Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-04-13
CASE OF D ELLIOT.

accordingly.
CASE OF JUDGE ELLIOT.
The argunent before tie court ofim-
parchment, I'd THE case 81 Judge d. O. Elliot
was brought 10 4 close II 9 o'clock y. M,
Saturday. Fhs Court retired, aud after a,
session Or about five hours, reported The re-
suit gifts proceedings The first artlclesol
Impeachment preferred BY the House, was as
follows:
+rhat tie said Benjamin G. Elliot Judge
of tic City Court of Tile City Of Lafayette, a
Court o~frecorl established ~ the laWs oftlte
State Of Louisiana, has, for long time. 20.
vita from the vi day of March 1884,. ~ the
present year La44, nader and hy virtue of ihe
hover and authority vested III Tie SAID SQUIRT,
as a court IF geccrd BY the acts Of The Com
eress 0! The United States. taken cogni5ance
Ri aa1 exercised Jurisdiction III large nttal-
Der ofcase III tie number Of seventeen hun-
bred and fprtt-eigEt, or iiefeabout, ID which
aliens applied p be natnraiized. That " the
law ofthe State of Louisiana, creating the
said court, il Has made the duty ofthe Judge
theraofto appoint d clerk 10 keep and pre-
serve The records and proceedings of The
eoaft id conformity to tag and under TIE d-
recfinn If said Judge. But THAT the said BEN
jamin G. Elliot. Judge as aforesaid, unmind-
fal ofihe. solemn duties Of bis station, and IN
nttera disregafd Of his oatf of office, has gross
lp5and edipakly neglected and failed to dis
charge tie datg imposed on him BY lay, ~
eanSe the records and proceedings pfsaid
conft, 10 te kept andfr4serrcd id conformity
DO iaw and atldef his direction, Il respect e
all the nets 6hd proceedings Of the said court,
under the naturalization laws of the United
stales,R
The vote Gn This article was, gaiHH III, aot
vpt{fy q. Those who voted in favor Of
judge Elliot were Messrs. DAylpsoa, Lf0o0z,
Tile secona article VAL AS follows
aI'hat the' said Benj. G Elliot, judge ay
aforesaid, reckless aflfuth and duty and con-
frlrY tie the aacted obligation ofhis cath by
Wtich be stood bound faithfully and Impair
4iallgt3 discharge all the duties irnposeidpon
htm, ualawfiiiY and corraptlY caused andper-
mitted seventeen hundreds and forty-eightcer
tiaraies. purpotng to be certificates of na-
nffallza6on, ar judgements entered in legal
form ON tile records Of the said court, TO be
issued under the seal oflhes said co1gt ofthe
city Of Lafayettet by Abber Phelps, the
clerk thereof, from the I'd day Of March 1871,
Ia The 4 II df january, la&4, in fraud of the
Naturalization laws ofthe United States; and
To ne sttbvsT#ion gfthe policy Of the u. Nj;
and to Tie great danger ofthe Liberties Of the
people: He.th said BenjG. Efliot Judge as
aforesaid. well knowing the saidpretended
Ger tffeatcs ID lie false, and that there was no
minute or Judgement enteredo on record ip said
court, 10 authorized or warrant the issue Of said
certificates"
The vote was gliAg 10, not gully 4.
Vtiz--a .#Ia.NYSFH4 =I IL, fY4~aY~ jpfI3ira IfltIGt.#
we're Messrs. Walker, Davidson, sedoux and
LIcoste.
The third article was as follows;
That the said BENZ. G. Elliot judge as
aforesaid, has nnlawfully aud corruptly per-
mitted and caused Abaef Phelps, the clerk Of
the said City Court of the city Of Lafayette,
to issue, under the seal Of The said court, at
varions n9es, from the I'd day ofAIarch, 1871
"a thel1 list day ot January, 1871. fraudulent
certificates Of naturalization TO q large mum
Der 0faliens, to wit, seventeen hundred and
forly-eightor thereabout, not entitled 70 be
admitted, and not admitted to citizenship.
Tte yose was guilty, II, nat gaiAg 3
those who voted in lavf Of Judge Elliot
we're Massrs. Davidson, Lacoste and LedouS.
The fourth article was az follows:
That tie said Benz G. Elliot, Judge as
aforesaid, caused and permitted 3s7 ofthe
Aforesaid certificates Of naturalization 10 he
ls-ued on the DIST day Of September, ls43,
ia favor Of aliens not entitled TO le admitted
to ciiizansh4,, and that III sanctianlng tee
issue Of these, AZ well as of the Other ceftl6-
Gates of naturalization, tile said Benjamin G.
Eliol was instirated and moved by corrupt
love at lpcre and a desire Of unlawful a1,
and that he has corruptly and unla"fully re-
ceiycd, Mt various tines, and from .%seyeral
persons, divers sulns of money for The ceftIti-
Gates of naturalization illegally issued from
bis court, during the last three years.
Tie vote was guilty 10, not gully, 4
Those who voted IN favor Of Judge Elliot,
were Messrs. Walker, Davidson, Lacoste
ana Leddax. 1t will be seen that Judge Ell
Hot, VAS thus convicted by The Constitutional
minority, upon each article Of impeachment
preferred by tie House. The court finally
resolved, BIZ AN UNANIMOUS VOTE, that Judge
Elliot be forthwith removed from the post he
occupies, and that his office be considered
vncant from and after the 9Th day Of April
The day-the judgement Of the Court was reu-
dered.
A resolution was adopted allowing each
member Of the Courts six days after the ad-
iournmont, for the purpose Of placing upon
record, the reasons which influenced his vote
upon tie several articles.
Such have been the proceedings in this in
porlant trial. We are sorry that those for
eigners Illegally naturaIized, cannot be depri
yed Of theSr III gotten privileges, till the period
~oftteir probation. How important it is to keep
SO high and eacred am office as that of fudge,
from tie hands Of aspiring demagogues. If
the Convention should make the judiciary
elective, we would have u regret more than
one similar act Of corruption and disgrace. Il
is surprising to sec men belonging 70 the diff
fercut associations who generally rail against
aliens. now rejoicing over these Illegal votes,
and risk every thing they hold dear to maintain
them. In their party zeal they forget thai
fey have a common country, whose laws they
trample upon with uapunity, and a foreigner
must be a perfect machine who will use SO
sacred a privilege as that Of a citizen, when
be knows it is fraudulently obtained, merely
Tor the purpose Of elevating toofice some de-
signing and selfish ~dnagogue who though they
prize the deed, despise the actors in it.
The reception Of the verdict Of the High
Court of Impeachment is thus described by
the Tropic Of Monday.
The dismissal Of Elliott from Office By the
Senate Of the State, has excited among all.
all classes Of citizens, feelings of unmixed
pleasure. Ne have seldom witnessed upon
anv occasion such manifestations Of g%raiiica.
tion. Ii was nearly midnight when the ver-
diet Of the Senate was made known, vet a