The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-10-27
JUDGE BARBIN'S CHARGE.

U u
ted from out of the mass Of your fel-
low citizens, to inquire into the man
ner in which the laws Of your coun-
try have been respected or violated.
You are now part of the machinery
of.the Government. q part, al impor-
tant and a conspicuous part OF she
administration of the law has been
confided TO iour5care. ion have been
placed ap"o an eminence, . ''"at"n
On iii. ara uron f!'.i: ,te1ii@+nt
appreciation of y"uF Hut:.. and your
honest and impartial performance Of
1t, depends much OF the veal or woe,
in this magnificent Parish Of Rap
ldcs, for many months TO come.
All Governments derive their just
powers from the consent Of the gov
e, ned, but it is only in free govern
| 'nen.s like ours, that The people are
invited and required to take so di
rect share. SO immediate \ partici-
patton In The administration OF the
laws, as you are now called upon 70
do. To the faithful execution of the
laws must the people look Tor the
tsuppr, ssion of crime, and protection
from wrong--and through the ma
chinery Of juries chosen from The
body OF the people must these vital
functions be performed. 1t is thus
that your own welfare is conided 10
| your own keeping. Gentlemen, you
dwell in 8 remarkably favored re.
gion. Nature has been more shah
prodigal 10 The lavish blessings she
has showered upon this beautiful
Parish, wherein your lot is cast.
lowered with the most bountiful
climate and prolific soil. where wood
land and prairie, hillside and vale.
invite the bome-seeker to leek
further tor home: where sol! and
cline and location have invited to
make agriculture safe and profitable,
always. Rapides seems to have been
destined for y paradise. No grseDer
grasses ever aecked the sod. nor
bluer skies bent over it, than here;
ana to fill the measure Of attractions
you have this majestic river rolling
before your doors 70 bear upon its
bosom the wonderful products Of
your fields to the busy marts of COM
merce. But all these advantages
combined cannot of themselves make
you a prosperous and happy people.
There are regions of the earth where
everything man may need fog corn
! Portable existence springs spontane-
DUSTY from the virgin soil, and are al
his command without snioney and
without price. And yet there is nei-
} ther happiness nor prosperity An
Eden without law aud order, would
soon become desert. Why are 50
many Of your fields hidden beneath
the jungles Of weeds and briars which
, di,fgu,e them2 Why does the cry
|, come up on every side for labor,
=, more labor7 Why is not the over
flowing wealth Of the great ritic.
3 poured out upon these fair fields. and
why TO not the overcrowded and star
e wing thousands ia dismal climates
! and famine-stricke cities and na
lions come to this abotle of plenty
where hunger il unknown Does uo'
a truthful answer leap ready made t.
: every lip7 Whether truthfuiiy Of
: slsnderously, the report has gone
abroad that in this beautiful South
q land OF ours, the waves of civiliza
D tion have bea:en in vain again,:t tn,
+ cowardly habit Of carrying deadl,
; weapons, and the barbsrous practice
II Of using them, and that in the pub
lie estimation, man who is no
h prompt to resentinsults by resortint
}, to arms loses caste and is not respec
!. ted as a gentleman, and to use TIL
: common expression. the man who il
t not Ton the shoot is no man at all
ID Gentlemen, your Parish needs cap
e ital and it needs labor;' immigration
will soon make it to blossom as tn,
irose. but capital and labor will neve
icome to a region which has eithe
Justly or anjustly a reputation 70
p deeds of personal violence. I do no
! accuse your Parish of being wors
than its ueighbors in this regard, bu
all over our fair land the pistol ant
. the knife have long been too read,
n and too cruel. If compelled to as
t sign the chief cause of the slownes
It Of immigration to seek our vast
places, l believe l would say that j
is this unsavory reputation of ours
and this false unreasonable worship
and idolatry of brute strength an,
physical courage, and if asked al
u antidote to the evil, l would unhesi
9 tatingiy prescribe strict enforce
# ment of the laws in spirit as in let
It ter. In republic, there are but tw
: classes of people, the law breaker
g and the law aiders; the lovers of la,
o and order. and the violaLors of la,
>. and order. Old world distinction o
;. high born and low!y are not for
: glorious nation like this-nor tina
o other distinction Of rict, and poo.
for these conditions change too Of
d ten and Too abruptly, anu under a
It impartial administration of our jus
= laws, the poor Of to-day may be tb
= rich of Tomorrow, and the son, Q
!. the humblest laborer may in tim
IS adorn the bench, the Senate or til
Presidency Of his native land. LIE
i. it b known that through your gran
F, and petit juries in tile Courts, and b
d an energetic public opinion outside
: you mean to impartially and vigd
a q, Eoeao iha anual La mo nnc