27 Ala. 58 | Ala. | 1855
It is unquestionably the duty of the city government to keep up the public burial grounds, and to bury the paupers ; and as all the corporators are interested in the discharge of this duty, in justice all should bear some portion of the burden it imposes ; and if the corporation was to pass a by-law, the effect of which was to throw the whole expense upon a particular class of the cor-porators, it would be so manifestly unjust, that no court could, we think, hesitate to declare it void as being unreasonable. Ang. &Ames on Corp. § 347. Neither would it make any difference, in principle, whether the by-law accomplished this result directly, or effected it by indirect means. In either aspect, it would be equally, objectionable. The
From what we have said, it follows that the court should have sustained the demurrer to the complaint; and as the correct action of the court below in this respect, will be decisive of the case, as now presented, it is unnecessary to go into an examination of the other questions.
Judgment reversed, and cause remanded.