Commonwealth v. Wilkins

Nov 20, 1876
Reporters:
,
Before:
Gray
Gray, C. J.

The power conferred by the Legislature upon

the city council to pass by-laws and ordinances is limited to ‍‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‍such as are reasonable, and the penalties prescribed by which do not exceed twenty dollars for one offence. Austin v. Murray, 16 Pick. 121. St. 1836, c. 42, § 20. Gen. Sts. c. 18, § 11; c. 19, § 2. A by-law or ordinance, imposing a penalty which may ‍‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‍exceed this limit, is beyond the power conferred by the Legislature, un ■ reasonable, and wholly void. The ordinance before us undertakes to authorize the imposition of a penalty of not less than one dollar, nor ‍‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‍more than five dollars, for every hour that a person shall keep his wagon in the market, without authority of the clerk of the market, after notice to remove and until actual removal. The offence thus ‍‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‍punished is a single continuous offence; and the ordinance, affixing a penalty which, computed according to its terms, may exceed twenty dollars for a single offence upon one and the same day, is void. Mayor, ¿-a. of ‍‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‍New York v. Ordrenan, 12 Johns. 122. It is therefore unnecessary to consider the other objections to the conviction.

Verdict set aside.