The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-06-04

me, was begged to go, but they mus
tered according to their roll-call, eight
present, and one represented by letter
of credence and sympathy. There are
sixteen licenced attorneys on this sea-
coast and they began and ended their
work without even quorum. And
they appointed so-called committee,
and this committee was composed en-
tirely of my bitterest enemies, two
attorneys (Seal and T.. Henderson, in
the Flaig- throp case, and an eX-at-
torney Davis in same case. had not
a friend even in this meeting, for no
friend of mine, and no neutral even,
would attend 1t.
The burden of their complaint
against me is, that-as they put it--I
haye assailed or slandered the sea-
coast Bar. If they understood the
English language and knew how TO
construe it, they would know, if they
don't know, that | did nothing Of the
kind. l assailed only q part of the
ea-coast Bar, an underlined and name
less portion and personality of said
Bar, as "shysters, pettifoggers" etc,
but left it to the intuition or inquiry
of the sea-coast people tc find out
which persons belong to this class.
A respectable physician never COM
plains or takes Oflense, at hearing
general denunciations against quacks
and abortionists. Nothing pleases
him better than to hear such imputa-
tions for he knows that he is not one
of that class and does not fear that
his neighbors will 50 class him. When
the cry of "stop theft is heard, no
honest man ever complains or inn
agines, that the hue and cry" is
raised for him. could not attack the
Sea-coast bar, without committing
.felo dc SC, without attacking myself,
for | have the vanity to believe that
| am not unimportant member Of
that bar, and one would imagine
from the herculean efforts that these
attorneys are making TO squetch me,
that they are fully aware of that fact.
| would not attack the Sea-coast bar,
because it contains some of my best
friends, and some good "men and
true" whom even bull-dozing hot
and heavy) has not yet driven
from me.
These attorneys also tried the dodge
of getting up &C pdrtc hurried and
hostilely Ito mel conducted investiga-
tions before Grand Juries, to inquire
into possible future and contemplated
crimes. AS soon as | discovered the
drift, sat down and squelched it. l
told the Grand Juries that / did not
wish them TO go into such inquiry
that proposed to take care of myself
against suspected assassins; that j
had well founded suspicious but sus-
picions were not legal evidence, and
that would accuse no man upon slIs-
picion; that my best evidence was
given to me in confidence, and that
would not disclose il; that | scorned
to attack any man before secret tri-
bunal; and finally that Grand
Jury has nothing to do with future or
contemplated crimes, which in legal
view are not crimes at all.
4 few words more and | have done.
II is a fact familiar to Sea-coast people
that for nearly three years past a
bitter .feud has existed between my
self and Roderick Seal. This has
grown more and more intense and
bitter, until recently, it has become a
war of determination. 1t is simply a
question of survivorship between us, at
least as lawyers.
I don't wish to exterminate or
destroy him as a lawyer, because he
is no legal obstacle to me, but rather
an advantage, as an adversary whom
il is only child's play with me TO de-
feat in the court. But since he is
trying to destroy me, have found it
necessary, in self-defence to destroy
his power of mischief-''only this and
nothing more"
Their assault on me closes with a
vague and unmanly thereat, that six
months hence, at next term Of court,
they will jump up something on me.
They do not explain why they have
thrown away their recent, splendid
and convenient opportunity to do so,
at the terms Of court just ended, and
one of which was in session, when
they made their threat. They pre-
tend to know something, but are
afraid to disclose it, and they say in
effect that they will conceal il six
months, aud then jump it up as a sur
prise. Just like them Now, Gents
IL you can tell anything on me, that
is unworthy a lawyer and gentle
man, bta5 IL out--tlon't keep it. Just
give me little notice-time enough
to investigate the character Of your
witnesses, and to confront them with
creiitable witnesses, and 1 will be
ready for you.
But this mean innUneRdo is in
tended only to injure me profession
ally in the meantime, but my clients
and the people have too much conf
dence In my honor and integrity to be
driven from me by such q vile trick.
Ben LANE PosEY.
IT will be remembered that some