New Orleans Republican., 1877-03-09
THAT ACRE.--wHOsE Is 1T?
Senator Bayard's Unhappy Reference
PACKARD'S JURISDICTION COVERS THE
STATE.
NICHOLS HOLDS A SINGLE
MUNICIPALITY,
WITH HIS STANDING ARMY
The District Courts the Real Key to
the Situation.

There are eighteen judicial districts,
seventeen outside of the parish of Or
leans. The majority have Republi can
judges. Each parish has clerk, and the |
majority of these are Republicans. So |
are a majority of the district attorneys,
probably, and sheriffs as well.
Now, all of these who were returned by
the Returning Board have probably re-
ceived commissions from Governor Kel-
logg or Governor Packard. Some of them
have, also, had kindly sent them commits
sions from Mr.. Nichols.
But of all the district judges of the
State, no one has esssyed to pass on the
all-important question of which is the
government, except the ever ready and
profound Judge Abel. Outside of the
parish of Orleans there has been pain
ful silence on the subject.
Now, if Mr.. Nichols is really the Gov
ernor, one would think that all these
judges, sheriffs, clerks and district at
torneys would have already had their
Nichols commissions and oaths, and the
sheriffs and clerks their bonds, taken un-
der the Nichols commission, entered on
the minutes of their respective courts.
That this has not been done to any great
extent outside of the parish of Orleans
we infer, for if it had, the Democ ratio
papers would have commenced to crow
over it as they have over every office
holder thus far who has filed an oath with
their bogus authorities.
What becomes, then, of the staten ent
of Senator Bayard that the Packard gov
ernment is limited to an acre of ground
on which the st. Louis Hotel is built ?
When we get beyond the sway of the
Nichols police in the city of New Or
leans, where does the Nichols gov ern-
ment begin?
It's authority is exceedingly qualified in
the parish of Orleans. 1t is still more so,
if it has any in Jefferson. What existence
has it in Plaquemines, ST. Bernard, st.
John the Baptist, st. Charles, OF
any other parishes surrounding OF
adjacent to New Orleans? The boot,
upon examination, seems to be on
the other leg. Instead of Governor
Packard's jurisdiction being hemmed up
and confined within the Capitol, it ex-
tends, with but little interruption, ovel
the broad territories and to the confines
of the State, while the Nichols govern.
ment is in on exceedingly asphyxiated
condition, and gasping for recognition.
A good deal has been said about tht
Supreme Court and its importance, but 8
slight analysis of the question will show
| that the location of the Supreme Court
e is not so important after all. Suppose 6
few of our district judges take the notion
of General Grant that the White League
9 Supreme Court, or the Supreme Court Sc
s installed, has no more authority than any
: other five gentlemen without title? l
D will then be found that the distric
: judges and not the supreme judges ar
the key of the situation. Not only tn
parish judges below them, but the su
preme judges pretending to be such abov
them, depend on them for recognition.
Article GIT OF the Code of Practice pro
> vides that the execution of judgment
: belongs to courts of the first instance
Article 6l9 makes this rule so much tn
: stronger Articles 620 and 623 add t
o these provisions so effectively that if tn
: Judge and clerk, or either of them, shoul'
e happen to look at q mandate or certifcat
+ of the Supreme Court and discover tina
a it does not come from the genuine cour
e of Judge Ludeling, but from five gentle
l men with no title but an Inauguration b,
t the White League, and sitting in one ent
q of room listening to lonesome lawyers
: while man with gun marches back ant
e forth at the other, and should decline en-
: tering or issuing writs upon these docu
s ments, the jurisdiction and authority o
: the Nichols government in the countr.
districts would be exceedingly attenuated
and Senator Bayard and its other friend
g much distressed at the discovery.