The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-24
THE COUNTRY SESSIONS OF THE
SUPREME COURT.

SUfhEME VVUNas
Alexandria wants one Of the conn
try terms of the Supreme Court, and
she has some substantial reasons to
back her request, which we propose
from time to time to urge in her be-
half. To want thing without any
reason for having it, and to desire it
because one has better right to it
than anyone else, is to occupy two
very different attitudes. We can
readily imagine that Opelousas, who
got the June term through the infu-
ence of Tom Anderson, when it was
moved from Natchitoches in 1870,
should desire to retain it, notwith-
standing the difficulty of access to it
at that time, its proximity to New
Orleans and the small amount of bus
mess which comes before the Court
there; and we can see too why Mon
roe should wish to keep the term
which is held there in July; but
over both of these places We have the
advantages of geographical position,
and that our Court House is more
suitable for the purposes Of the Su-
preme Court than either of theirs.
We have too, the finest hotel build
ing in the State, outside of New Or
leans. We are sure that we can offer
better accommodations to the Su-
preme Judges, both in and out OF
Court, than they can find anywhere
else out Of the City of New Orleans.
There is no time in the year when
Alexandria can not be reached from
above and below by the river, and in
June and July when the two coun-
try terms are held, we usually have
our regular packets running on sche-
dule time. Our low water does not
generally commence until the Fall of
the year, and the lowest stage is not
reached until Winter, the time when
the Court would be engaged in New
Orleans. AS a matter of convent
ence, the majority of the parishes
which carry their appeals to Opelou-
sas and Monroe could bring them to
this place at less expense and 8
great saving Of time and trouble, and
the few parishes which can not con-
veniently come here would find it no
more expensive or troublesome to
carry their appeals to New Orleans,
and they will not probably object to
going there with them.
Our idea is that it is necessary to
have but one country term, instead
of the two now held, provided the
Court has leave to sit at the place
selected until it has disposed of all
the business before it. This could
easily be done at one place in the
two months they now hold their SEES
sions in the country, and in fact in
less time, because they would save
the time of travelling from Opelou-
sas to Monroe.
Our plan has another advantage
which will doubtless commend itself
to the Court and the city lawyers.
AS the terms are at present arranged
the country docket is taken up in
February in the very midst of the
trial of the city docket, and this ar
rangement is the cause of much con
fusion and dissatisfaction. All this
would be remedied by having the ap
peals from more than three fourths
of the country parishes made return
able to Alexandria, and permitting
the others TO carry their appeals to
60 to New Orleans and take their
places on the city docket. There
would then be no confusion and no
postponement Of the city docket.
Alexandria is the geographical CEN
ter of the State, and has q right to
expect to be chosen as the one place,
should only one be selected, and 10
one. Of the country terms in any
event, if more than one should be re-
tanned. We will soon have direct
railroad communication and that will
give our town another advantage.
We want term of the Supreme
Court here, and we shall not miss it
from any lack of attention to the
subject on our part. We will allude
to the question again hereafter.
-RIGHT Reverend Bishop Xavier
Leray, the successor to the holy and
lamented Bishop Martin, has reach
ed Natchitoches, having arrived
there on the 14th inst. The citizens
turned out en- nsasse and gave him a