Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1870-04-02
Death Of Hon. Pierre souls.

We are called upon to-day 10 record Ii,
death OF an eminent citizen OF Louisiana, an.
Al one lime one Of the great intelIects O
America, bnt who la.ieriy had retired from
public life into The bosom Of his family, bowe,
down by misfortune and! sorrow, for wlicl
earth has no soiace.
The Honorable Pierre Sonle died a, hi
residence in this city yesterday. in his 6s,l
year. This sad event has been anticipate,
by his family and friends for several months
although within a few weeks Of his death
IS Is often the case witt, those who gradualt,
waste away, lie had somewla, rallied from
the depression Of body. into which he la,
fallen. Mr.. Soule has been in bad health fol
about eighteen months or two years. His
mental and physical system received a greal
shock during tie war from the Imprisonment
and other cruel treatment TO which he had
been subjected by those eminen,ly Christian
rulers, Messers. Lincoln, Seward, and their
associates, who thus unconscionsly paid Mr..
Sonle the highest honor in their gift, that OF
turning the immense power of the Govern
ment OF the United States against a single
individual, the resources Of whose mind they
had been taugh, TO fear. Mr.. SouIe never
recovered from the shok, and his family and
friends were forced day by day to witness The
gradual extinguishment Of that magnificent
intelligence which once held Senators en-.
,ranced by his eIoquence and his reasoning,
until the mind which had been won, 10 con.
template matters Of the highest Government.
had been completely aver,hrown, until the
tongue which had been won't TO utter tie
language Of k'ng'y minds could only babble
the disconnected and jsngI.,tlhongh,s Of one
whose reason had fed. With The decay Of his
mental faculties that Of his physical system
kept pace, and we believe he died from pure
exhaustion.
Mr.. Soule was q native Of Castillon, depart
Ment OF Ariege, in France. He was the son
OF = lieutenant general in the republican
armies, who afterwards filled the office of
Judge, previously hereditary in the family.
Being destined for the church, lie was sent in
1916 10 the Jesui,s' College =. Toulouse; bn,
wearying Of theological studies, he went 10
complete his education at Bordeaux. Soon
afterwards he repaired to Paris, was admitted
~ an adsoca,s At The bar, and, in conjunction
with BarlheIemy and Merry, edited lie Main,
a %journa! Of ultra liberal sentiments. A bitter
At tack upon the ministry brough, him under
the notice Of The authorities, and after a trial
nj which he defended himself with bolduess
and skill, he was sentenced to pay a fine Of
10000 francs and TO be imprisoned in 81.
Ps'agie. Having succeeded in making his
escape, he embarked in 1925 Tor America,
and in the latter par, Of the year established
himself in New Orleans. lie applied himself
ass'dnonsly to the study Of the English Ian
guagc,'n which he attained great proficiency,
passed his examination for the bar after
having received the instructions Of that
lawyer, Moreau Lisle', in whose
Office he studied and whose partner in the
Of law he became. Mr.. Soule soon
rose 10 great emincnce in his profession, and
his name was connected with the conduct of
many Of the celebrated causes, both criminal
civil, which from par, of the history of
Louisiana, from 1890 to 1860. Mr.. SuoIs was
more distinguished fr brilliancy, and origi.
nality, and power rs an advocate, than for
profnndity Is a jurist, but had he applied
himself with equal a~ssiiuity 10 the study of
he law as a science and the ex exposition Of its
his great mind was equal to even
he severest efforts in that department Of
bought. He was the abiest and mos. success. q
al criminal plsader Of his time u. the bar of {
his State will, the exception, perhaps, Of John '
!. Grymes. We do not mean 10 say that he {
ras defcien, as 4 pIeader of civil law, because
. acquired great wealth and fame in the
onduct Of civil eases, out there were fewer
{ his brethren who disputed with him the 9
As = criminal pIeader than in the other
ranch of the practice.
In ls47 M. Soul6 was elected Sanator ia d
from Louisiana, 10 fill a vacancy, J
nd in l649 was reelected for Z fnll term Of h
x years. As = public man, he took exrem h
oathern ground, and was q frequent particle d
Int in the debates which preceded The adop- .
Oh OF tn cOmPio - ~ asures Of 1850. He
:. H. .~In. 80 L.. =. 49, 81 a