The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-02-16
Contested Cases in the House.

The second scene in the great Democratic
Tragedy opened in the House on Wednesday
morning, the 30th. The curtain rose ABOUT
half after ten o'clock. The actors were all in
their places.
Mr.. Lawrason Of NewOrleans was upon his
feet when we entered the theatre. He was not,
Of the Democratic troop, but had risen in de-
Tense of the contestees Messrs. Lumsden and
Devall. He was reading from the correspon-
dence of the Democratic Central Committee
of the American Party. He read also from the
opinions given by some of the counsel selected
by the Democratic Committee to respond to
such questions as they had thought proper to
PROFOUND. He alluded to the holy horror of
the Democratic party to secrecy, but vet Mr..
Lawrason remarked that they had retired to
some dark secret chamber of the house, in order
that they might plot and mature the schemes
Of decapitation they contemplated in the House.
We will not pretend to follow MIR. L. it will
be sufficient to remark that he made an able
argument, and one quite to the point.
MIR. Semmes, one of the Committee that
framed the majority Report, which was based
upon something about as substantial as the
ambient air, replied. As for evidence there
was not one title of proof worthy of that name.
ANY hua pANSuiCi tllt uGlcttdDls llOTtGdu tIldl
had been used in the Star Chamber in order to
give some plausible coloring to their pro-
ceedings. The whole of the evidence was er
pa1te; and even had the contestees appeared,
after being regularly served with notice, before
the honorable Court that proceeded in the
matter, it would have been equally worthless,
for the reason that the Court was without
jurisdiction, and parties by consent are unable
to revive a dead statute, and clothe the Court
with jurisdiction, when a subsisting law had
placed that jurisdiction elsewhere. We pre-
sumo that this position will not be denied.
Three judges had decided that they were with
out jurisdiction, the fourth, before whom the
testimony was taken decided lie had. But all
men whose opinions are worth a bull-rush
will decide, upon an impartial examina-
ton, that the jurisdictionlay elsewhere
where the law of 1855 had placed it. The law
of 1914 being repealed, all proceedings under
it are null and void, else why repeal q law? If
it is as valid after it is repealed as before, it is
futile, for the Legislature to 60 through the
tritling Formally of an express clause.
Though we should give credit where credit
is due, and we are really not so churlish as to
Withhold it from the Democratic party when
they SO richly deserve it. They have, through
the means OF the great Central Committee,
lnaagurated a new era. By some wonderful
power, heretofore unknown, they have discoy-
cred a mode and a means of instilIing the most
eillcacious life into the body of o dead statute,
without any of the slow and useless forms of
legislation. Now the Democratic party having
discovered that the law of lSl4 would suit
their purpose remarkably well, and that there
was no snbsisting law that would, they at once
assembled in council the Great Democratic
Central Committee, who, after very long and
grave deliberation, formed the electric circle by
joining hands, and proceeded to certain ceremo.
MES OF incarnation. The High Priest having
stepped into the middle Of the ring, hold
ing the drum-stick Of a goose in his hand.
symbolic OF WaSotom, he pronounced the words.
presto todsactm, and at once the law Of 1914
sprung up, us If just fresh born. 1t was then,
by order OF the High Priest, soon spread among
the faithful, that the said law of 1914 was
AGAIN awe, Notwithstanding the efforts of U.
Is. Fhltlips, and the session of 1855, to kill it
eilectually.
Mr.. semmes in closing his remarks, stated
That The whole evidence should be published
ana go before the country for their Judgment.
" are very happy indeed to hear this fact, for
we are determined that the country shall know
a good many facts connected Herewith that
they will never be able to learn from the
hecord. Mr.. Semmes, we should have remarked
during his argument, quoted from the e Con
tested Elections from | i39 to 1884" page sos,
the case of Biddle and Richards vs.. Wing,
Whieh he stated had been decided upon ca pqrte
testimony. We have been unable to read The
case, but we are willing to rest the matter anon
AIT. Senime's statement, The correctness Of
M!lsh We aes&ot qaesti24a3- but it can have no
whRteYcr in those cnntn.tcd -