New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-27
A DESERVED TRIBUTE TO AN EEEI-
EENT MAN.

I
While the enemies Of Judge Durell, o
rather Of the Republican party, have beer
ondeavoring to poison public opinion a
the North by the employment of auda
cious falsehoods and perversions Of i'm.
perfectly known facts, the truth has found
means to assert itself in quarters where
| its influence is specially desirable. Judge
| Durell's assaiIantS have used every means
known to unprincipled, untruthful parti-
| sans to create a prejudice against him at
the North. His acts as Judge have been
| first misrepresented and then criticised
from the false standpoint. Even his per-
| sonal reputation has been attacked in the
most wanton and untruthful manner.
People who have lived here for years, and
have learned to love him as a man and to
respect him for his eminent abilities and
moral worth, merely laugh at the impotent
efforts Of LITTLE men to injure Judge Due
rell. And we are glad to see such North
ern journals as the New York Evening
Post devoting their abilities to the work
Of informing their readers correctly in the
mattero The following letter. which we
find published in shat Journal is both
timely and justS
JUDGE DURELE, OF new ORLEANS
To the EDITORS of the Evening Post:
AS the name of Judge DurelT has been
made familiar by the agitation Of the re-
-, ATo, n,I,
as his reputation has already been assailed
in the heat of partisan strife, permit me- to
say who Judge Durell is. He was born In
New Hampshire, and is of the very best
blood of New England. At college he was
a classmate of Wendell Phillips, resembles
the great agitator wonderfully in his per-
sonaI appearance and was his rival jn
scholarship. More than thirty-fve years
ago, after graduating with credit as fawo
yer, he moved TO Mississippi, but finally
settled down in New#5rleanso 4 great
natural linguist, writing and speaking the
German and French huentlyo he soon estah-
lished himself in a lucrative practice, but
never abandoned his fondness Golo IterA-
ture. a Democrat in politics, he interested
himself in such associations SO tar as 20 take
part in municipal affairs, ana was the au.
thor of the city charter under which, gwen
ty years ago, the city rose 30 prc-eminenco
fOg good and economical government AS.
sociated with Samuel :. Peters and other
great men Of his day. Mro Durell assisted |
in establishing the public school system, |
the fire department, and the financial safe.
guards which controlled the city tinanceso !
For years before the rebellion judge |
Durell devoted himself @Kclu8Igeiy to his |
practice. but employed his leisure time in !
studying jurisprudence: and he is today, |.
probably one of the most accomplished
gentlemen and legal lights III the country.
A strong Union man. and proud OF his
native section, as the secession spirit in
creased, it only served 80 drive Judge !
DurelI more to his library, When Yancey !
made his inhamrnatory speech in New Or.
eanso preceding overt acts OF rebellion,
Judge Durel! denounced the speech, and
was driven 'intU coventry" as u syms
Dathizer with the North. when General But
er gained possession ef the city he left his
orced retirement. brought his great ex.
}erienoe in the municipal affairs OF the
'ity to the organization OF the city govern
nento which had been left e wreck by
Monroe and his Gompeers. Under his ad-
the credit Of the city instantly
ose, all debts we're promptly l&iH. public
gorks were resumed, as the "'shinpIasteps
f New Orleans were more valuable than
green backs.' Whea the constitutional
onvention was organized he was unan.
mousIy elected president, and but for his
rmness and sound Judgment, at the an
ouucement Of Banks disaster on Red river,
he convention would have dissolved in a
anico
For his patriotic services and Hoea3 ac-
uirements, Mr.. Lincoln, fortunately for
louisiana, appointed him District Judge.
Ee instantly opened his court, and it be
anne at once the centre Of law and order.
Ie is firm almost beyond precedent. IN in
umerable cotton cases. which came be.
ore him he dealt justly with all litigants
.ebel social influences and the political
over Of special treasury agents were fear
sssly and justly dealt with. His decisions
l the numerous prize cases which came be-
ore his court are models of clearness and
nowledge of maritime law. a successful
ppeal has never been recorded. He is
smperate, quiet, scholarly. and model /
ldge, and bus for the unhappy political
rifles which are constantly making appeals
y Justice to his court, he would never be g
card Of outside the usual practice of l
,deral court. He dislikes politics, its es- I
tements ana associations; but called on :
act, he will decide fearlessIy, and do in I
Il cases what he deems to be strictly right, A
either frowns nor adulation turning him Z
,ide, =