The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-11-03
THEDISTRlCT COURT,
NIGGER JURY EMPANNELLED
JUDGE RYAN MAKES A SPEECH
WHITE MEN LEAVE THE
COURT ROOM

! COURT ROOM
John 0rsborn and his Niggers
Alone in Their Glory i!
The District Court of the Parish
of Rapides met in this town on
Monday last. The first thing done
was to except to the legality of the
jury panel drawn by the officers
whose duty it is made by law to see
that a proper jury is drawn. For
several terms past there has been
no jury in Ramdes, owing to the
difficulty in drawing jury since
the parish of Grant was specially
set apart for the benefit of Willie
Colhoun and his special friends
The officers in charge having failed
to get a jury, their manner OF draw
ing being in the opinion of his
judgship, John Orsborn, illegal, a
special form for the occasion was
furnished by that immaculate law
yer, Attorney General Belden, who
is now suing the State for the mo-
dest sum of 1926, 900 for services
rendered. The formula was deci-
ded by John insufficient for Grant
two woeks ago, and 1T was snppos-
ed would be so decided in Rapides
But, when an exception was ia
ken to the jury on Monday last, by
the members ofthe bar, Judge Ors-
born decided that the jury was le-
gally drawn. Immediately after
this decision the grand jury was
called, on which all were black,
except Larkin D. Corley, of Banks
Legislature reputation, who APP
peared very dignified among his
colored friends. The grand jury
was called forward to be sworn,
when Judge Ryan, the oldest mem
Der of the bar, politely asked of the
most intelligent negro called up to
be sworn, it he knew what an oath
was.
Darkey: (Evidently a Minister
OF the Gospel and head devil among
the niggers)-yes sab IL is to speak
out in the congregation.
Judge R.: And what do you
mean by speaking out in .congre-
CATION. ial}
Darkey: Don't know, sab, 'cept
to tell all you knows, sab.
Judge e.. /: And suppose you tell
a lie, while speaking out in congre-
CATION, what then
Darkey !: Den I 'spose l don't
know. }
The, same questions We're pro
pounded to the rest of the members
OF the congregation, with about the
same satisfactory result. es
! Judge Ryan, with the most profound
disgust depicted OH his couutenance,
then proceeded to address the Court.
He remarked that he would not be IL
willing partner to the iniquity which
the Court and its chosen jury were
about to inflict upon the Parish of RAJ
pides. The lives, liberties and proper
| ty. of the people We're to be jeoparded
by being placed in the hands of a set
of ignorant barbarians who neither ac-
knowledge the obligation of an oath,
or are acquainted with the momentOus
subjects which are to engage their at
tention. He referred, in the most elo-
qgent terms, to the old bar, when
Thomas, and Brent and Dunbar and
Elgee and Flint and Boyce commended
together in the forum, before juries Of
the best educated and most enlighten-
! ed men the South could afford. "And
has it come to this" said the eloquent
advocate 80 Temporal. 0 mores." Pro-
ceeding at this rate, tor some time,
Judge Ryan concluded one Of the best
speeches we ever heard him make by
calling upon the bar and all the white
men to follow him out of the Court
House. Amid great applause all the
white men left the Court House, and
in a few minutes there was to be seen
no one within its walls, except John
Orsborn on the bench, looking very
blank, with the Hon. Larkin D. Cor
ley, and his sable associates in the
Jury box. What occurred afterwards
7 we have not learned Perhaps his
honor and the "grand inquest of the
VIII Hofu SOoit OH oWA
hook" And then again perhaps not. !.
EsSDENT's CHANCES IN MIssIss1ppI.-The
Memphis Appeal says:
Fer what 1t is worth, we give Dents
opinion OF his chances Tor success against
Alcorn. 1t appears as part of special
! dispatch from Washington to the Cincin-
| natl Commercial lRadicaD. He "rppre-
! sents that there, is no doubt whatever OF
his own election, and the success Of the
ertire National Republican ticket He
says that the antecedeuts Of General
Aleorn, the Radical candidate, being those
OLA rampant and uncomp,.o ising rebel
will bring to his (Dent's support a large
body of the most radical Republicans, and
very large negro vote. He further says
that he does not believe that Alcorn will
receive thousand white votes in the
State" SO far as we are informed, it is
/ altogether probable that Dent has the
advantage just now !; but if uertain ru-
mors of new, movement are correct, then
we have some hopes that both he and
Acorn will be beaten by white mars
cindidute. ps'a. ea'"4 fiie 7Aaa
ma- Rothschild and the Archbishop
of Paris met ut u public dinner some
time since, and arrived at the same mo-
4 want ar tha .y,,artp1 reu1azvOuS Nei