The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-06
IN NUBIBUS.

In NUBIBUS.
Mr.. Evarts, the new Secretary oil
State, has the reputation of a great
lawyer and advocate. We will not pre-
sumo to question the correctness Of this
general Judgment. Likewise he is said
to be considerable Of q wit, q reputa-
ton which. in the dryest and least
humorous OF all professions, is cheaply
gained, and, as Sam Weller said Of Lon
don mullins, "very filling for the price.
The severe logic and servile stereoty-
pism OF your old lawyer are not very
favorable to the development OF the
organ of wit and humor."
In our large and very respectable
bar we have known but two of its
members who ever essayed with much
zeal and earnestness to win this very
rare reputation. OF both 1t is generally
conceded that their efforts In that behalf
serve to illustrate their faith in the pet
legal maxim Of ''stare decisis," rather
than their ingenuity or capacity to
promote the legitimate results Of such
essays.
Joe Miller has long since hived all the
donations ever made by the Greenbags
to their encyclopedia Of witticisms and
puns. And when his voluminous record
is drawn upon by any aspiring humor-
lists Of the bar the guffaw or smile
evoked is courteous recognition Of
that compiler's fidelity and industry,
and OF the smiler's retentiveness Of
memory and the evoker's accuracy of
narration and capacity for reproduction.
Not daring, however. to ask for writ
OF error to the general judgment of so
awful an authority as the bar, and con-
ceding the prsma facie title Of Mr..
Evarts to the fame of wit and great
lawyer, we beg leave to enter our hum
BILE protest against the additional claim
set up recently for this very omnivorous
person to equal eminence as a states
man and publicist. And this protest
Is fully indicated by the perusal Of
his letter Of instructions to the
Presidential Commission to this State.
Not since we strove in our callow and
sophomore days to thread the laby-
rinthian sentences of Buffers Analogy,
of Jonathan Edwards on Will, of Reid
on Dreams and Brown on Mental Phe-
nomena, in pursuit Of the idea or mean
ing thereof, or of Fearn's Contingent
Remainders in the desperate and Sissy
phian search for the solution Of the rule
in Shelly's case, or the difference be-
tween contingent remainder and an
executory devise, have we encountered
more vexatious and sterile task than
In the effort to capture the idea or sense
of the following vaporish and verbose
sentences Of Mr.. Evarts' letter of in
structions to the Louisiana commits
sioners:
But it is most pertinent and important in com.
ing to q decision upon the precise question
ton OF executive duty before him, that the Pres
ident should know what are the real impede
ments to regular, legal and peaceful procedure
under the laws and constitution Of the
State Of Louisiana, by which the anomalies
in the government there presented may be put
in course OF settlement. without involving the
element OF military power. as either an agent or
make weight in such solution. The successful
ascertainment OF these impediments the
President would confidently expect would
indicate to the people OF that State the
wisdom and the mode OF their removal. The
usual circumstances which attended and fol.
lowed the State election and Canvass from it's re-
laton to the excited feelings and interest Of the
presidential election, may have retarded within
the State OF Louisiana the persuasive influences
by which the great social and material interests
common to the whole people Of State, and the
pride OF the American character as q law-abiding
nation, ameliorate the disappontments and dis
selve the reeen ments Of close and jealous polit-
cal contests; but the President both hopes and
believes that the great body OF the people of
Louisiana are now prepared to treat the unsettled
results OF the State election with calm and con.
cilistory spirit.
lit be too much to expect complete concur
renee in single government for that State at
least the president may anticipate a submission
TO the peaceful resources of the laws and the con-
stitution Of the State, OF all the dsssensions at
once relieving themselves from the reproa ch. and
their fellow ctizsns Of the United States from the
anxiefies, which must ever attend prolnnped
dispute as to the title and the administration OF
the government of one OF the States OF the
Unioy Ths President, therefore, desires that
ytn should devote your first and principal atten.
ZION Go d removal OF the obstacles to an aeknowi-
cdrmgnt OF one government 4. the purpose of an
exercise Of authority within the state, and rep
resentative Of the general government. usder
section of article 4.
Fortunately these sentences are adj
dressed to four lawyers. and as long as
they are to be interpreted by them, we
haux ssnn afau1fnp In nnurtsU hlyf3n hA-