St. Landry democrat., 1879-06-21
A Speech and n Speaker.

We arc very certain that we express
the unanimous sentiment of all lntelll-
gent people who have heard or read 1T
when we say that the speech OF Hon.
Don Catfrey Oh Thursday is altogether
the finest specimen of oratory and the
ablcst exposition of the legal aspects OF
the State debt that has been cilcited
during the session OF the Convention.
| 1t is more than a mere speech, IL IS an
expression of the loftiest patriotism and
! craftsmanship, and it stamps its author
as the most liberal, comprehensive, lu-
dependent and courageous mind III the
convention or in public life of any sort
in Louisiana to-day. Mr.. Catfrcy .ap-
| prOaches the subject of the State debt
with an originality all his own. lie
brushes aside at one sweep the small
special plcadings and narrow detail
work that have been suffered to confuse
and distort it, and encloses it at once i'll
the broad grasp OF simple and evere
| logic. I'VE have no right, even il we
had tie ability, to inquire into the debt
rs represented in the bonds funded
under the constitutional amendment OF
| 1874. That amendment was accepted by
| the popular vote, was cnglafted upon
the Constitution, has been recognized by
| the government which succeeded that Of
Kellogg, is part Of the Constitution
under which Mr.. Nichols holds and
under which the present Convention was
ordered. 1t has received the formal
| sanction OF the Supreme Courts OF the
State for nearly five years past, and is in
all respects as binding as any law can be
un,ier a republican form of government.
If we can break down that Constitution
| then Gov. Nichols is an impOster and a
usurper, the criminals executed under
his administration were murdered by
his hand, transfers of property were
fraudulent, and the Convention itself
an irresponsible mob. II that Constitu-
ton stands, as it must and will stand
i,y any test of law or reason of fact,
then the acts done under it were lawful
and binding and cannot bo u1dOne.
This is in brief the outline OF Mr.
| Cattrey's argument, touching the res
possibility OF the people in the premises,
| and we believe that all fair-minded
men will cpncele that ris unanswerable
| 1t follows, therefore, that If the consti-
| tuition was binding and the governments
| were lawful, under which this funding
| was done, the people are bound by the
acts OF their agents.
Of the speakers mastery definition OF
the. powers ct the Convention, of his
thrilling appeal to the patriotic hearts of
name of honor and good faith, we need
say nothing here. We give Mr.. Catfrcy's
magnificent effort in full in our edition
of this morning, so that all may have
ap opportunity of reading it and keep
ing it. Our idea here is merely to eX-
press our appreciation of Dir. Cafrey's
attitude and of the manly and forcible
manner in which he has assumed it.
Contrasted with the lofty sentiment and
irrefutable logic of his speech, the mar
row, reckless and ignoble pleadings of
the repudiators snriTccll into their in
trinsic littleness and become contempu-
bic and misc!ievous to the most casual
glance. Dir, Caifrey is new to public
life: A native OF st. Mary parish, q
soldier during the period Of our common
peril, and a lawyer and planter by oc-
cupation, he has been little known in
politics beyond his parish. He possesses
the confidence of his neigllborhOod,
however, as has already been demon
strated in very marked and signal
manner, and it is no great venture to
say that, owing to his course i'll the |
Convention, MIR. Caffrey will lie heard Of
again in politics, and in very much the
sort Of connection he chooses TO indicate.
So far as we can judge, Mr. Catfrey |
possesses in a high degree that rare
Ionbination of qualities for which we |
have been seeking so long and so yainly |
in our Governors, and is just the inde- |
pendent, clear headed, courageous and |
patriotic statesman whom the conserva-
tive citizens and substantial interests
of the State need to represent and pro-
tect them.
We reproduce the above from the
New Orleans Times of the 18th. The
compliment to Mr.. Caffrey is deserved,
every word Of it, and we heartily en-
dorse the estimate placed on the speech,
and the speaker by our contemporary.
Every Louisianian must rise from the
perusal of this great speech hm satisfied
that, if the convention has done moth
ing else it has brought one great man
prominently before the people of his
State. Our greatest regret is that there
are so few such men as he in the con-
vention. Whether repudiation succeeds
or fails Mr.. Catfrey's noble effort will
long be remembered by those who had
the pleasure of hearing it, and will sink
deep into the memory of all who read it.