The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-02-28
The Da.igS ar Privileges e ..zaz.;:- Al
IHTs

Sell M :, i'N'i.' Z: IitE'i.th! iItfItGF tI
the bar oi dis cit, in Which l.c ,.nugi.
~ iusfit! his performance ..,f pt"ics
sioual services Tar Govt!por Wa,moti
in u'liH!srt of suits Of Il i,.rr or less
p6ltlca! c''Hr..c'ei. iir, Senmes. We
infer from hi irttvr. claims the si.l,l
10 render such scl> les as one uf tl,
duties or privileges IF The fraternity OF
lawyers, and we supp"S,, without suh.
i,cting himself to uniavorahle criticism
or mourning the loss of the public con
fidence and regard He appears to
think the praft ssinual cloak sufficient
], ample ia conceal Tie motive 81 the
Governor in enpIoyi ing ll.m aud ia
blind the pubic TO tie r,al claract. ,
of Tie relations thtts eat, red iu,o. Il.
now freely discussed 10y the Icnpl,:-as
10 how Tar !, lnny.-I should go in tl;t-
ciuu his talents, his eXI;rlir,Icr aud his
influence III the courts at the disposal
Of man like Governor Warmuti. in
the tuvtl,rranvc IF the usurpalinns of
mower and in the promotion 1T tie cor
rupt schemts aud speculatinus in the
nubic securities in which the Chir!
Executive of The State has been ami
still is engaged. Mr.. Scmnes avowS
having been employed by Governor
Walmotl IL i've cases, the nature of
which lie states. but he denies haviu.
ever been Go, ernUl NigImuti,'S '',m!it
zeal couuSell"r ANA sUr,,c,'cr" He adj
mi.s tia. ".n the itcrn, DISTURBANCES
be- Supported III" G"v.,n,r 'ils the re-
urese,tativc of ii" cnusti.ut autl,or-
tiles OF the State" and T. nj he was on
roscd to Tie c"iHtfa,tini. entered! iuto
by tie Democratic Stat. CcutIai Gem
mitlcr with tie Garter Repuhlicau~,
bur denies that The Gu,e,nor t1rl ask
ei his aG.ic on l"ciii teal q,:eSiiuus,
aud III the ony ins'Hncr he ever gave
advice Il, the Gnve,lnr The latter re-
fused to follow it. Mr.. Semmcs states
liz is nppnsststo tie registration and
election laws, is '.,;n< Nous fer reform
both p"ll'lcai and ec"n"sniraI," aud
that, tie Governor is iuIiy informed
thereof.
Ia these admissions we find quite
enough i" ant!5oIizs. the Inference. We.
drew fion, the np!ni"., Nj, Scmmcs ,x-
pressed as tn the fell, Governor War
moth would comm were hn to suIren-
der the power which lie holds ur,,er
the Registration, Election and other
laws. We care not whether Mr.
Semnies at any time formally COMM
n!catod 10 Governor WHrmoti, his
views with regard tn ,rtainiug or Civ
Ing NJ tie s...w"r thus Invested in the
Executive Il Is tD"ug!s Tor Us tn
ku"w that Nj. 5 mn Is wAs "a. favurut
a c"a!!Ii,,n NrIureu Ike Democrats and
the Governor. The. latter was, d,,,lll:-
less, aware of The views Of Mr.. Semnrrs
on this subject and derived more or
less strength t.nln the support thus :f-
folded hini in his contest with the ,,.o-
pie. MIR. Stmmes is, Of course, cnti-
tied to the enjoyment y: his nw, npin-
ioHs as t" the advantage of il condition
with i.!"se who ATE in power and hy
their power able to rewa,d tl;,,se who
stand h> hem, hat the season he gives
for rreiersine Warmoth 70 Garter will
not be likely Ia cnii,ilc. The people of
Louisiana that Nh. SvumeS Was Hi,iu-
fnenced by the connection established
between himself and the Governor as
legal c"nhsrl, If President Grant, as
Mr. Semnies SAYS, w"nid not have al
ln'eu Mr.. Carter. in Tie event of bis
success, I" reiesi! laws which scared
che State for the in,lHtr in the next
Presidential etciiou, il might have
been answered that ncitheT w,.rlitI
Harmo'il permit The repeal of laws,
btcanse, @itlnnt them, he must expect
to give up, at lie end of his term ui
Office. the power which he has So
abused. Whether Mr.. Semmes WAS
Tslt tor wrong in "ppnslng the Demo-
cratic combination with Mr.. Carteran.l
his associates, vii be determined b,
the action ofadr General Assembly ana
the G"Nefnotnii reform measures now
before thehl.
As to the privilege eiaimei Ivy Mr.
Semmes aud other lawyers of this city.
|" render professional services to the
"ppr' s>or> and ,,!nn.ierers of the pcu-
pie without being Implicated in the |
erin", We think ,i,a, il ciuuot be rnr- !
ce,iea ~ them. Lawyers ought I" ,,. |
ifthey are not, ministers in the temple !
@jRstice. AR9 they cannot complain If,
they lose he respcct-of the people when
they share IN the rayes Of iaigaity. -
They are advisers q: iIit coHi. and are
false to their oaihs and their duty to
society when they advocate the cause
OF high officials, whose only Occuna-
ton Is to "iiness the people, under
NINE their virtue. nsnfr power, aud
I'VE ap"n pnhhc plu,.,!cr. II there be
any difference between the dat!cs and
privileges of lawyers and those of cit:-