New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-04
Judge Abel Or the situat.on-His Charge
to the Grand jury.

Judge Abel OF the Situ8t.oR-His Charge
to the Grand jury.
In the First District Court yesterday
morning Judge Abel delivered charge to
the grand Jury as follows
You represent, as grand inquest, the
greatest commercial city in the South the
greatest moneyed interest of the State, and
one of the most enlightened people OF the
world.
But by d;scOrd and strife Louisiana. with
her great capacity to prosper the present
aud bless future generations, will soon De
come not only an oppressed, but Il de
graded people Justice is due to ali: WAlcD
is, indeed, the foundation of AL good:
The population o: the State Is DIVERSE
about one half white and the other COZ
oy ed. all equally free by the law OF the
land. As to social equality, there Is o,i!
little on earth. Society regulates USeli'
Gentlemen, am also Of The nina 'nat tno
different elements composing the popuia
tion of the State are mutually benehcial 10
each other. aud are capable of being so
barmopized as to advance at once the soEio
;nterrsts of the State. This can he done
cansisteotlv, honorabIy and legally aud
without delay. via, c.o.,s Los
taken hold of our complications with con-
me,dable earnestness, but in my Judgment
has failed to render such speedy and just
relief az we have in our grasp, and as the
denlora BILE condition of the State demands
IF new election had been ordered 1t
would have been an abandonment of the
soyereignty of the State. If things remain
as they are, rum, speedy and certain awaits
US. j.,
Having been made to be judge Of the
First District Court Of New Orleans alter
nately BY both parties, and being nov full
of years, a few friendly suggestions may
not be unkindly received by my country
men. What the people now need and nave
Just cause to demand is wise and just laws,
admin stored by honest and capable officers
This can be obtained by harmonizlng and
retaining the best elements of both parties
in the Legislature, equal in numbers. Ihey
would be mutual checks, and issue wise
and lust laws, establish confidence and
place the State on the march Of prosperity
and true greatness.
The State could better afford to pay two
sets of State officers than to be destroyed
by contentious, or her substance consumed
by individual greed. or devoted to official
CORRUPTION, as has been the case for the last
five or six years. Gentlemen, all good men
arc bowed down. No one knows what to
do. elimination aud recriminatlon can do
no good That the State is in imminent dan
ger is conceded by all, but by great sac
rifices and patriotism the dangers may
be averted at cnce, on the basis that
each Legislature elect one-halt Of the con-
stitutional number required to form the
General Assembly, to select one of the con
testants fol- Governor and the other to the
United States Senate-One-half of the State
officers TO belong to each party, the success
full person to be- promoted to an ottce equal
" profitable and honorable, that he may
serve and homer the State without injustice
to him, and that the patronage of the State
be equally distributed between the Conser-
natives and Republicans.
tttntIemeD, an arrangement on this basis
would, to my mind. meet the appreciation
of all lovers of good order at home and
abroad. Having acted with fidelity to the
State, and with respect to suggest and
recommend to my countrymen that each
body claiming to be the Legislature OF the
State To appoint a committee OF their
respective bodies TO select one-half the con-
stitu ionat number elected, who shall meet
as the General Assembly of the State of
Louisiana, and elect one OF the claimants
to the executive Office to- be United States
Senator, leaving the other 10 be Governor
of the State of Louisiana, the same com
mittee to apporton the other offices.
Gentlemen, if you believe with me that
the present affords fit opportunity to unite
our people for the public good, I ask your
convenience in this respectful recommends
ton.
Gentlemen | firmly believe that the con-
servative State ticket, with the majority of
the Legislature, were elected about as fair
"a is common in State elections; but indi-
vidual opinions should be as nothing when
the interests of the State and the good of
the people are endangered. For one, am
not only ready 70 sacrifice to the public
good my opinions and preferences. but the
Office of judge of the First District Court,
which has been so generously bestowed
upon me by majority of more than 10000.