New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-16
A Handsome Compliment to Judge Dursfl.

Day dawns FOR bridal pride
l Gurrah, thou iron bride! Hurrahe
| A Handsome Compliment to Judge Dursfl
! Judge Durell was the recipient Of q com
| plimentary serenade at Hatfield, Massachu
sets, few days ago, on which occasion ht
| embraced the opportunity to allude to his
judicial action here last wintero This is the
first sme that We have seen from Judge
DurelI any aIlusion to the severe attack
which was made upon him BY CLIQUE OF
disappointed pIotters, instigated by che
corrupt Fusion + ress. We copy Sson sLe
Northampton Ga-etts:
HATFIELD
Monday evening witnessed 2nose pHeas.
ing event here. Judge Dureli. of Louisiana.
together with che Hon. E. G. Billings, OF
the same State, are guests OF ). j. Billings,
Esq. The people determined to give the
Judge q eerenade. Without distinction of
party. they assembled to the number of 100.
The Hs field brass band diScoursed some
unusually fine music. The Judge was in.
troduced to the people by MI. L. e. Billings.
IS follows
My Erientis-In Behalf OF my brother
and myself, desire to thank you for this
most pleasing manifestation of your kind
ness toward us and especially toward cur
distinguished guesto iou show Che inteliio
gence with which you gather up the occur.
rences OF our distant State when you thus
rally in such plumbers to proclaim the in JUS
tice OF the foul asperslons attempted to be
cast upon most worthy man and most
worthy judge My friends, introduce 20
You tue Hon. ss.1Way4 II. Duyels. O1 Lou
sslana.
Judge Dureii spoke as follows:
FelloW-eitizens II feel profoundly CRATE
Trs for this expression OF your esteem. I
interpret il as you intend it, understand
1t to mean al approval. eH your part. OF any
judicial action II a certain ease Row pro:al.
nent before the country. and which. during
til. past twelve months. has been much
commented on 10y the pubic press. aid. by
portion OF that press in IA spiri, most Bit.
ter toward myself. l thus interpret it be
cause before my action IN that ease. al.
though then a judge CT more than nine
years. standing. was little known beyond
the limits OF my district. and no such ova.
ton as this greeted me " hen Travelled the
land of my birth. l say land OF NY birth. Tor
New England is one i'll its geography, and
one in the ply slcai, moral and intellectual!
OF its children. 1t is now past
ten years since at the hands Of the great and
good Lincoln. received my comm:ssi as
Louisiana. The appointment was made
without my solicitation and almost without
any consultation o. my desires. In accept.
ing it. took leave forever OF al! political ;
aspirations. ! determined 10 do My full !
duty as judge between man and man, and |
between man amt the government. While |
have the tralltles OF man, l am cure that |
all who have been familiar with the pro. !
in the court. over which 1 have !
,l~lI ilnlS f,nAf ~
10 carry out this determination have never !
,altere1. My duties have been ardaous and |
unpleasant. bUt l have never shrUnk from !
hem. Indeed figidly enforced the confis. |
cation acts because they were laws while |
1t the same time iabered 20. their anne.
ioration. As 'he Congress has enacted |.
'tatGtes l have striven with itnparealSty 20 |
Enforce them: and !: in any case the com.
nunity ia which l dwell have found that !
severe. sure am f,at it was
he severity OF the law and not Of the Judge.
At last, in the prov !deEcs OF Sod. there
aMs before Sne q case which grew out of |!
he fifteenth amendment OF the con stitGtion |
}: the United States-~s:n amendment which
o my mind. is the crcWning glory % shat !
constitution land out Of the statutes passed |
o enforce the same. Il was case wherein
Ir kellogg 10 his pieadings alleged that he
lad been deprived OF his election by the de.
ial. on account OF race. eolors and previous
onGitier. OF the right to vote to citizens
Y no had striven TO vote. namely to 10000
itlzens by refusing them registration and
he opportunity to deposit their ballots and
o 10 900 other citizens. by the suppression
f their ballots after they had been actually !
asst. it WAS . case of first impression, !
ovel 60 the COURTS new to the
ountry. II was . case whose magni- /
ude can not be Over-estimated; and IL.
ened most patiently TO arguments most
laborate for a period Of ten days
nd then, knowing no party. Republican or
Democratic. knowing no individual, small
5 great, knowing only that Being to whom,
4 the hereafter. we must all render an &C.
cunt tor the deeds done in the BODY, de.
that It was my duty. under the
Nv. to entertain jurisdiction of the cause,
nd to issue certain interlOcutorv orders
ecessary TO its enforcement. For such
ction have been most csuelly yillifed by !
party whose political desires, il tbwarted. |
ere thwarted by the law and by the law
one: for when judge enforces the law, it |
the Ian alone which speaks and acts
rough him, as its instrument. have suf- !
red much from this abuse. | should have |
cen more or less than man not Co have suf-
red. But have had one source of COM |
rt, and, will add, of confidence. know
lat in my motives was right. / Will not
ere speak OF lae correctness OF my c0nclu-
ons; that perhaps would not be proper
ough as to that [ have never doubted. / I
low that having acted with an eye single
my whole duty and its fearless perform
ice, | was but an humble instrument in !
e hands OF God for the accomplishment
his purposes, and that while He some 4
Les permits HIS instruments to suffer.
entually He causes the truth to shine
nth clear as the sun. The great kindness
hich have this year experienced every
here at the North, and your presence here
might, are attestations that the people
this country will not suffer injustice, no
after how strong ly allied, to successfully
sail any officer of the government who
s honestly sought and striven to perform r
, duty. Fellow-citizens, again ! thank
u from my heart.
The earnestness and evident sincerity of a