The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-25
LARRY MOORE'S SPEECH.

Very few people In this country, or, for that
matter. In this State. outside of the few par
ishes that composed it, have ever heard OF
the s'free State of West Florida" Yet there
was such O. State. which, for two years pre-
ceding the cession in 1921 OF the FLORIDA
provinces by Spain to the United States.
maintained its Independence and autonomy
It was composed of what are known in this
State as the "FIorida parishes" which became
part and parcel Of Louisiana by the Gesson
of 1921.
The right of these parishes to representa-
tiop was the occasion of bitter contest in
the LEGISLATURE of 1928. The election Of 1922
especially in New Orleans, was warmly con-
tested between what were known as the
French. or Creole, and the American parties.
It resulted in the success Of the former and
the election of Moreau Lislet as Senator
Commenting on the result of the election the
Louisiana Aducrtizer the leading city journal
of the day, said: "The result of the election
in this city has excited much interest. The
excitement promises to be neither limited nor
short-lived and Judging from present ap-
pearances, we look forward to divisions and
dissensions In society Of the most painful
character.
These apprehensions of the Advertiser were
speedily realized. by the introduction OF
resolution by Moreau Lislet to deprive the
Florida members Of their seats in the Senate.
The preamble and resolution were as follows:
Whereas, it is provided by article 10, section
2 of our constitution. that the State shall be
divided into fourteen sectional Districts, which
shall forever remain indivisible, and each OF
them elect one Senator; and Whereas that
number Of the said senatorial districts could
not be diminished or enervated, except by
amending our said constitution, which could
be done by q convention only;
Rea0lued. That SO much Of the tirst section
of the act entitled ian act for apportiOning
the representation Of that part OF Florida an
nexed to the State of Louisiana, and for other
purposes" as goes to establish three new
| Senatorial Districts and to give to that part
of Florida three Senators, is, in the opinion
Of the Senators, a direct violation of
our said constitution; and that the three
| persons holding at present their seats II the
| Senate as Senators by virtue OF the said act,
have been uncOnstitutiOnally elected, anu can
no longer retain their seats.
This resolution, Of course led to violent
and stormy debate. which, at one time, threat
ened the most serious consequences. Gen.
Thomas. the Senator from Baton Rouge, pro-
| tested against its immediate consideration,
but he was overruled, and the question
brought to an issue. It resulted in tic
Thibodeaux, the President of the Senate, vOt-
ing in the negative, and thus making tie,
Immediately the question was raised that
the President Of the Senate, who had voted in
the negative, was not entitled to vote except
on q tie, and reconsideration was moved
and carried On the twenty third January,
1923, however, Major Clark, of St. Tammany,
moved that the resolution Of MOreau L1slet
be expunged from the journal, which motion
prevailed after another heated debate.
Among those who took @ deep interest In
this discussion was Larry Moore, repre-
sentative from Livingston parish He was o
Statesman of the genuine Davy Crockett
type-a rough, plain-spoken, unlettered man,
but shrewd, strong-headed, brave and gen.
erous. When the debate was at its highest,
Ruffignac, the former Mayor of New Orleans,
made violent speech In French in opposl-
ton to the resolution Of Major Clark. His
deIiyery,was characterized by all the extra
VACANT gesticulation, and facial contortions
peculiar to French oratory, which served to
arouse old Larry to the highest pitch of ex-
element, though he understood not one
word that had been spoken. When Rufflgnac
had finished. Larry rose to reply.
Let us premise by saying that the glory OF
Mayor Ruffignac's nose is this day cherish
ed tradition. twas framed in one OF nature
most prodgal moods, and was simply enor-
NOUS It was wonderful nose, for when
nature left off art took it up and completed it.
It had been diligently cultivated through a
series of years, and at the time we speak ol
, was a marvel Of color as well as OF size
It was very red, but over the crimson ground
ran net work of large blue veins, which gave
it q phenomenal appearance Here was
, Larry's reply: "Mr Speaker, said he, 81
plainly see this thing has got to come to q
gineral fight; and when 1t does come to that
I'm agoin' Ito pick out the feller that's just
sot done thar, with that calico nose, (pointing
, at Mayor Rufignac) for my man, and | intend
to give him pertickler h-ll." Then turning
to the clerk, the late Judge Canonge. Larry
said" and Mr.. Clerk, want you to tell him
/ that, In his own id lingo
| The clerk, however, happened very fortu'
- nately to be an extremely mild hammered and
conciliatory gentleman, and the translation
he gave of Larry's speech was about as fol
) lows: 1.-THE gentleman from Florida said he
exceedingly regretted to see SO much hostile
feeling evinced among members of the same
great political family, and much feared that