The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-04
THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE CASE " NEW
ORLEANS.
The Argument in the United Stntes Court ON
the Fifteenth Amendment. .
from the New Orleans Bee, June 24.l

.f.l
In this court yesterday came up Tor argument the
habeas corpus case OF Mr.. G. A. Weed, Who had been
arrested ut the Instance OF James Stafford member
OF the Butchers Association, under an accusation Of
having violated the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution Of the United States and
the acts OF Congress enforcing these amendments
vA:-Ihe Civil Rights bill OF April 9. 1868, and the
bill entitled San ACT TO enforce the right OF the ct-
xens Of the United States to vote IN the several
states OF this Union aud for other purpvses,n COM
amendment.
and cOnspred with others to deprive his prosecutor
OF his occupation as live stock dealer and vender
Of animal food Tor the city OF New Orleans, and Of
subectlng his property to unlawful and unreasOna.
BILE seizure.
The support for the charge was the fact OF Weeds
being stockholder and dealer In the slaughter
holse monopoly; that he has been vigiant and
interested party In all suits against the butchers,
attending courts, conferring with attorneys, brow.
Deating his opponents, publishing deisivc aud hos
tile articles In his newspaper, the Times and sign
ing the bond by which the injunction from the
Eighth District Court, invoking the nterposion OF
the police TO prevent the Introduction or meat into
New orleans unless II was slaughtered at his com.
paag's slaughter house; thai he knew Of all that ne
police mad done, aud persisted in his support OF
them. The Injunction proceeding OF the Eighth
Dstrct Court was treated as without uhority OF
or precedent except In the peri DDS OF tyranny, and
when oppression, Intimidation and injustice were
Intended. In the argument OF Judge Campbell a
comparison was made between that iniuncrt1n and
the writs " assistance that ia OTIS during tho
first American revolution, demo need as arbitrary
aud destructive OF liberty, aud to the general
denned by Lord Camden. 1t was also likenod 10
the seizures OF liquors Massachusetts under the
liquor laws, which were pronounced TO be unconsti.
tutional 10y US Supreme Court THIS Injunction SIM
ply elJoinsd the police to prevent all meat bel ng
Introduced into the city OF New orleans not prepared
a. the slaughter house Of the Crescent City Company
Every policeman was made Judge. and could pre
vent and hinder the butchers from pursuing their
avocatlon without any trial or judicial INJURY,
Tney were TO Judge or the modes oil Mndrance and
nau seized aud held large portion OF meat pre-
pared by the butchers for the markets OF the city TIL
IL was destroyed. 1t was perpetual oraer. They
made no return TO any court anu subject to no
responsibility for their dongs under the order.
There could be no answer to the suit By the parties
ehJoined, because the only parties to be acted
on were "unruly and ili-advlsed persons.u
VINO were not named or described. Thus tho
police were set at large to discover and to determine
who were "uHruy and i-advised persons'' whose
property was to be destroyed their Judgment,
Inc writ was opposed to the state and federal const-
lions, which required that parties should be named
ana property described when arrests ana seizures
were TO be made. Messrs. Pratt and Weed hal pro.
cured this paper to be issued, anu were responsible
Tor all the consequences clvily and criminally The
fourteenth amendment to the constitution and the
DIS to protect civil rights applicable TO this
case and conferred jurisdiction upon the court, TO
secure all persons In their enjoyment. Such was
the substance OF the argument Of Judge Campbell
yesterday. Mr. R0sellus, OF counsel for Mr. eed,
closed The ARGUMENT in bIIe, address, ia which NO
did not attempt to answer tho points made by his
adversary. The Judge then took the case under adj
visemcnt lie VIII probably render his decision to-
day or tomorrow, when the United States courts
VIII be adjourned Tor the summer months.