The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-06-25
PARISH CoURTs.
shall They Be Abolished ?

Editor Democrat - Among the acts
passed by the last Legislature-so called
and which the de facto condescended
to sign, was one enacting that several
amendments to the present State con-
stitution be submitted for adoption by
the voters Of the State at the next elec-
tion. Among these several amend.
ments there Is one, the adoption oil
which, in my humble opinion, would re-
suit fearfully to the detriment of the 4, In
terests OF the people. l mean the
OF the State. That such a scheme
should have found its paternity In
the breast OF William Pitt Kellogg
is not remarkable. It Is only in keep
ing with several other attempts on the
part of Kellogg and his gang to abolish
and to reduce the fees and salaries OF
officers Of the State-in some instances
to almost nothing, as a sort OF punish
ment or reprisal on the Democratic
party for putting Radicals out Of office
and putting themselves in. The whole
design, in q nut shell, is this: Kellogg
and his gang OF rufflans, recognizing
the fact that their party Is going out OF
power. have determined to abolish all
emoluments arising from those they
cannot abolish to as low q rate and
make them as little lucrative to those
who hold them as possible.
Hence, the proviso In every law where
reduction Of fees or salaries are cstab-
lished, that they take effect from the
first day Of January, 1877, when the
RAIDS know that by that time they will
nearly all of them be out Of Office. But
that the Democratic Conservative mem
bers should have fallen into Kellogg $
trap and passed that amended law to
abolish parish courts, is what / cannot
comprehend. IL parish courts be abol-
ished and their business turned over to
the district courts, then the number OF
district courts must be doubled, or else
hold their sessions continuously, es-
pecially in the parishes bordering
on the river, or as a last con
sequence the vast mass OF the smaller
cases Of litigation, such as the parish
courts now adjudicate, would not be
reached and settled for years, which Is
about equivalent to saying that IL the
parish courts are abolished the poorer
classes who now constitute the masses
OF our citizens, may as well, and better,
oil their rights in the courts
and suffer themselves to be fllched and
robbed by their stronger or richer neigh
bors. The parish court is emphatically
the poor MAJ, s court, and when you take
that from him, you deprive him OF his
greatest boon under the constitution
the right to be heard I'm the courts-for
which right he does and will contend.
Every body at oil posted in our judi
ciary history knows that after the abol-
ishment Of the old parish court system
Nv the new constitution Of 1916, how
greatly the rights OF litigants suffered
for the want Of time in the district
courts to attend to the smaller cases,
and how such cases would hang on from
court to court, sometimes for years, be-
fore adjustment, especially succession
cases and how it became q proverb
that when man died In Louisiana his
debts died with him, or that you might
rs well give up your claim; and also
how much the people were disappointed
and dissatisfied because the constitution
Of 1852 did not provide for a parish court,
or some tribunal OF that character.
Anyhow, strong this feeling was among
the people and the bar to have such
tribunal. So strong was 1t that have
there would have been an amendment
to the then existing constitution for the
Of parish courts, or some
similar tribunal. hope, by the votes
OF the masses against it, the amend
ment will fail Of adoption; and then let
The next Legislature amend the law and
require that the parish judges shall be
lawyers, licensed by the State at least
three years previous to their election
and there is no constitutional inhibition
against such a law and we will have no
more complaint Of parish courts.
1 trust the people, and especially the
of the bar OF the State, will
AXE this subject up and discuss 1t de-
iberately from a practical and business
and then vote down the
COUNTRY.
The Young Mems Democratic Con-
Club met Thursday evening,
1t their hall, corner of Tchoupitoulas
Ind st. Andrew streets, IN regular week
y session; P. Lubie, President.
After the transaction Of the usual
business, the resignation Of the Secre-
ary, Mr.. G. w. Johnston, was read and
and Mr.. James A. Douglass
vas unanimously elected to fill the va
,ancy.
There being no further business be-
ore the club, they adjourned to meet
lext Thursday evening, at u o'clock
}. m.
Within few days there has been
lecided improvement in the quotations
II State consols, which have gone up
rom three to four points, and command
o-day Co. A pretty large amount has
been called for from New York, and
he market is firm. The improve
nent is encouraging in many more re-
in our present State govern
nent it may be one Of those significant
traws which indicate the direction of
political currents Of air.
Rev. Father J. M. Jan who oficiates
It St. Martinville since twenty-six
'ears. celebrated on the eve OF the holy