state Constitution is of less consequence than the general common or statute law? Under modern state constitutions, individual rights were supposed to have been protected. No man's property shall be taken or damaged for public use without just compensation ascertained by court and jury or court and commissioners in advance and paid in advance. But now state constitutions dispense with the special, peculiar, exceptive benefit-they dispense with the general benefit and with arch fiendish boldness acts of taking and acts of damaging are done and the wronged citizen is taxed with the cost of taking or damaging his own property, notwithstanding such acts were prohibited by the Constitution. If God's government be just, state constitutions with such moral leprosy in them ought not and cannot long endure. Our constitutions cannot reverse the judgments and decrees of the Almighty. There may be apparent prosperity but it is not real. Our people in our cities, towns and villages are walking through the graveyard, whistling to keep their courage up. That which is taken to be healthful life and vigor is not real; it is the death rattle. It is an invitation to a Belshazzar's feast where sooner or later will appear the fatal handwriting on the wall. Restore the Constitution. Make it possible for the honest citizen to hold and use his property in spite of anything that may be done by the Empsons and Dudleys, the Dantons, the Robespierres and Marats of modern times. Bank v. Buckingham, 5 Howard 317 Baltimore & Penn. R. R. Co. v. Ohio R. R. Co., 60 Maryland 130, 167 Bay City v. State Treasurer, 23 Mich. 499 Bergman v. Backer, 157 U. S. 655 Boyd v. U. S., 116 U. S. 616 Brown v. Maryland, 12 Wheaton 439 Bryson v. Rosanna Campbell, 12 Mo. 498 Bryson v. Bryson, 17 Mo. 590 Bryson by next friend v. Bryson, 17 Mo. 590 C. Cameron v. Stephenson, 69 Mo. 372 Central Land Co. v. Laidley, 159 U. S. 103 Chaoney v. Hoover, 9 Ben Monroe 330 .319, 320 347 77 179 331 332 333 .8, 15, 65, 172 .341, 355, 358 15 160 345 Chicago Union Bank v. Kansas City Bank, 136 U. S. 223 317 .315, 350 City of Kansas to use of Coates v. Ridenour, 84 Mo. 253 74, 244, 276, 311 City of Louisiana v. Miller, 66 Mo. 467 58 City of Pleasant Hill v. Dasher, 120 Mo. 675 .58, 65 City of St. Joseph v Anthony, 30 Mo. 537 .48, 62 City of St. Joseph to use v. Owen, 110 Mo. 445 218 City of St. Louis v. Davidson, 102 Mo. 149 204 City of St. Louis to use of Seibert v. Allen, 53 Mo. 44 33, 53, 58, 59, 60, 63, 65, 69, 107, 135, 137, 157, 172, 180 |