The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-07-14
Judge Campbell and the Slaughter
House Monopoly.

kOT pduphiOV wy " "AAo 1870
of Judge John A. Campbell
recently delivered before one of the
New Orleans District Courts in the
Slaughter House case. TWAS taken
down in shorthand and reads as if it
had been faithfully reported.
The argument cannot be surpassed
for the solidity of its logic and the ex-
tent of legal and constitutional learn
ing it evinces. The learned jurist
bases his whole argument on two
points, viz: that the Act of the Legis-
lature granting to company of seven
teen persons the exclusive right to
slaughter beef in the city for twenty
FIVE years, created monopoly OF the
worst kind and was therefore uncon-
stitutional and void; and that the said
Act having been passed by bribing and
corrupting the members Of the Legls-
lature, the legality of its passage can
be enquired into by Courts of justice.
It will be observed that such ques-
ton afforded wide field for a display
of learning, and just such learning as
that in which Judge Campbell stands
with scarcely an equal among Ameri-
can lawyers. There is no special Con-
stitutional provision against the crea-
ton of monopolies. If the thing had
been prohibited by the written law,
the question would be a very simple
one and easily settled. But such is
not the fact, and it's illegality had to
be carefully deduced from the Common
Law, and from that fundamental prln-
ciple of justice that every man is emit,
tied to the fruits of his industry. The
very idea of monopoly is repugnant tt
reason, and because it is against rea
SON it has been held by the Courts O.
England, for ages, that it is agains1
law, which Lord Coke, quoting from
Cicero, says, is "the perfection of rea
son. From the English law the same
spirit has been infused into the writer
American Constitutions which, prOvi
ding in fixed language for certain
things, still leave the great mass o
subjects to be inferred by implication
With the English Common Law, ant
the decisions Of the English Courts
Judge Campbell is perfectly familiar
His argument, therefore, is an exceed
ingly able one.
The New Orleans Times, whose sol
proprietor is at the head of the monop
oily, has INDUCED in some fippant re
marks on Judge Campbel's greatspeecl
and intimates that the Judge is as mucl
of a carpet-bagger as the proprieto
himself, and the members ofthe Legis
lature whom he is charged with col
rupting. 1t will be remembered tina
Judge Campbell was appointed to tn
Supreme bench of the United States i
1853 by President Pierce, and that b
was at that time q citizen of Alabama
Louisiana being in the same circuit
and New Orleans being a great CON
mercial city, the large majority OF case
he had to decide as Circuit Judge wei
decided in this State. For the last sly
teen years, therefore, he has spel
more time in Louisiana than in an
| other State. And when he found hin
self, at the end of the war, without o
fee, without fortune and almost will
out home, it is not singular that i
should have selected his home at
place where his splendid abiliti
should be the most literally remuner
ted. We are happy to know that b
success has equalled his brightest a
lticipations, and that Louisiana CT
claim the distinguished jurist as b
own.
1t is simply preposterous to class SUI
man among the adventures, WI
have settled in this State for the pu
pose of growing rich off the labors
the impoverished people of the Sout
1t is absurd for hired editors to &
tempt to make him appear worse tn
one who has just emerged from t
Bankrupt Court (Which requires m
to give up all his property the own
of newspaper worth $500, 900 a
with money enough in addition to ma
ipu1ate an important bill through t
carpet-bag Legislature of Louisiana
, Men of Judge Campbell's learning a
, character, no matter what their poll
cal principles, or from what State tn
hail, will ever be received by the p'
pie of Louisiana with open arms, a
be encouraged to make their homes
our midst. The carpet-baggers belo
, to another and very different class
!, Should the Judge (whose decis
is unknown to us at the pres
writing) permit the question of brib'
in the Legislative Department to
entered into, some very interesting
| velopments Of the inner working
arpet-baggery in Louisiana will dou
3 less be made for the edifcation Of
uninitiated. Perhaps, however,
same appliances which proved SO s
cessful with the Legislature may
brought into requisition with the
Q 1:; p,,+ +,.a homo that the Ind