New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-08

| people. eenAGOGe nave edlu OA IAAo Ao"i
| peatedly that we must have statute, ana
! that we must see that the law IS executed,
and see that crime is punished. That Is the
! note that has been sounded III almost every
| speech political IN it's character or nature.
! Now, the law has been made, ana inaee
| amply sufficient TO meet the demands OF AL
| classes of citizens. Let the gentlemen stick
| 10 thc:r.own laws. Do not change the law
| in one single instance; do not ask the Leg
| stature OF the State, simply because these
| ere your political friends, to make q change,
for i, defeats the ends OF justice.
Az to the remarks of the Senator that the
| LAWYER employed in this case is afraid 10 go
to the parish ct Ascension to defend ,'ltse
| prisoners, l will say that would blush Tor
very shame if was employed te defend q
man, and was such physical and moral
! coward as to be afraid to go into the parish
70 do my duty. Has the profession OF the
law got down to that-that they are too
cswartily to trust themselves in that parish
to defend these men? Bat l believe that
they are not SO much towards a. the gentle
man makes believe. If they are so, morally
and physically, then it is the duty of the
| District Judge, when the prisoners are
arraigned before him, to appoint counsel to
defend them. if they are not able t., employ
one; and il is the duty OF every licensed
lawyer in the State to defend a criminal
when hc is applied TO. He is compelled by
choice. but i is The duty OF any lawyer at
the bar to deterl u criminal who can not
| employ othcr counsel He is IA officer Of the
| court. and tie must obey the orders of that
court. iapprehend that the bar OF -iscen-
| sion is not composed OF such towards as that.
Mr.. Hunsaker: l VIII inform the honor
| able Senators that nearly a.! the lawyers III
| the parish are on tie side OF the rrosecu-
! ton.
Mr.. Blaekrran: Then the judge can not
proceed with the trial. ! say thai this
| measure il partisan III !ts character: that
It makes tie Legislature OF the State sub
| scryient 20 partisan ends. il these men be
innocent, apprehend that there are enough
| men in the parish Of Ascension to say upon
their oaths that they are 80. The Law il
| sufficient. Let it take its course, and II
| they be guilty, let them suffer The punish
.nent that the law provides. But SO far as
| we are concerned. let it not be raid tilit We
have been instrumental in resculng these
parties from the clutches OF ;Le>law We
| must not participate in their gull: OK III
| their crime.
Now, sir. there is a Republican Judge and
q Republican District Attorney IL that dir
trict, and III the same parish where the
trial is to take place, there are about
eighteen hundred colored people to twelve
hundred whites. That is the way the
matter stands. The jury which viii
try tnem must i've composed mainly OF
colored men, as they compose the majority
of the voters in tina: parish. ! say again.
let not suck legislation as this pass Ii has
not been done IL the history Of the State of
Louisiana before, nor has il been done in
the history of amy other state. FOR when :,
law becomes general in its character !: IL
expected that the people will abide by The
simple expression of its will.
| Mr. Ray: know nothing, and therefore can
say nothing OF the merits of The case except
what the honorable Senator from Ascension
has stated here; hut what ! 10 want TO
say is that if this bill is passed, il viii not
be u precedent III Ike history OF this Legia-
!at,ire. All the old Senators viii recollec,
that 1T the las: session of tie Legislature. -
bill was passed. changing the venue from
the parish Of Catalonia to the parish OF
Jefferson. in the case Of Mr. Jones, under
| circumstances less strong than those that
have been made manifest III tins case. That
! bill met with the approval of ere:,y Senator.
| 10 net think heard :: single .ieseu:in.
| voice ~ il. say. therefore. that We have a
precedent 70 this case. and tlisi: similar ease
NAV very often arise hereafter. ldc>irc I"
have this hill read AMI considered al as earl '
u tine as possible. because I understand
from The Senator from Ascension tina. Il
special term OF the c.r:; has been called II
| that parish 1or the very piii;'nSc Of trying
! This case. and that the .oIl: is about to go
| into session. Therefore. il is NEG, SSury that
| the Senate shculd take some action on the
matter at once. If i. sake. any action on ii
| AT al. Although the Ia has been =" shaped
that TIA. Judge. himself may order Il change
of venue. or tina; the District Attorney may
| move 70 have that change lnaie-:;!though
the law upon the suhjct. II very liberal III
behal. Of the acc,lsed-yet in this instance
the position il taken By the Senator FROM
tina: parish that :lcre is such excitement
there :h:.; ,he Judge himself is under TIE
pressure vi p;:biic opinion and would not
feel safe in Gischargin. his duties accor,iin.
10 law. But donct p!eIendto argue the case
on lis merits. because GO not yer know what
the bill is. VIA: / wish TO state. was SIM
PLY that there vas prc""ie:i: for this case.
and that similar cases may arise II the III
! tu.c / so not !oo,. into this thing ia any
party light. because ! do not know whether
:hcsc prisoners ar. Republicans or Demo
, Gratis. nor do know whether the officers 81
the court are Republicans or Democrats. l
. do not care whether tkey are one or the
| other. because ! have as much confidence IN
:, Democrat assI have IL !. Republican.
Every man ought to wan. these men 10 have
a fair trial. ii they are convicted, LEI them
be punished. and If they are innocent. let
them be discharged from custody. All the
| gentleman asks now IS Tor Il SUSPENSION Ut
the rules TO have the bill read a second
time. | hope that the Senate VIII agree
MIR. Hunaaker: | want 10 make an cN-
| PLANTATION. have been in the cit; for two
or three weeks. and therefore can not speak
from my own knowledge; but l have been
told that the feeling is great against
these men in that parish, AID the deterli
| nation to convict them is 50 strong. that
even the ordinary processes i'll examining
i. criminals have been dispensed with The
Parish Judge has been cnjoined from cx'
: aiming these men. and the parties that
want to have them convicted have managed
to have a special term OF the court called to
PIT them on trial for their lives. All then
, witnesses reside in the parish o: st. James
and know that not ono Of them has been
summoned to appear before the court
Hence, the men who have been charged
with this murder 60 to the: t.iai without a
single hour Of preparation. Wien l tel
J this Senate that the determination Is 50
strong to convict these men that !Lci,
prosecutors have actually rcsorted Il
the Judge to keep lin from examining
these men, take il that the Senator
can not vote against this measure. If 'ht
. Scnator from Claiborne stood on the t'ool
in the attitude that dc, lie would perhaps
think differently. If these mon have com
.nit:cd crime. they will Ne prosecuted jus
as strongly IN st. james - III ascension
, bu: one feature viii be absent i'll ST. james
, and that will be prejudice. II mas not t"cl
: The practice in this country 10 cnjoln til,
, ! j,ldmn from examining criminals when he /:
= the regularly constituted person to DO 1h"s'
/ things ] say that when the Parish Judg,
| has been enioincd from interfering, with tn
: ease when it is his ,lutv 20 do 50. that 1t 4
| mot 1iolt that these prisoners should III