Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-10-23
E. John Ellis on tudeIiau.

budeling has been through North Loui-
siana. He has been heard by some Of tue
poople and refused a hearing by others.
He has accomplished nothing except to
show himself to the people and let them
judge whether or not he is entitled to their
universal excavation. We think he il. and
believe that the greater part of our read.
srs join with MS in so thinking.
But in order that all may know to what
depth Of iufamy the man has really at
tanned, we extract from the Congression al
Record portion Of the speech of F.. John
Ellis in the contested election case of
Spencer vs.. Morey. When q decision of
tue Loui-iana Supreme Court, Of which
Ludeling was Chief Justice. was invoked
by Wells, of Mississippi, Mr. Ellis said:
1T Is not the first time in the Congress
OF the United States that the decisions of
the Supreme Court of Louisiana have been
invoked to sustain an enormity. Sir, rev.
erence for the bench learned as among
the hrst OF my lessons IA lawyer. Ii was
taught by my father. himself a lawyer and
Judge. aud IT was taught me too, by those
learned and venerable men under whose
nlinistrations | sat and learned what littl.
know Of law. Ignorance may preside on
the bench; eccentricity lie illustrated aud
ldioeyncracics he developed on the bench,
but as long n. purity is there bow my
head IN reverence before the judicial tri.
bunals of my country. But the Supreme
Court Of Louisiana is not beyond r-proach.
IN a. -.
the CALLING and swinging lash of the Su.
preme Court of the United States in that
sad decree in which the mrmi,rrs of our
most illustrious Court decided that he
had been guilty of fraud and dupiicity
unworthy man, much less a Judge.
Sir, gentlemen may invoke the decision
of that tribunal; gentlemen may call them
judges. But the men constituting the ma
Jority of that court. placed by the most sa-
cred shrine of lilcrty's temple to admins.
ter the solemn and beautiful rites of the
Constitution, straiyhtway robed them
selves in the dark vcstmruts Of partisan
priesthood, and have sacrificed their sense
OF truth aud Justice, their honor, and their
all upon the altar ct party aud Of
self In all the sad aud blickencd history
OF that once proud and ever beautiful State,
which in part represent. and which holds
blacklist feature has been the character and
hearing of its highest judicial tribunal.
When partisan aims were to lac accomplish
ed, IL was ever ready with the requisite
jurisdiction and decree. When the voice
of right and truth were to he >tifltd. its
ear WAS as cold and dead ~ the marble
statue that heard not Caesars fall. In all
of Lonisianas struggles with spoilsmcn
and public robbers and favored monopo-
lists, the Supreme Court of that State has
been on the side of the spoilsmcn. No
conflict between the people rs against wrong
and crime has occurred. but this same SUI
preme Court ranged its power with the
wrong and the crime. No tax was 81 ex-
cessIve, no impost 40 grinding, no over
throw of popular will 50 enormous and
fragrant for that Supreme Court to enforce
and decree, and with eager hands they
have FASTENED Ia afiix the seal of their ju-
dicial sanction upon any and every enor-
nifty demanded by robbcr greed or partisan
exigency.
In the calm reflective light Of the future
men will look back Ia the record Of that
Court and marvel at the depth of it's infa-
nay. Pilloricd in the execration and con-
tempt of the wise and the good il must
ever be- the judges shame, the lawyers
blush. And when the glad day of our de-
livcrance shall come, and il requires no
prophets eye to see even now the flushing
Of it's kindling splendors. the people If
Louisiana shall draw around that Courts
history and its volumed reports the black
lines Of their condemnation. and let them
forever remain the aprrypha Of orr juris-
prudence, never to he referred to a. prece-
dent or authority in any court or case.
And yet it is hut just to say that the fire.
qnent and able dissenting opinions Of
Wylie and Morgan show that they were
trne 10 their judicial duties, and that their
brains and heart were never in all the re.
cord of this sad betrayal of Law and right"