsissineiS pertis ? II
such be not specifically declared to ex-
ist, what becomes of the sacred doctrine
of the rights of the States to legislate
for their own citizens
1t is preposterous to say that the
States may charter companies for any
purpose not prohibited by tho Constitn-
tion, and that Congress can prevent the
exercise of corporate rights, without a
syllable of constitutional authority to
do SO.
We are at loss to understand where
the power comes from which authorizes
Congress to establish standard of NOR
al ethics for the people.
The possible difficulties that may arise
under this singular act are inconcelya-
BILE. 1t places every citizen at the mer-
| cy of the postmaster i'm oil that relates
to his correspondence. The Postmaster
General is not responsible for tho ac-
tiens of his subordinates. They can act
pretty much as they please. They have
only to say that they do SO under evi-
dence satisfactory to themselves. No
Tribunal can 60 behind it. They are
clothed with imperial power over the
mails, and injured parties have no re-
dress. In this connection, we call the
attention of our readers to the follow
ling quotations from Cooley on Consti-
tutional Limitations
. Instances sometimes occur in which min
/ isterial officers take such liberties THAT Isl
breaking into the houses of persons to search
books and papersl in endeaVoring to detect
| and punish offenders, as are even more crln1I
| nal than the offences they seek to punish. The
employment OF spies and decoys (sueh as are
hung in times Of war) to lead men on to the
| commission of crime, on the pretence of bring
ing criminals to Justice, cannot be too strongly
condemned and that aryaag into prisate cor.
Ifespoadence by officers tpostmasters for exam
/ plel, which has sometimes been permitted By
Dostmasters Is directly in the face OF the law
i AND CANNOT BE EXCUSED The Importance o.
4 public confidence I'M The iRos0iabitity of CORES
posadence through tie Tosto flee CANNOT BIZ OVER
| RATED j; and the proposition to permit Letters
| to be opened. at the discretion OF mnisteria
officer, would excite general indignation
It is true this abominable act forbids
the opening of letters. but this mitigatei
the outrage but little, as the whole
army Of postoffice officials are required
to become mere spies over private COR
i respondence, at tile command of tllt
Postmaster General, and are reqniree
i To intercept all such matters as lie mas
suspect of being in any respect intend
ed to circumyent the purposes OF th'
act, and return them to tile postmastei
at the Office at which they were origin
| ally mailed, with the word fraudulent
| plainly written on stamped upon th'
outside thereof.
The length of this article warns rs Il
close III for the present. Ye sovereigl
lneonle Are goa SO degraded and sub
dned as to quietly suffer such usnrpa
, ton. perversiona prostitution of con
stitntional rights Ifso, ask for a con
!, vention, or beseecll your masters a
Washington to permit yon to amen
1 the Constitution that yon mag give you
commanding officers suitable names
John Wanamakar and lis successors I
tie General Postoffice at Washingto
should be henceforth known as r Th
Holy Inauisitor @ eneraI of the Espior
5 age Department. Call things by the
81 right names by all means, and praetie
: Euo frauds by misflomers, as he may su:
t nect lack of obedience to his reguls
4 tions and set bis army Of espions g
your heels.
The Congressional Convention bel
I nj Baton Rouge on the 22d inst. ulian
mously renominated Col s. NJ. Rober
! son as candidate for Congress no
the sixth district--a deserved tribute
4 faithful and efficient official. Az
q Alliance men seem TO have modifie
! their views ON the sub treasury bill
i as I'd meet The views of Col. R0bertso
b who Id understood 10 be opposed To th'
Il measure in its present shapes Will
earnestly desirons OF advancing the
+ interests Id every lawful and constit.
\ tional way. The following Is the piaT
in the platform adopted referring to tll
8 matter
IS Tenth--We indorse the sub.treasnrF
d xyarehnuse Ilan as d means of relief 20 T
riculturist sritliaa The scope 9 e constitute
y AID urge tie nominee of this convention
u MI glyoeate sn8h legislation ds may permit
fs egus s7ated sales of our pfoducts.
d Other planks demand the aboliti
j. of the national banks, tho passage
] laws prohibiting the alien ownership
Y. sfIs5s 9sx.ess<, fA5fE and 4