The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-20
A HIATUS IN THE CONSTITUTION.

Tothn Elitor Of tho Danosrht:
Al tho Lrgislatnrs Is now engaged with
the selection Of Judges FOR tho courts of ap
peal. IL would be woll To call thotr attention
to the omission Of an important matter In tho
o%onHtitutlon Of lRta. On tho subject Of courts
OF tho parish and city of Now Orleans, : rage
~. we find:
"Anr. t2n, Tho provisions or this eonstisu-
tion relating to tho term Ut ohtn OF
tho juigeH Of tho circuit courts Of appeal
throughout Tho State : : : shall apply
10 this court and liz Judges.
Turning back To tho courts OF appeal, tho
latter part Of tho frat paragraph oil article
ninety-aix says: .,
oourts at appeal under this constitution
| shall ba olnrtod for tho following terms: orc
judEa Tor oaoh court for tho term Of four
years. and ono judge for the torn OF eight
| yaara.
fraf julgea. but nothing Is said. rs far as ]
have harn Rblr to discover. MS To the term Tor
aurcredjup Judges MT tho expiration 81 tho
pertoda ot four and eight yrnra mentioned IN
article nluety.alS. Tho Legislature must.
therefore,. nike tho noraeaary atopR to supply
thia omission, other wiao. Mt tho Hnd OF tour
ynnra tl,cro will ba no constitutional courts
Of appeal In tho state.
Respectfully yours. a. j. LEWIS.
FLOYD, In, january 2, 1880,
To the Editor of tho Democrat:
In ~ short timen new administration I'M
dor Democratic auapIo0a. viii th5B intu tn
hnnda tho government 81 Louisiana. The
constitution OF tho people will aoon become
operative In every department, We appre-
hond tho great benefits TINT wa are 10 derive
from Tho change, whom r. wlaoly solccted and
faithful I4egislature ahall truly appreciate
and curry ont It's judicioua provisions.
We hope TO SEQ here n model government,
perfect IN all its parts. We aro sattstisd that
the Legislative and executive departments
will he we'll filled. from present Indications.
The complement OF ite perfection will be
nude when the WiSeet Judgment. tho most
acholarly ability, and the profnlnioat legal
learning rciiects from the alIpreme bench OF
our State the majesty OF It's laws. We have
every confluence in tho ability OF Gov. Witt
to mako Tho s~eleGtion OF our supreme Judges.
II may he we'll, ho viewer, To discuss the
merits of those who will h0 Gpnsldertd by
the Governor with references 10 his hp-
polntmenta. We llelr tho names OF only tho
hssl lawyers In the State mentioned for thnso
rosponslble positions, and we fool confident
that tho wisest md bnst men OF Louisiana
viii grace our next supreme bench.
We arc pleased to believe that from this
diatriet IL 4ontleman will be unanimously In
durBoi who IL tho penr OF the ahlest OF Ia"
louisiana bur. We refer to Col. X. Il. Todd,
of Morehoise parish. We hope no may be
/ tII HNtl, Il ~ bhAtlt t'E, Iti' Nah'' - - -
serves to BE-. to I'LL the first place upon tho
bench. The mantle OF our greatest Judges Of
the past could fall upon no moro polished
and scholarly gentleman. or more profound
lawyer and Jurist, than Col. Todd. A gradu-
nta of ono Of the frat universities Of the
United States, Col. Todd came to Louisiana
early In life with n diploma OF the common
law school. A classical scholar and u thor
ough linguist, understanding critically the
French and Spanish languages, he entered
upon the practice and study Of tho law IN
Louisiana with peculiar advantages. Ills
present accurate knowledge OF every branch
OF the law Is the result of an immense prac-
tice for many years and II life Of hard study,
His scholarly appreciation of the spirit and
philosophy OF our Jurisprudence evtnces an
iustinctive love OF hts profes sion and a rover,
ence for tho wise simplicity OF our code, which
entered into and made pleasant the labor oil
his earnest research and application. A most
extensive business before the courts OF the
State for thirty years has made him accurate
In the regimen Of our practice. Col. Todd If
u vigorous and able writer.
WI hope that the mastery knowledge oil
men for which Gov. Witt Is distinguished
will recognize in Col. Todd the able lawyel
aud profound thinker that he Is, and NEE
the appreciation Of all who know him, b,
making him our next Chief Justice. In tht.
hope, and In all [ have said, | believe | bu
, reflect the wishes and sentiments OF the ba
and people of North Louisiana.